Hundreds gathered for the 7th annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day on Saturday at Gainesville Regional Airport, walking through a C-130 Hercules and taking helicopter rides over the city. The event featured all types of military and civilian aircraft along with a classic cars collection, food trucks and vendors from across Alachua County.
Here are some pictures if you missed out.
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Attendees walk through and around a C-130 from Savannah, Georgia, came travelled down for the Fly-In. Photo by Seth Johnson Attendees were able to ride in this T-34 Mentor at the Fly-In.Attendees wait to enter the Navy’s P-8 PoseidonVisitors check out the Alachua County Sheriff Office’s helicopter.Visitors watch a jet land and park.Swamp tours took off from the University Air Center, circled UF and downtown Gainesville before returning to the Fly-In.Photo by Seth Johnson Downtown Gainesville with Paynes Prairie in the distance to the right and Newnans Lake off to the left.University Air Center President Mike Lukowski, left, introduces retired Col. Michael Hare, right, to speak at the Fly-In..Special speaker retired Capt. Bill Pokorny tells of his time as a Navy pilotVendors set up inside the “Mustang Hangar.”The University Air Center and Gainesville Regional Airport hosted the 7th annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day.
Seth Johnson is a Mainstreet Daily News reporter based in Gainesville. He earned a degree in journalism and mass communication and served as editor-in-chief of his school newspaper. Seth is a bookworm and chess nerd, but he tempers these activities by playing sports and biking.
In original story the airport was “GNV.” During our 12 years of living in Gainesville, I thought there was only one airport, so we drove through the commercial airport looking for the Fly-in. My opinion that the article needed an address, but we found and enjoyed the Fly-in, and I took an exciting helicopter ride.
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Mainstreet does not have a paywall, but journalism is not free. Join your neighbors who make this work possible.
In original story the airport was “GNV.” During our 12 years of living in Gainesville, I thought there was only one airport, so we drove through the commercial airport looking for the Fly-in. My opinion that the article needed an address, but we found and enjoyed the Fly-in, and I took an exciting helicopter ride.