After Greenville resident Hal Holbrook took his first ride in a vintage open-cockpit plane Saturday, he said it reminded him of going on a thrill ride.
Riding along in a 1925 open-cockpit Bi-Plane flown by pilot Charles Mars, of Flora, Holbrook was one of the hundreds of local residents who attended the inaugural Greenville Aviation Day.
“I got a chance to ride in the cockpit while Pilot Charles Mars was in the back,” Holbrook said. “We flew for about 20 minutes over the river, levee, part of Lake Ferguson and some Delta fields. Mr. Mars did climbs, dives down and a couple barrel roll wing overs.”
Greenville Mid-Delta Regional Airport director Sam Washington said they wanted to host this event as a way to introduce local residents to their local airport and the world of aviation.
After the flight, Holbrook said it was a thrilling experience he’s glad he got to experience and check off his bucket list.
“After talking and riding with Mr. Mars, it reminded me of a thrill ride at the amusement park,” he said.
Washington said he wanted this event to be fun and educational for those who hadn’t been to the airport before.
“We made this event with hopes of getting people to the airport. I know there are a lot of people who have never been to the airport nor has flown from it either, so we gave them an opportunity to see what is out here and what we provide,” he said.
The event, which was organized in concert with Mid-Delta Aviation, the managing firm for Mid-Delta Regional Airport and sponsored by Titan Aviation Fuel and the Washington County Economic Alliance, gave attendees the opportunity to watch six T-34 planes perform flight demos and formation flying. There was also a group of Corvettes on display for people to take pictures with and explore at the owners’ discretion, along with other aircraft for people to peruse and take pictures of. Light sport aircraft, certified aircraft, agriculture aircraft and warbirds, which were planes that Air Force pilots during World War II trained with, were available for people to see and take pictures with.
Fire Lieutenant Charlie Washington said it was “pretty cool” to see the various small planes, even some that date back to World War II.
“My kids and I got to see some of the Mississippi State drones. The Lil’ Red Antique Fire Truck was there to give the rides and give props for them to shoot water and take pictures. They were even giving plane rides around the area… It was an overall experience and my kids had a blast so it was a win for me,” Washington said.
There were about 300 people who made their way to the airport for the event, and Washington said it’s an event they plan to host again.
“With the amount of people that were in attendance, we anticipate doing the event again to gain public interest and public involvement with the airport,” he said.
