Aircraft Ride Opportunities Available to Public at the Vectren Dayton Air Show

 

Rare Opportunity to Fly in Cobra Gunship Headlines Flights

Dayton, Ohio – The U.S. Navy Blue Angels and other performers will do the bulk of the flying at this weekend’s Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger. But that doesn’t mean the general public won’t have opportunities to take to the air in a variety of aircraft ride opportunities. The show will take place July 17 & 18 at the Dayton International Airport.

For the first time ever, AH-1F Cobra Attack Helicopter rides will be available to the general public at the Vectren Dayton Air Show. This limited, unique opportunity presented by the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation will give riders a chance to experience firsthand the rotorcraft that was the backbone of the United States Army's attack helicopter fleet. Cobra rides cost $450 per person with the average ride lasting 15 minutes. Riders must be 17-years-old and certain health and weight restrictions may apply.

The AH-1F Cobra is not the only helicopter ride available at this year’s show. The always popular UH-1H “Huey” rides will be back again this year. The Sky Soldiers, a Vietnam re-enactment group will provide rides in a vintage UH-1H “Huey”. The Huey is widely identified with the Vietnam War and remains in Army and National Guard service to date. For a $50 donation, riders are able to strap in the back of the helicopter and fly with a veteran pilot for 8-10 minutes. Weather permitting; the doors of the helicopter are open during the flight. Veteran and active duty military discounts are available.

For the WWII buff, the show will offer a very limited number of rides on one of the iconic aircraft from the period. The B-17 Sentimental Journey will offer flight opportunities to a select number of riders. A flight on Sentimental Journey is $425 per person for the waist section and $600 per person in the nose section. A portion of the flight cost is tax-deductible. The total experience will average 45 minutes and include boarding, engine start, taxi, takeoff and landing and shutdown.

For those attendees who want to get a feel for what early airline passenger travel was like, The DC-3 Flagship Detroit, manufactured in 1937, will be offering a limited number of rides. Interested spectators can join the Foundation for $150 at the DC-3 exhibit on-site and then take a ride following the flying portion of the Air Show. The oldest flying DC-3 in the world, “The Detroit” was restored in 2004 by a group called the Flagship Detroit Foundation. The Flagship Detroit Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the legacy of one of the most popular aircraft in American Airlines history. While in Dayton, “The Detroit” will be open for tours, complete with crew members in vintage uniforms and will also fly during the show.

The Aviation Technology Department at Sinclair Community College will also offer Discovery Flights in a Cessna 172. A four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft, the Cessna 172 is the most successful mass produced light aircraft in history. Rides in the Cessna will cost $35 person.

Headlining this year’s Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger are the US Navy Blue Angels, who will appear with aerobatic legends Sean D. Tucker and the AeroShell Aerobatic Team along with newcomers Pirated Skies Wing-walking, Greg Poe, Team Fastrax skydiving and School Time, the Jet-Powered School Bus. The show will also celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the legendary WWII B-17 bomber with a dramatic bombing reenactment complete with pyrotechnics. The USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon and US Navy F-18 Super Hornet Demonstrations are also part of this year’s star-powered lineup.

While some premium seating areas have sold out, limited numbers of premium seats remain available in the Pavilion Check out all the terrific ticket options on the show’s web site, www.daytonairshow.com. Deep discount advance tickets are also conveniently available exclusively at Kroger stores in the Dayton-Cincinnati region.



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