Forest Fires Threaten Annual Fly-In

Smoke-generated IFR didn't keep visitors from the annual event at Hood River.

Friday, September 16, 2022 at 08:44 AM ET

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An estimated 2,000 visitors attended this year's event, which is a major fundraiser for the Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum at Ken Jernstedt Airfield / Hood River Airport (4S2). [Courtesy: Farron Brougher]

Key Takeaways:

The Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum (WAAM) successfully hosted its annual fly-in at Hood River Airport, attracting 200 airplanes and 2,000 attendees despite challenges from wildfire smoke.
The event serves as a major fundraiser for WAAM's expansion, showcasing the museum's extensive collection of over 325 operational vintage aircraft and automobiles, including highlights like a newly acquired Ford Tri-Motor.
WAAM's fly-in continues the legacy of the former Evergreen Fly-in, preserving the Pacific Northwest's strong vintage aviation tradition and fostering a vibrant community among enthusiasts of all ages.

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One of the challenges of flying a vintage aircraft is that, by modern standards, they are a little light on instrumentation that allow the pilot to safely traverse visual obscuration brought on by clouds or smoke—but that didn’t stop visitors from attending the annual Western Antique Airplane and Automobile Museum (WAAM) annual fly-in held the weekend after Labor Day at Ken Jernstedt Airfield / Hood River Airport (4S2).

“We’ve had fly-ins impacted by adverse weather before,” says WAAAM’s director Stephanie Hatch. “If people can’t fly in, they drive in. This year we had 200 airplanes, which is a pretty good number. They represented a good variety, we had the older style biplanes and antiques that are near and dear to everyone like the Stearman to modern aircraft fly in.”