Sept. 13 event will be first of its kind here in 50 years

Aircraft enthusiasts and curiosity seekers from across the area are invited to take part in a Saturday, September 13, “fly-in” at Atmore Municipal Airport, the first time such an event has been held here in a half-century.

The showcase of antique and other aircraft is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and last until 4 p.m. at the local airfield, just east of Atmore, off U.S. 31.

“This is the first time that something like this has taken place here since the 1970s,” said Don Flynn, who directs operations of the local airport for Sky Warriors, a Pensacola, Fla.-based flight school that manages the local landing strip. “There will be bi-planes, home-built aircraft and experimental aircraft. It will be a lot of fun for anybody who’s interested in airplanes.”

Included in the fly-in will be planes piloted by members of The Ninety-Nines International, a global organization of female aviators that promotes aviation advancement. The group was founded in 1929, and famed aviator and aviation pioneer Amelia Earhart was its first president.

Pilots from Pensacola and across the Lower Alabama-Florida Panhandle area are also expected to take part in the event. Flynn noted that Sky Warriors would offer “introductory” rides to those who might be interested, but said he did not know for sure whether there would be a charge for the rides.

“I hope we’ll have a nice crowd,” he added. “It should be a pretty good time for everybody, if the weather holds.”