Annual Valdez STOL Event Brings New Competitors, Former Winners

The accompanying air show also featured a beach landing fly-out.

The annual Valdez Fly-In & Air Show took place May 12-14 at Pioneer Field, Valdez Airport (KVDZ).

Key Takeaways:

The 19th Annual Valdez Fly-In & STOL Competition, held in May in Valdez, Alaska, benefited from unusually clear and beautiful weather, attracting a large attendance of competitors and spectators, including participants from a cruise ship.
Dan Reynolds continued his winning streak, securing first place in the Light Sport class and the overall best score, although his 2018 short landing record remained unbroken due to milder winds this year.
The competition featured several class winners, including newcomer George Pine in the Bush Class, Nathan Rehack (Alternate Bush), Steven Spence (Light Touring), and Lukas Stutzer (Heavy Touring), showcasing impressive STOL performances across various aircraft categories.
Recognized as "hallowed ground" for STOL, the Valdez event continues to be influential in general aviation, inspiring other competitions, and is already preparing for its 20th-anniversary celebration in 2024.

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The annual Valdez Fly-In & Air Show presented by CubCrafters took place May 12-14 at Pioneer Field, Valdez Airport (KVDZ), featuring a beach landing fly-out, balloon bust, flour bombing, aerobatics demonstration and pilot roundtable. But it is heralded most for hosting the world famous Valdez short takeoff and landing (STOL) competition.

Pioneer Field is tucked away in the heavily glaciated Chugach Mountains near the head of a deep fjord in the Prince William Sound, just across from the Port of Valdez, and the Valdez Glacier that sits to the east of the runway. Despite how awe-inspiring this landscape may be, it owns a reputation for creating fast-changing and inclement weather conditions, but it seems the weather gods were smiling down upon the 19th Annual Fly-In & STOL Competition with blue skies and an abundance of sunshine. The conditions could not have been more beautiful for this legendary event. Regular Valdez competitor Dan Reynolds said, “Overall this year’s weather was some of the best I have seen.”