At the northern end of California's Gold Country, between the towns of Grass Valley and Nevada City, is a 4350 foot strip of concrete that is the Nevada County Airport. The airport is home to a number of kit built, antique, and classic aircraft as well as the Grass Valley Interagency Air Attack Base.

On July 9th & 10th, 2005, the airport and EAA Chapter 1175 hosted the 28th Annual Nevada County Airfest. The gathering brought together many kit planes, World War II era trainers and fighters, and even a few privately owned ex-military jets. Most of the planes present were not only on static display but would be taking to the air for flybys before days end.

The California Department of Forestry and United States Forest Service started the flying program shortly after the singing of the national anthem. The base at the Nevada County Airport is home to an OV-10 Bronco, a pair of Grumman S2T Trackers, Bell Ranger 514 Helicopter, and a Bell Huey Cobra air attack platform. There mission during California's fire season is to respond and suppress wildfires in the Northern California area.

The CDF Bronco and Tracker were first up with a water drop demonstration that thoroughly watered the strip of land between the taxiway and the runway. As they came around again, this time with the Bronco leaving a smoke trail for the Tracker to follow, the water bomber dumped its load of water along the entire length of the runway. It was an impressive, and comforting, sight for anyone who owns property in the fire prone rural areas of Northern California.

After the flyby and landing of the Bronco and Tracker the Forest Services Bell Ranger moved into position for a fire fighter repelling demonstration. With the USFS Cobra monitoring the simulated fire from a distance the two members of the Forest Service's ground attack crew repelled down the 250 feet of rope hanging below the Ranger.

Once the firefighters were recovered the EAA Chapters members brought their aircraft out for some flybys. First in the air was a Turbine Legend "Miss Ginger" which was followed immediately by John Parker in his Thunder Mustang. Both planes demonstrated the type of speed that is possible from a home made kit built aircraft. John Parker in particular showed how he was able to capture the Class 1C speed record a month earlier by making a number of blistering passed down the length of the runway that impressed the crowd.

Other aircraft that took to the air during the Experimental Association Flybys included Vans RVs, a Compair SL7, Long EZ, an AcroSport, and a Wittman Tailwind W-8. The majority of the homebuilt and kit aircraft that took to the air were local to the Grass Valley area.

At noon the piloted aircraft took a break from flying and allowed the local RC Modelers to own the airspace for awhile. The modelers performed flight demonstrations and a pylon race. It was during a flight demo of a beautifully crafted P-38 Lightning that the day's only mishap occurred. A mechanical malfunction caused the pilot to lose control of his aircraft and as the crowd looked on in horror it spiraled into the ground nose first. The crowd responded to the loss by donating $5 and $10 bills for the rebuilding effort.

After the impromptu debris gathering demonstration on the part of the modelers the larger aircraft again took to the air. While the trainers where brought out and started up the field was briefly visited by a Gulfstream IV which made a number of high and low speed passes before coming in for a landing and departure. As the Gulfstream sat at the runway going through its takeoff checklist a pair of BT-13 Valiant Basic Trainers taxied down to the east end of the runway for takeoff.

The Valiants made a number slow and noisy passes while the next group of aircraft prepared to take their turn in the air. Four brightly colored PT-17s took to the air to form the Eagle Flight. Once airborne the PT-17s formed up for a number of skillfully executed formation passes. The Eagle Flight?s performance, which was flown by Russ Greenburg, John Hodgeson, Ernie Parish, and Turk Turley, was dedicated to American War Veterans.

The next group of aircraft on the schedule were the advanced trainers. The first of the group to take to the air where the Nanchang CJ-6A Chinese trainer followed immediately by a group of T-6 Texans that grouped into formation for their flybys. The T-28 Trojan was well represented with 6 aircraft taking to the air.

The real crowd pleasers of this show were the piston engine fighters. When they turned over their Merlins, Pratt & Whitneys, and Centaurus engines and taxied out for departure the anticipation grew. First off of the ground was Kent Carlomagno in his black Yak 9 "Blyak Moose." As he headed west, then south to circle around behind the crowd he was followed by Ted Contri in his P-51D Mustang "Sizzlin Liz", Mike Coutches in his very rare P-51H, Chuck Wentworth in his FG-1D Corsair, and finally Ellsworth Getchell in his Hawker Sea Fury.

The distance between the crowd line and the flight path of the aircraft at Grass Valley seems to be shorter than most airshows. Perhaps because of it's positioning atop a bluff the distance between the taxiway and runway was kept to a minimum. Whatever the reason the Warbird pilots made some memorable passes that won't soon be forgotten.

Chuck Wentworth brought his Corsair down low and pushed the throttle forward to show the spectators why the Corsair was a feared weapon in the Pacific Theatre. Ted Contri did the same in his Mustang making his Merlin engine sing its sweet song. However, the most spectacular passes where made by Ellsworth Getchell in his lime green Hawker Sea Fury.

Ellsworth has always been a photo friendly pilot. His take-offs stay lower longer than most, he will bank the aircraft towards the crowd line to give a top view, and in the case of this day in particular he took his aircraft up a few thousand feet in altitude and dove into his passes. Hugging the deck at a high rate of speed he would pull up sharply, banking to the south, to go around and do it again.

While the fighters departed to the north for a photo session it was the jets turn to play. With two BA-167 Strikemasters and an L-39 Albatross taking to the sky the pilots took turns with their flybys. The two Strikemasters kept together making formation passes while Bob Button in his L-39 American Spirit followed behind.

But the day was not done for the piston engined fighters. Returning from their photo shoot each took a turn with one last pass down the runway before departing for home, except for Ellsworth. The big Hawker made a few more spectacular passes before bringing the plane down for a final landing.

As the show ended, and aircraft queued up for departure, the final performance of the day belonged to the CDF air tanker. With a fire burning to the west the fully loaded S2T lumbered down the runway and clawed its way skyward. It was time to get back to work at the Grass Valley Interagency Air Attack Base.