2009 Hood River Fly In Retrospect

Great weather & tons of fun made the three days of the fly in fly by fast!

The Western Antique Aeroplane and Automobile Museum was honored by 230 visiting airplanes from all the Western states and Iowa! It was another year of fabulous weather, meeting up with old friends and making new ones, enjoying great food and seeing a spectrum of visiting aircraft.

Could we have asked for more? Not on your life!

More than 4000 visitors enjoyed WAAAM's three-day fly-in extravaganza during the second weekend in September, ushering in the Pacific Northwest's beautiful fall weather, revered worldwide.

The Fly In is the Museum's annual fundraiser and the 2009 event did well. Thanks to all!

Wow ... So Much To Do!

Camping under the wing of your airplane, a hot shower and a Lions Club Breakfast (served with the best sausage ever), started our Saturday and Sunday mornings.

A fire pit and a bit of hangar "lying" in the evenings followed a Saturday night feast of Tip Steak, perfectly seasoned, cooked and served by our famous and local Westside Fire Department.

The Gorge Jazz Band donated their tunes for after-dinner dancing and enjoyment in the new WAAAM Event Center that opened in January 2009.

New this year was the addition of a Silent Auction. Items were donated by Gorge area businesses and individuals. Said auction winner Ben Davidson, "I am so excited, I won a $280 remote control Jenny for just $100!"

An Aviation Swap Meet was also introduced this year. This will be an annual event headed by Tom Murphy, Director of Restorations. "There was some good stuff," says Tom, and he looks forward to expanding it next year.

Our original, antique Columbia Gorge Airway Beacon was dedicated early Friday morning and a moment of silence was held in remembrance of the lives lost during the 9/11 attacks on our country.

Hold the date for 2011

The 2010 Fly-In is planned for Sept. 9, 10, 11. Please mark your calendar!

Also, please give us a call if you want to make advance arrangements to bring in a special group or host a special event.

What fun!

Three days of flying in and out, events for the entire family, events for adults ... and great fun for all!

Photo by Richard Hallman.

Special Guests

The Military Vehicles Collectors Club of Oregon made a grand entry with their Stewart Tank, GPWs, Mule, Command Car, Quad 50 Mount w/ 106 recoilless rifle and an International M24.

Their members were dressed in period uniforms, and were a great addition to the Fly-In.

We invite special guests to drop in on us in future years as well!

Video Showcase

See More Videos

To see videos of more WAAAM events, check out the WAAAM video channel:

WAAAM Videos on YouTube.

Fly Ins