After the no-show of any aircraft during our initial attempt to host a fly in at the end of May due to appalling weather on the day, Lough Sheelin Airfield hosted a repeat of the event last weekend with no particular expectation for what might transpire. As it happened, the weather was wonderful, there was a nice steady 10 knot breeze straight down the runway, which made it much easier for heavier aircraft to land and takeoff on the short grass strip.
Over the course of the day, there were 20 aircraft that visited from counties all over the country, including Wicklow, Clare, Carlow, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Louth, Armagh, Donegal, and of course Meath and Cavan. There were microlights, group A planes, nosewheel, tailwheel, high-winged, low-winged, and even a biplane. The ones that caught the eyes of the many visitors who dropped by were probably two yellow gyro copters, (part plane and part helicopter), a 1960s Bell 47 helicopter, familiar to those who watched movies and TV shows of that time with its bubble cockpit and open tail, there was also a little single seater aerobatic biplane built by Mig, best known for their supersonic fighter jets.
The turnout of aviators and onlookers were generous in helping the designated charity Youth Suicide Prevention Ireland to the tune of almost €900, raised in addition to the €540 raised during the washed out original event in May. Sheelin Airfield is very grateful to everybody who contributed and to all of our volunteers who helped us run the event.
