Falcons fly in for Wings & Wheels

Car and plane enthusiasts gathered at the Findlay Airport on Saturday to see and ride in a 95-year-old airplane. And, members of the Bowling Green State University's aviation program flew down to participate in the inaugural Wings & Wheels Car Show. During the one-day event, the university's Falcon Flight Team showed off their 1980 Cessna 152 at the airplane and car show. It's the plane the flight team uses for competitions in the fall and hopefully in nationals this spring, Ben Dodge, the team's president, said. Dodge said they wanted to bring the plane down and be a part of the show to get in touch with the community and show others what it's like to fly. "We take a lot of pride in our plane. We like to keep it clean and looking good," Dodge said. The team also applied the BGSU and flight team's logo under the plane's wings so "when people look up, they know it's the flight team above them." The Cessna 152 is one of 21 planes the university has and one of dozens of planes available for show. People were able to climb in to see the team's two-seater plane, among others. And, when flying in Saturday, Dodge said they flew in right next to the classic 1928 Ford Tri-Motor. "It was just really cool to be able to see such an old aircraft and such a famous plane next to you," Dodge said. The Ford Tri-Motor was the first transcontinental plane to take passengers from New York to Los Angeles starting in 1929. The plane, piloted by retired United Airlines pilot Gary Baker, is owned by the Liberty Aviation Museum in Port Clinton but was leased to the Experimental Aircraft Association for tours around the country through the end of the year. Dodge said the idea behind the Falcon Flight Team, started in 2015, is to allow students looking to become, or already are, pilots apply what they have learned to the field and take their skills to the next level. The team participates in air shows and competitions across Ohio and Michigan, including the Wood County Air Show hosted at the regional airport in Bowling Green. Dodge said he hopes the program and their local appearances excite future aviation enthusiasts. The team is looking into adding about 13 planes to their 21-plane fleet by spring 2024. "We're looking to expand our fleet as student numbers rise," he said. "There's a lot of people in the (aviation) program and it's definitely a growing industry to say the least," he said. The aviation industry is still rebounding from implications of the COVID-19 pandemic and there has been a continued pilot shortage. USA Today reported in July that nearly 15,000 pilots are set to retire in the next five years. But, Dodge said it's a cool and rewarding career after all the hard work that has to go into it.