News

Powered Parachute Caravan Flies into St. Louis Downtown Airport This Weekend

WHAT: A national organization of powered-parachute operators, called the Powered Parachute Caravan (PPC), will be making flights above Metro’s St. Louis Downtown Airport at Cahokia, the St. Louis Riverfront and the Gateway Arch this weekend as part of its sixth annual tour.

WHEN: PPC aircraft and pilots will begin arriving at St. Louis Downtown Airport Thursday afternoon and will be conducting flights above the area through Sunday, August 15, 2010. They fly mostly in the mornings and evenings to take advantage of the best air/weather conditions.

WHERE: St. Louis Downtown Airport at Cahokia. Log onto www.stlouisdowntownairport.com/drive for directions to the airport.

For more information or to schedule interviews and tape flights, call Airport Director Bob McDaniel at 618-337-6060.

SIGNIFICANCE: The Powered Parachute Caravan – a group of fliers who happily refer to themselves as “nuts” – will be flying their powered parachutes above the St. Louis Downtown Airport and the St. Louis riverfront this weekend as the final stop on their annual tour.

The PPC describes itself as a group of the most-experienced powered-parachute pilots who travel the country with their families and friends each summer to demonstrate their skill at flying powered parachutes. They arrive in RVs towing their aircraft behind them and camp near their host airports. This year, they have made 11 stops across Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana and Illinois since launching their tour on July 24 in New London, WI. St. Louis Downtown Airport is the final stop on this year’s tour.

While the public is welcome to watch the flights, the events are not scheduled publicly because the timing may vary.

More information on the PPC and previous annual tours is available on the group’s website at
www.ppcpilot.com/CARAVANS/I/PPCCaravanInfo2.