The University of Oklahoma Max Westheimer Airport will hold its eighth Annual Aviation Festival on Saturday, October 25, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission and parking are free. The festival will include an open house, aircraft static displays, tours of the air traffic control tower, hands-on children’s hangar and activity area. Aircraft static displays include a Chinook Plus II, Cirrus SR 22 Turbo, T-6 from Columbus Air Force Base, King Air C90, PT-19, Cherokee Warrior and Bi-planes. The Norman Fire Department and OU Police Department will also have displays during the festival.
“It’s a fun time seeing kids of all ages touch airplanes and interact with pilots and other professional operators. It’s all about the kids,” said OU aviation program director Kenneth Carson. “Before September 11, 2001, children had the opportunity to sit in the cockpits of planes and that was an inspiring experience for a lot of kids. Today, OU Aviation is doing what we can to educate our community and cultivate the youth’s interest in aviation.”
The open house expects between 1,600 and 3,000 attendees, including the University of Oklahoma’s Boomer and Sooner ponies with the Sooner Schooner. Light fare food will be available with hot dogs, hamburgers and refreshments by the airport’s Ozzie’s Diner.
A number of organizations serve as sponsors of this event. Platinum Sponsors include: OG&E, Republic Bank & Trust and Valliance Bank. Gold Sponsors include: Garver Engineers, Hallbrooke Development Group, McClain Bank and Silver Star Construction. Silver Sponsors include: Arvest Bank, BancFirst, Cruise Aviation Associates Inc. and Prosperity Bank. In-kind sponsors include: Max Westheimer Airport, OU Aviation Department, OU Housing & Food Service, OU Real Estate Operations, Sooner Air Traffic Control Association, Sooner Aviation Club, Sooner Chapter AAAE, ABS Golf Cars, Sooner Jr. Kids Club, Sooner Air Traffic Control Association;, Hard Edge Design and Sooner Flight Academy.
Max Westheimer Airport is at 1700 Lexington St. in Norman, just north of Robinson Street between Interstate 35 and Flood. For more information, contact the airport at 325-7233 or visit the website at www.ou.edu/content/airport/events/festival
