Big airshows can be fun. However, the confined nature of things and the number of people involved can also make them a little less enjoyable. Small events at local airfields do not provide the same level of activity but they can prove to be every bit as fun. Such is the case with the Sonoma Skypark’s Family Fun Day. This is one of those opportunities for a local airfield to invite people from the area to come and see what happens at the field. It is a good way to build relations with the local community.
I may not be “local” but I wasn’t going to miss the chance to join in. I arrived relatively early and some of the setting up was still in progress. A selection of the most interesting (read old) planes based at Skypark were being lined up on display. Some vintage cars were also being added to the lineup. Meanwhile, some of the stands were getting set up for local societies and offering food and drink.
There was no flying display taking place. However, there were some movements covering pleasure flights and some sky diving flights. The airport was shut for the main part of the event although one pilot didn’t seem to notice that. Another arrived and managed to leave the runway and ground loop in the grass. I missed this as I was watching a parachutist landing from the opposite direction. All ended up fine with no significant damage incurred.
Entry to the event included free lunch. There was a steady line of people taking advantage of the food that was being cooked and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Rides on a trailer pulled by a tractor seemed to keep the smaller visitors amused and there were competitions for paper airplanes as well. A lot of people showed up during the day and, hopefully, the bond between the airport and the community got a little bit stronger. I had a great time!
There are many times in aerospace when a manufacturer builds something that turns out to have little appeal, sell in small quantities and then vanish forever. Given how many of these there are, it is a surprise when one of them makes it big. Socata (now Daher) hit the rich seam when they built the TBM700. This single engine turboprop ended up finding many happy customers who appreciate the combination of performance and comfort with the US being a market for the majority of the aircraft built.
Over the years, they have been upgraded with the next version being the TBM850 and now the current production version is the TBM900. Despite their popularity, I have only come across them infrequently so it is always nice to catch one out in the wild. From the French Air Force to the private operators, here are a few of the ones I have come across at various times.
