Strong winds ground attendance at Lyon Co. Fly-in

Airplanes weren't the only thing to drop in from the sky Sunday at the Lyon County Fly-in and Air Fest in Silver Springs.

Strong winds and intermittent rain showers caused the event to be cut short on the second day of the two-day event, forcing vendors to close up shop and aircraft to head back home earlier than anticipated.

"The weather stopped a lot of people from coming in today," said Operations Chief Sky Sarosi.

The wind-swept sands caused most of the event's 24 vendors to pack up early, including Alan and Sandy Nishimoto.

"The wind is getting pretty bad, it's just time to go," Mr. Nishimoto said while taking down dreamcatchers from his booth.

The Fernley couple started the business last fall, looking for a new career after years of working construction.

"I'm getting too old to do construction anymore, so we started doing this. We won't get rich but it's fun," Mr. Nishimoto said.

Although the inclement weather dampened Sunday's events, the Fly-in boasted record attendance on Saturday.

"We had about 48 planes on the ramp Saturday," Sarosi said. "It was so packed. It was one of our biggest days doing this."

One of the most popular programs Saturday was the Young Eagles Program, offering children ages 8-17 free first flights with members of the Experimental Aircraft Association. The program is designed to get children interested in aviation, engineering, and all aspects of flying.

More than 50 children took their first flight Saturday, marking one of the largest requests for flights in the event's history.

It was a Young Eagles flight at age 16 that got Jennin Compton, now 24, of Reno hooked on flying and her flight Saturday afternoon just reinforced it.

"During my Young Eagles Flight I got to take the controls and I was a goner. I've been hooked ever since," Compton said.

Saturday, Compton flew in the Diamond Eclipse owned by Ace Aviation of Stead.

"We did powered-off stalls and he talked me through a lazy eight, it was incredible," Compton said.

Ace Aviation pilot Sean Maxey, 24, has been hooked on flying since he was 12 years old. Since then he has attended several flight academies and was an instructor for Delta Airlines. To him flying has always been about freedom.

"It's the freedom to travel, to do what I want when I want. With an airplane I can be in San Jose in under two hours," Maxey said.

The fly-in, now in its 11th year, began as the Fernley Fly-in until the event outgrew the Fernley Airport and was moved to the expanded airport in Silver Springs.

• Contact reporter Jarid Shipley at jshipley@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1217.