BENTONVILLE — The skies over the city will be alive with looping contrails and speedy Brits during the first week of October as the United Kingdom’s aerobatics team prepares for the World Aerobatic Championships.
Team GBR will practice in Bentonville from Sept. 30 to Oct. 5 as it prepares for the championships near Denison, Texas, the following week.
At A Glance
Open House
The community is invited to an open house and aerobatic display at Louise M. Thaden Field from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 5. The city airport is at 2500 S.W. Aviation St. Visitors are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets.
Source: Staff Report
Seven pilots will spend the week using an aerobatic box that covers an area just above and surrounding the Municipal Airport. The Federal Aviation Administration approved the box earlier this year. Aerobatic maneuvers include loops, spins, rolls and stalls performed very precisely, said Dave Powell, director of Summit Aviation.
Summit Aviation is the organization that operates the city-owned airport.
The airplanes are specially designed to handle quick maneuvers, and a spotter on the ground will communicate with the pilots at all times.
The airport will celebrate the arrival of the team with a number of events throughout the week. Hundreds of students from Bright Field Middle School, whose mascot is the Aviators, will visit the airport Oct. 1 to talk to pilots and to watch gravity-defying stunts. The school embraces its aeronautic theme with the school’s six student teams holding airplane monikers like “Top Gun” and “Stealth.”
“The pilots will talk about what they can do and explain more about the planes,” Powell said. “Maybe this will inspire them to think about careers in aviation.”
Bright Field Principal Marilyn Gilchrist said she is excited about the opportunities for learning the visit presents. Math and science teachers will find ways to work lessons from the visit into the curriculum, she said.
The airport’s neighbors will be invited to a special preview early in the week to explain what will be happening in the air near their homes.
The week will culminate with an open house at the airport Oct. 5. Residents are encouraged to bring their lawn chairs and enjoy air shows or walk around and view some unique aircraft. The championship event is held around the world and likely won’t return to this region anytime soon.
“We’ve never had anything like this before,” Powell said. “We’re excited to have them here. We want to expose the community to a part of aviation that they probably won’t have a chance to see again locally.”
In addition to aerobatic planes, the airport will bring in a P-51 Mustang. The plane is considered by many to be the best fighter of World War II , according to the National Air and Space Museum.
Vendors will sell food and drinks at the airport on Oct. 5, and inflatables will be available for children. The airport will be operational throughout the open house, so visitors can watch planes take off and land on the airport’s normal schedule.
Aerobatic practice flights will be ongoing throughout the week. For flight times, call Summit Aviation at 479-254-0817.