The heritage farmyard of Maria DeGirolamo was host to the 11th annual fly-in for the Recreational Aircraft Association July 7.
The pre-arranged gathering of small aircraft welcomed 13 airplanes for an afternoon barbecue and social. Marc DeGirolamo is a member of the association and diligently prepares the Marcelin site for the annual event.
The grass landing strip on the farmyard was surrounded by cropland and bordered by mature trees. It was a picturesque view from both the ground and air. It was a sunny hot afternoon with only a slight breeze, providing ideal flying conditions.
Each year participants travel from various points within Saskatchewan and Alberta to attend the social. This year the pilots flew in from Saskatoon, Tisdale and Corman Park areas to partake in the social.
Planes of interest included the Canadian built 1942 DeHavilland Tiger Moth DH 82C. This plane was used in the military service as a war trainer. The planes were either one or two man tandem or side-by-side models and identified as wither tail or nose draggers. Other attractions were the Mooney M20C, 1946 Aeronca Champ, 1978 Carbin Baby Ace, 1965 Ercoupe, Van's RV-4, Cherokee 140, Cessna 170 and Cessna 182.
It was also the first year to attempt a Wings and Wheels event in conjunction with the fly-in. Numerous vintage and collector vehicle enthusiasts were invited to participate. Two vehicles were present, a 1927 Ford Model T Tudor and a 1971 British MGB convertible.
There were 43 individuals in attendance for the lunch barbecue, which raised $707 for breast cancer research. It was an afternoon enjoyed by all with plans underway for the next fly-in destination for the season.
