The third annual Cavalcade of Flight will be part of the 51st annual AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in at Antique Airfield, Aug 28th – Sept 2nd, 2024. Scroll down to register and view current entries.
The Light Airplane Cavalcade was originally held in conjunction with the 1940 Miami All-American Air Maneuvers and sponsored by Gulf Oil, Piper, Taylorcraft & Aeronca. That original 1940 cavalcade, an impressive event for its day, saw more than 600 aircraft arriving in Florida from all points of the compass.
That original cavalcade/tour was divided into three divisions — Eastern, Central, and Southwestern. The Eastern Division originated from Roosevelt Field in New York; the Central Division from Bowman Field in Louisville, KY.; and the Southwestern from Dallas. The majority of the airplanes participating were lightplanes as per the sponsors above.
It was an effective way to promote aviation, aircraft manufacturers & airports throughout the US.
The modern Cavalcade was envisioned by Antique Airplane Association (AAA) President Brent Taylor and Air Power Museum (APM) President Steve Adkisson as not only a nod to a successful, though not-well-known, event during the last of aviation’s Golden Age, but also as a way for those on their way to the annual AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in here at Antique Airfield near Blakesburg, IA, to visit other aviation museums, interesting airports, and events as they travel. This we believed would not only help support those museums, events, and airports, but also help promote the AAA/APM & Antique Airfield.
For the last two years, this event has given the historic airport at Hastings, NE (Nebraska Airport of the Year for 2024), along with the Nebraska Antique Airplane Preservation Inc. (NAAPI), our Nebraska AAA Chapter, the fine group at the Red Oak, IA, airport (and their annual luncheon), and the Iowa Aviation Museum in Greenfield, IA, exposure that goes well beyond their local geographical area. As well, it has made those venues and locals more aware of Antique Airfield and the AAA/APM.
Our hope has been to see this event eventually grow to Cavalcades from several compass points, a moveable feast as it were, all headed to Antique Airfield for the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in much like as happened with the original Cavalcade and the Miami All-American Air Maneuvers.
For 2024, the NE AAA Chapter will once again host the western leg of the Cavalcade, departing historic Hastings, NE, airport on Tue, Aug. 27th, 2024, for Red Oak, IA, then onto Antique Airfield with a stop at the Iowa Aviation Museum in Greenfield, IA, on Wed, Aug. 28th.
However, we are pleased to announce the addition of an Eastern Cavalcade in 2024 as well.
AAA National Director Phil Dacy, along with his family and brother Dave have stepped up and offered to host the start of the Eastern Cavalcade of Flight at Dacy Airport (0C0), Harvard, IL, with the Stearman Foundation hosting a stop at Galesburg, IL, (GBG) before participants continue onto Antique Airfield (IA27) for the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in.
Participants in the Eastern Cavalcade will meet at Harvard, IL, on Tue, Aug. 27th, 2024, with an overnight there, then on to Galesburg on Wed, Aug. 28th for lunch and on to Antique Airfield.
For those not familiar with Dacy Airport in Northern, IL, it is a family owned/operated airport since 1945, with three grass runways, fuel, hangars, maintenance, etc. The Dacy family is well known in Stearman, as well as other antique/classic aircraft circles and also the airshow industry.
More information on Dacy Airport can be found on their website.
Since the event is expanding as APM Steve Adkisson and I envisioned, the name of the event has officially been changed and will be known as the Blakesburg Cavalcade of Flight.
You may be asking, who is the Cavalcade for? Simply put anyone coming to the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in via an antique, classic, warbird, neo-classic, or homebuilt aircraft who may want to join up with fellow aviation travelers to have some fun, enjoy visiting different airports, and enjoy the camaraderie of like-minded aircraft owners and pilots.
So, if you are interested in participating in either the Western or Eastern Cavalcade, please let us know by filling out the form below, to be able to help plan for, as well as keep you informed of any updates. You can contact us via phone at 641-938-2773, or email AntiqueAirfield@gmail.com.
Stay tuned for more information on the upcoming plans for the Blakesburg Cavalcade of Flight. We look forward to your attendance at the AAA/APM Invitational Fly-in here at Antique Airfield from Aug 28th – Sept 2nd.
Brent Taylor
