Model aircraft to fly over Castle

More than 200 model aircraft will fly over Castle Airport throughout the next four days during the 18th annual West Coast Festival of Giants that starts Thursday.

The event is the second-largest in its kind in the country, according to organizers. It brings pilots from many West Coast regions. This year, more than 200 aircraft pilots will come from states including Washington, Oregon and Arizona.

In the past, the event has attracted pilots from as far as the Philippines, organizers said.

Scott Malta, president of the Merced-based Central California Model Flyers Club, said the aircraft that will be displayed and flown will represent many eras of aviation.

There will be military aircraft from World Wars I and II, as well as the Korean and Vietnam wars. Aircraft from the golden age of aviation – the 1920s and 1930s – will also be on display.

The event will run through Sunday. Flying will start Thursday at noon and at 9 a.m. each day thereafter. The Festival of Giants is open to the public and admission is free, with a $5 daily or $10 full-event charge for vehicle parking.

Free shuttle service will be available Sunday to transport people to and from Castle Air Museum, where Open Cockpit Day will be taking place.

Malta said turbine-powered aircraft flying is a must see and hear for people of all ages.

“It’s a great family outing,” Malta said. “The model aircraft look like real airplanes; they are well-designed and decorated.”

According to Malta, the event is a unique opportunity for people in the area. “It’s something you just don’t see anywhere else,” he said.

Castle Airport is an ideal place for this type of event to take place because of the wide-open spaces. The event is also beneficial to the community and its economy, Malta said, because it helps bring in visitors from across the country who spend money in hotels and restaurants in the area.

Spectators are advised to bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen and a chair. Food and drink vendors, as well as hobby aircraft vendors, will be on site. Organizers ask attendees to enter through the Castle Commerce Center at either Buhach or Wallace roads.

For more information, call Malta at (209) 617-5789 or Rick Maida at (408) 460-1526.

This story was originally published May 20, 2015 at 4:11 PM with the headline "Model aircraft to fly over Castle."