Oklahoma City KEY - Cover Story

purcell One of the Midwest’s most anticipated events, Ada Air Expo & the 6th annual Ray Stout Memorial Warbird Fly-in, is happening June 19 & 20. Ada, Oklahoma is in full preparation for the mass arrival of aircraft from around the world and across the decades.

Thousands of fans will be pulling out their best ooohs and aaahs (the ones usually reserved for great fireworks) as they watch the death-defying aerobatic acts and breath-taking precision aircraft synchronism at the Air Expo.

For those of you with a love for extremes, a personal stomachwrenching opportunity to experience loops and dives in a real aerobatic plane is just a wait in line away.

If you are inclined toward something less terrifying, there will be airplane excursions around the area and, weather permitting, tethered hot air balloon rides.

The world’s first six-aircraft civilian formation aerobatic team, Lima Lima Flight Team, will be performing a night show on Friday and a day show on Saturday, exhibiting the amazing capability of their T-34s. From the six ship wedge and double arrowhead to the basic finger four and diamond formation, Lima Lima pilots show off their exhilarating skills while keeping the team in front of the air show crowd from take-off to landing.

Gates open at 3 p.m. on Friday afternoon. There will be a practice air show at 4 p.m., hamburger fry and music beginning at 6 p.m.; hot air balloon rides starting at 7 p.m. and the Lima Lima Flight Team will perform a 30-minute night air show at 8:45 p.m. Saturday gears up at 8:30 a.m. with breakfast for the pilots. (All pilots are welcome and encouraged to fly to Ada and enjoy the Air Expo.) The three-hour air show starts at 11:55 a.m., and the static displays will go on from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Rumor has it there may even be a car show. You never know what surprises you will find at the Ada Air Expo.

The 3rd annual State Championship “Pigs Can Fly” BBQ cook-off, sanctioned by the Kansas City Barbecue Society is also a weekend event. In addition, the Ada Lions Club is sponsoring Backyard Piggy’s BBQ Contest for amateur barbecue chefs to compete for cash and bragging rights. Sampling will be available.

Make time to visit with the owners and pilots of the marvelous machines that make Ada their destination for June 19 & 20, and learn the roles they played in our continued freedom.

Ada is a short, scenic drive from OKC and the Air Expo is a great excuse to stay an extra night. Check out www.adaairexpo.com for more details about the event. The Ada Area Chamber of Commerce at 580/332-2506 is THE place for more information about the area and directions to the air show.

This website designed, hosted and maintained for KEY of Oklahoma, Inc. by

...when it's time to establish an Internet presence.