PUC’s Flight Center & Angwin DART Air Expo: Sharing the Joy of Aviation

On Sunday, May 4, the Pacific Union College Flight Center and Angwin Disaster Airlift Response Team (DART) welcomed 600 visitors to their Air Expo at the Angwin Virgil O. Parrett Field. In collaboration, they showcased the world of aviation with the help of local vendors, pilots, and humanitarian aviation organizations.

PUC aviation students played a significant role at the Air Expo, selling tickets and pancakes and assisting people to and from the event in golf carts. They also helped operate two flight simulators and organized plane rides as two event activities. The plane rides were so popular that they were already booked for the whole day during the first hour of the event. To increase availability next year, the Flight Center aims to have more airplanes available for rides.

Along with DART, the Angwin Fire Department and Angel One Mission Aviation had booths to inform and connect with the community, with some campus clubs from PUC also participating in the Air Expo.

In the middle of the event, the string ensemble from PUC Elementary School performed several airplane-themed musical items. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also sent a representative to present two prestigious awards to Mike Terhune of Mike’s Aero, a maintenance shop that has been in operation since 1981. Terhune was presented with the Charles Taylor Master Mechanic Award for 50 years of service as an aircraft mechanic and the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award for 50 years as a pilot.

“The airport community has been very supportive of PUC and the Flight Center over the years,” said Janel Tasker, PUC Flight Center’s office manager. “It was enjoyable to work together with them on this event. Hopefully, the Air Expo helped our visitors experience the joy of aviation and also sparked some interest in young people who may be considering using aviation to make a difference in the world.”

With this being the second year of the Air Expo, many asked when next year’s event will be. PUC’s Flight Center and DART hope to make this an annual event.