Darwin Caron shows his dad, Bryce, how to operate a front-end loader at Wings, Water & Wheels 2019.
Darwin Caron shows his dad, Bryce, how to operate a front-end loader at Wings, Water & Wheels 2019. Credit: Courtesy

Karen Mitchell, President of the STEM-education non-profit, WinnAero, is pleased to announce that the group will, in partnership with the Laconia Airport Authority, once again, host an Open House event on May 15, COVID restrictions permitting. The popular family-oriented event dubbed โ€œWings, Water & Wheelsโ€ will operate in the familiar โ€œtouch a plane, touch-a-truckโ€ format so families are encouraged to bring their cameras.

โ€œWe have commitments from about 15 aircraft owners to display their airplanes along with Gilford Fire and Gilford Police vehicles, large excavators and snow-plows and a pace car from NH Motor Speedwayโ€ Mitchell said. Rounding out the displays will be individual vehicles/equipment from Hiltz Construction, ArborTech Tree Service, Redimix, Pike Industries and Finnโ€™s Garage of Meredith. โ€œThis is an excellent opportunity to speak directly with the pilots, operators, police and fire personnel about their planes, vehicles and careers,โ€ Mitchell said.

Also available to speak with the attendees will be WinnAero ACE Academy faculty and Civil Air Patrol cadets and senior members. Helicopter rides for a fee will be offered by CR Helicopters of Nashua. Laconia Airport gates open at 10 a.m. on May 15 and the event will run until 2 p.m. that afternoon. A small per-person or per-family donation will be requested upon entry and snacks and water will be available for purchase. Besides Wings, Water & Wheels, WinnAero is also gearing up to operate its ACE Academy week-long day camps in July for elementary, middle and high school students.

For more information, visit winnaero.org.