LEE COUNTY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Southern Base of the Research Triangle Region NEWS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, May 7, 2002 Contacts: Giselle Hartl, Operations Manager Wings of Carolina Flying Club 919-776-2003 (phone) 919-776-2082 (fax) gisellehartl@hotmail.com (e-mail) Stanley Munsat, President Wings of Carolina Flying Club 919-942-7509 (phone) 919-776-2082 (fax) munsat@email.unc.edu (e-mail) Bob Heuts, Director Jane Haber, Administrative Assistant 919-774-8439 (phone) 919-775-5410 (fax) info@lcedc.com (e-mail) Media Web: http://www.lcedc.com/media/ This release: http://www.lcedc.com/media/releases/nr050702.txt Sanford-Lee County Regional Airport: http://www.sanford-leecoairport.com Wings of Carolina Flying Club: http://www.wingsofcarolina.org "AIRSTRAVAGANZA 2002" AVIATION OPEN HOUSE SET FOR MAY 11 AT SANFORD-LEE COUNTY AIRPORT SANFORD -- Airport tours, special flight-related activities and an exhibit of rare aircraft will be featured Saturday at Airstravaganza 2002, a general aviation open house scheduled from noon to 3 p.m. at the Sanford-Lee County Regional Airport. The public is invited to attend, and admission is free. The airport is located in northern Lee County, just off U.S. Highway 1 at exit 76. "Quite a few unique airplanes will be flying into the airport for this year's Airstravaganza," said Giselle Hartl, a private pilot and manager of the Wings of Carolina Flying Club, sponsor for the event. "It will be a rare opportunity to get an up-close look at general viation." Hartl said the open house will include an exhibit of rare and unusual aircraft, including Warbirds and unique experimental designs. Many ilots will offer tours of their airplanes and let people sit inside the cockpits. Others will be available to discuss flying tricks, building airplanes and learning how to fly. Though pilots and their aircraft are expected to draw most visitors, the afternoon also offers an opportunity for visitors to make paper airplanes, take a ground school class and even test their flying skills in a flight simulator. The goal, said Hartl, is to introduce the public to full range of general aviation taking place in the region -- from recreational flying in single-engine planes to rescue workers operating emergency medical service helicopters. In the event of rain, Airstravaganza will be postponed to a fall date to be announced. The Wings of Carolina Flying Club, with about 200 members, is a not-for-profit organization based at the Sanford-Lee County Regional Airport. The group meets monthly for safety meetings and fly-outs, and specializes in primary and advanced flight training. -- 30 --