The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club will present the 63rd annual Flying Circus Airshow on Saturday, June 15, and Sunday, June 16, from noon to 3:30 p.m., daily. Admission is $5. Admission is free for children under the age of 7. Free parking is available on site. Refreshments will be available for purchase.
Spectators will see everything from sport planes that are often flown on the weekends to radio-controlled jets and intricate scale airplanes, including a radio-controlled space shuttle that will be launched as a finale to the show.
Veterans will be honored with a “Salute to Veterans” followed by the launch of a rocket-powered, radio-controlled space shuttle.
Spectators will see fun and interesting things like Iron Man flying around, a flying stop sign, a flying lawn mower and Snoopy on his doghouse. A portion of the show will highlight military aviation through the years. Also, the Ring of Fire program is expected to be a crowd favorite.
“We will have the Candy Drop again this year. It was so popular last year that we are going to do again. We will have one of our planes fly by and drop candy, and we’re going to let the kids run out and get the candy from the candy airplane,” Feist said.
Also, for kids, there will be a trailer with flight simulators, so they can go in and try to fly model airplanes.
New this year, pilots from the club’s youth group, ages 16 and under, will perform two flying demonstrations, encouraging others to get involved with the sport.
The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club is a group of model airplane enthusiasts who put on a radio control model air show every summer. The first show was held in 1961. The show will demonstrate a variety of radio-controlled aircraft in ways that not only challenge the pilots but provide entertainment for spectators.
“We have moved the Flying Circus from its original dates of Sept. 7-8 to June 15-16 to align with the Butler Regional Airport’s runway resurfacing project slated for June,” Feist said.
The show has become a family-friendly tradition. Aircraft will be flown throughout the day, beginning at noon with the “National Anthem” and “Parade Fly.”
There will be planes with glow engines, gasoline powered planes, electric powered planes of all different shapes and sizes. Miniature jet turbines power the jets.
The war birds represent military aircraft from all eras of military aviation, and pilots will use them to re-create famous aerial battles such as a WW I aerial “dog flight,” the Doolittle Raid, Pear Harbor and the end of WW II.
As a show within the show, four giant-scale Boeing Stearman model aircraft will join together to duplicate the famous Red Baron Stearman Squadron.
There will be about 250 airplanes, helicopters and jets that are part of the show. Flights will be continuously scheduled throughout the event each day. The show schedule will be duplicated on Saturday and Sunday. For a complete show schedule, go to www.RCFlyingCircus.com.
Proceeds from the event pay for the cost of the airshow and go back into the community, supporting select charities. The primary charity the event supports is the Spina Bifida Coalition of Cincinnati. Children with Spina Bifida are invited to the event each year, and they have an opportunity to fly some of the planes. The event typically draws a few thousand people over the course of the weekend.
Information will also be available from The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club as well as from other area model aviation clubs. The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club currently has about 200 members.
How to go
What: 63rd Annual Flying Circus Airshow presented by The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club
When: June 15 and June 16, noon to 3:30 p.m. each day.
Where: Butler County Regional Airport, 2820 Bobmeyer Road (for GPS,) Hamilton.
Cost: Admission is $5. Free admission for children under the age of 7. Free parking. Items will be available for purchase.
More info: Visit www.RCFlyingCircus.com and www.gcrcc.net. The Greater Cincinnati Radio Control Club Flying Circus is also on Facebook. Credit cards are accepted for food, drinks, and souvenirs.
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