What an amazing fly-in this year! With great weather and an impressive group of airplanes that made the trip to 3W5, this year’s fly-in exceeded everybody’s expectations. We had a feeling things were going to be busy today after we had a large number of airplanes arrive yesterday. A huge thanks to all of the pilots and visitors who spent the time to come and visit the airport this weekend!

Our official count today was 168 airplanes flew in for the 2010 North Cascades Vintage Fly-In, and that’s a minimum number since there were airplanes that came and went without checking in. Not sure if that’s a record, but the airport was filled to the brim.

Included in that number were a number of amazing airplanes including Addison Pemberton’s Boeing Model 40C that we’ve been talking about all week. The plane was a big attraction and Addison was generous enough to give rides to more than a dozen people. We managed to get some pictures from a beautiful evening flight on board the Boeing. Truly an amazing airplane to ride in.

We also saw the return of the Student Prince that appeared in our 1988 video we posted earlier in the month. There were a pair of Howards, a Spartan Executive, Wacos, a Laird, Bellanca Cruisemasters, a line of Luscombes, Piper Cubs…the list goes on and on.

We’ll post more stories and pictures in the coming week from the fly-in. We just wanted to take a moment to say thanks to everybody who helped make the fly-in such a huge success.

Three DC-3's bound for Oshkosh made a lay over last night here in Wichita at Stearman Field. Hundreds of folks turned out to greet the crews and admire the airplanes.

My daughter, Kala, left for Oshkosh this morning flying right seat in a Beech Premier 1A business jet. I think she was beyond ecstatic. Dad was also a little jealous. On 1:28 to get there. The Stinson will definitely be slower next year, but hopefully just as much fun.

Well as of 4:00pm on Friday afternoon we have clear blue skies, a west wind and already about 25 airplanes that have flown in for this year’s fly-in. There’s a beautifully restored J-3 Cub that has all of its original paperwork, including the bill of sale from 1946. A Waco YMF parked out front and our Fairchild PT-19 has been giving rides this afternoon.

We’re offering rides today and tomorrow in our PT-19, Waco INF and our beloved Aeronca Champ.

We’re showing the movie Pearl Harbor tonight at 7:30 in the main hangar and the classic film, Blue Max tomorrow night at 7:30.

Addison Pemberton is scheduled to arrive around 5:00 this evening and we plan to meet him in the air with the INF and fly around the Skagit valley a bit.

Tomorrow morning breakfast will be served at the high school from 7:00am to 11:00am and there will be food vendors here all day.

And don’t forget about our guest speakers this year, Addison Pemberton talking about his Boeing Model 40C and Richard Bach talking about his life as a pilot.

Looking forward to seeing everybody here at 3W5 tomorrow.