Air show draws 2,500 to Valley

An estimated 2,500 people visited the Wings of Change Air Show at the Minden-Tahoe Airport on Saturday.

Airport Manager Jim Braswell said he hasn't had a chance to go through all the surveys, but so far it looked like people who came spent time at the show.

"One of the things we had this year was the DART program," Braswell said. "They hauled 670 people themselves. We had two vans that were loaded most of the time and there were people who lined up and down the road and walked a quarter-mile."

The acrobatic portion of the show nearly didn't occur after a fire broke out in Markleeville.

"Our airboss and the FAA managed to work things out so we were able to fly," Braswell said. "The only thing that kept anything from happening is the wind started kicking up in the afternoon and that curtailed that aerobatics show. People didn't notice, they had blast."

Braswell thanked the volunteers and sponsors of the air show.

"I really would like to thank them," he said. "We enjoyed putting it on and the volunteers really enjoyed it. We hope most people were pleased. This is the first part of Magiko and we are hoping to really get this going. This is the first of three years as far as the chamber is concerned."

On Sunday the Experimental Airplane Association sponsored a free ride for about a dozen young people.

The flights are designed to interest young people in aviation.

Dallas Williams, a Pau-Wa-Lu student, said he was looking forward to taking a ride on the aircraft.