June 2009

Fantasy of Flight celebrates padres, dads, and papas with a whirlwind of special events throughout Father's Day Weekend. What's in it for you and your dad (or you and your kids)? How about all the ingredients that bring a smile to a dad's face:

• Start out with a discount — strike that — FREE* admission for dad.
• Take in the 2nd Annual Military Collectors Show, featuring collectibles, re-enactors, vehicles, and special guests.
• Explore all the legendary aspects of the World's Greatest Aviation Attraction, including the collection, tours, and exhibits.
• Strap into the cockpit of a classic warbird.
• Top it all off with a R/C Fly-In (see below for more details)

And have a fantastic fun-filled Fantasy of Flight Father's Day Weekend, suitable for the Number 1 guy in your life. Check out www.fantasyofflight.com for all the details.

Paul Stecewycz and Kermit Weeks
celebrate the "last run" from Miami

The last truckload of Fantasy of Flight aircraft made its way home from Miami in May, completing 16 years and many thousands of miles of deliveries, most of which were packed and driven by Restoration Specialist Paul Stecewycz. Fantasy of Flight Creator Kermit Weeks raised a banner and a surprise toast to Paul as he rounded the corner onto the Fantasy of Flight ramp with that final load of precious cargo. See Kermit's blog for more details: http://blog.kermitweeks.com/

Everyone who drives down Interstate 4 has seen G. Willie, Fantasy of Flight's DC-3 pilot waving from the cockpit of the plane. However, G. Willie is much more than just another dashing aviator. He's a styling guy with a mission. As Fantasy of Flight's ambassador-at-large, G. Willie travels the world of imagination, sharing his passion for aviation and Fantasy of Flight. He says he likes to "light the spark within." Want to know more? We did too, so we cornered him and asked some questions. Here's what we learned:

He is a Capricorn and single, but he has his eye on a "certain princess" at another local attraction. With a blush, he admits he loves to "dress up" for the holidays.

As every local knows, G. Willie was recently kidnapped by ne'er-do-wells, but he made a heroic escape and turned up back on property. When asked what happened during his captivity, G. Willie gets a faraway look in his eyes and a single tear slides down his stiffened cheek. We change the subject.

Asked about his profession, G. Willie smiles and offers an impressive list, "Random adventurer, deft aviator, master of disguise, and general expert on all topics related to Fantasy of Flight."

Which set us to thinking…

G. Willie Answers
Your Questions

Fantasy of Flight is delightfully unique, and folks have plenty of questions about many aspects of it—from history and facility to aircraft and wildlife. Next to the boss, G. Willie has the most comprehensive view of the goings-ons and ins-and-outs. Why not make use of his wealth of information? We put a couple guests' questions before him and, with his characteristically steady gaze, he produced answers.

Interested Guest: What hard-to-find plane is Mr. Weeks seeking that is proving difficult?

G. Willie replies: I talked to the boss. We're good pals, you know. He admits that several airplanes have captured his fancy; however, he doesn't have storage space big enough to house all his dreams… yet! More than anything, Kermit is thinking about vintage seaplanes these days. Even so, a recently added aircraft will make her public debut in the collection next month. I've been asked to keep it hush-hush… no names… but her initials are M.L.A., and she is joining up with some old pals here.

Interested Guest: Waiting to see your Avenger restored...Hellcat next?

G. Willie: The Avenger needs a fuel tank replaced, some T.L.C., and a paint job. We hope to do some work on it in the future with the intent of keeping it flying. The Hellcat is a long way off.

Have a question? Just send it to gwillie@fantasyofflight.com.  (And if you're on Facebook, you can also become friends with G. Willie to get regular updates about his escapades.)

Let us Spray
Grass Runway Renewal

Fantasy of Flight doesn't look like most airports, and one of the most obvious reasons is the grass runways. Why are the runways grass instead of concrete?

Many of the collection's most historic planes don't have rear wheels or brakes of any kind. Instead they are slowed down by an old-fashioned tail skid, designed to drag along grass and come to a graceful stop. Those vintage aircraft simply wouldn't work on a hard runway. The concrete would shred them, placing the pilot and the plane in terrible danger. Yikes!

Even so, our gentle grass runways are highly engineered to take the weight and impact of all our warbirds. Even a B-29 can land safely at Fantasy of Flight. But like all things, our runways require care, including scraping the surface down and rehabilitating the grass.

Prior to the recent monsoon season, drought conditions had begun to compromise the top-most level of the thirsty runway, creating ruts and more "texture" than most pilots prefer. Fantasy of Flight's new Water Truck arrived on property and went to the rescue. Watching "W.T." in action inspired some of us to fantasize about donning our bathing suits and dancing in its wake. Hmmmm… sounds like fun on a hot summer day!

Little Runway Creates Big Fun

Not only are the two big runways getting a facelift but a brand new small runway is also in the works. Extra small… Just the right size for remote-controlled (aka R/C) aircraft. The big reveal for the little runway will be this year's Roar n' Soar. In the meantime, R/C enthusiasts won't want to miss the Fantasy Flyers R/C Club's 1st Annual WWI and Golden Age Fly-In on June 20-21. Remote-controlled aircraft has become a hugely popular hobby for reasons that are obvious: fun, fast flying and plenty of friends. Check out the event details online.

Gift Shop Special
The P-51 Mustang Polo

Our feature item of the month is the perfect gift for Fathers Day! Dad will look sharp in our signature P-51 Mustang polo. This beautiful shirt comes in maroon and navy and features the Fantasy of Flight logo embroidered on the sleeve, available for only $24.95 + tax. Top it off with a black P-51 Mustang hat fitted with a brass cap that's engraved with one of the greatest fighter planes ever built for only $18.95 + tax. Both items can be purchased through the online store while supplies last.

And if you are still uncertain about the perfect gift for Dad, consider the ultimate present: Gift certificates are one-size-fits-all and guaranteed to please.