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Stearman Fly-In Starts Monday
While Labor Day means a celebration of good, hard, work, in Galesburg, it also means a lot more air traffic than normal.

That's because Labor Day marks the start of the annual Stearman Fly-In at the Galesburg Municipal Airport. This is the 34th year for the celebration of the World War One-era bi-plane, which officially starts with the fly-over of the Stearman planes at the Galesburg Labor Days Parade.

But what is it about the Stearman plane that continues to be popular among aeronautics buffs? Jet Air president and fly-in board member Harrell Timmons tells WGIL simply enough, the planes were some of the most durable and reliable for their time period.

"There's certainly nothing aerodynamic about them," Timmons said. "They're big and they're box-y, but they do fly and handle well. But, they also have a nasty streak, which made them a very good trainer, because if the pilot doesn't stay ahead of them, they have a mind of their own."

Organizers say the participants will take part in training, demonstrations, and formation flying competitions, along with flights to Burlington and Kewanee during the week, but this year, they say one of the classic fleet of "Red Barron Pizza" planes will be on display as the public are invited to take narrated tram tours.

You can get more information on the Stearman Fly-In online by CLICKING HERE.
09 07 09 by Newsroom
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