The 2023 Simsbury Connecticut Fly-In, Car Show and Food Festival Review
Story by Ken Kula, photos by Scott Zeno, Alice Leong and Ken Kula
Connecticut’s Simsbury Airport has a history dating back to before World War II. It is a private airfield located a few miles west of the bustling Bradley International Airport. Far from the noise of jet transports, the two dozen or so aircraft based at the field are mainly single-engined propeller driven aircraft. But once a year, the little airport becomes a big attraction as its autumnal open house draws thousands of spectators, hundreds of antique and classic automobiles, plus dozens of local business vendors and food trucks.
The open house, now more than 40 years old, has grown from a small fly-in to a larger gathering attracting a few score of flying machines… fixed wing, helicopters and gyrocopters, and even powered parachutes.
The sun rose into some early mist, but skies quickly cleared for the 2023 Simsbury Airport Fly-In.
Now known as the Simsbury Fly-In, Car Show & Food Truck Festival, it normally held on the third Sunday in September. Unfortunately this year, the event was postponed till the first Sunday in October due to an unfavorable forecast (rain and low ceilings). The right choice was made, and on October 1, 2023 the festival was held under mainly clear skies and warm temperatures… a great day for aviation to spread its wings in Connecticut’s Pioneer Valley.
Lining up the award-winning cars for the celebratory parade at Simsbury Airport.
This large but friendly English Mastiff and its people liked the planes and cars at the Fly-In and Car Show.
The Fly-in is very dog friendly too, dozens of well-behaved canines escorted their people around the grounds!
Aircraft attendance was a bit lower than normal due to the residual effects of a coastal storm which kept many aircraft coming from the eastern New England area, but two dozen fixed wing types, six different helicopters and several paramotored (powered parachutes) aircraft made it into the airport for most of the day. Several aviation-related seminars were offered during the Fly-In, and more were on automotive subjects too.
Pipistrel’s Alpha Electro electric trainer made several flight demonstrations, You Can Fly paramotors took to the skies, a banner tow pick up and drop carried the name of a main sponsor – Squadron Capital – aloft, and HTX helicopters kept buzzing throughout the day offering helicopter rides in Robinson R-44s. A two-ship flight of Van’s RVs of the “Yankee Clippers” made a pair of formation flybys as well.
Kaman Corporation is headquartered in nearby Bloomfield, and normally displays a K-MAX medium lift helicopter. This year was a special year though, as one of a small handful worldwide of flyable HH-43 Husky helicopters sat on display throughout the Sunday event. Kaman uses the twin- flight controlled Husky to train pilots for the single-seat K-MAX. Fewer than four hours of dual instruction is given before more hours are flown in the new K-MAX. Kaman’s Husky has a limited amount of hours left on its blades, around 30 more pilots can receive their dual training before new blades will need to be found or manufactured.
The bright yellow aircraft, which dates from the late 1950s and early 1960s, was originally built as an American military rescue helicopter. First powered by a piston engine, the Huskies were later upgraded with a turbine engine. Huskies used rotor downwash and an externally carried fire extinguishing system to fight fires from crashed aircraft, and routinely carried a pair of firefighters to rescue trapped crewmembers during accidents. Huskies were involved in pilot rescues from jungle terrain during the Vietnam War too, using its rescue hoist with good effect. The Husky was quite successful, but the rotor system relies on blades made with wood, which is the limiting factor to keeping this type airworthy.
Spectators can get pretty close to the flying activity during this event!
Marshalling one of the earlier arrivals for the Fly-In.
The set-up of the fly-in allows people the chance to be much closer than normal to airplanes. A fair amount of volunteers escorted aircraft to and from parking, and spectators quickly got used to heeding the volunteers’ warnings for safety’s sake.
Although the 2023 Fly-In was impacted by adverse weather twice – once at the airport in September’s postponement and finally by the storm to the east in October – the event carried on; attracting a decent sized crowd came to enjoy the wide range of activities at the Simsbury Airport. The Fly-In is the airport’s major yearly find raiser, and once again the area’s populace supported the facility and aviators during the event. A special thanks to Brad Griswold and Jill Nulsen for assisting us with covering the many angles of this friendly event.
It’s less than a year until the next Fly-In, get ready!
