The Moccasin Flying Club, based at Chattanooga’s Lovell Field, is sponsoring a Open Ramp Concert event for local pilots and the general public. The event will be held Oct. 19 at TAC Air South, Hangar 2, 1001 Airport Road from 6-10 p.m.
The Open Ramp Concert event is being held to promote general aviation and inform the public about general aviation issues. A concert featuring E.G. Kight, “The Georgia Songbird” will be held. in TAC Air South Hangar #2. Tickets are $20 (cash only) with cash bar and food provided by the event sponsor, Bud’s Restaurant of Brainard. Tickets can be purchased at Bud’s. Concert doors open at 6 p.m.
The event will promote general aviation and to highlight general aviation and protecting the rights of private pilots. The concert ticket sales will raise money to promote general aviation in Chattanooga area.
In recent years, due to increased security, many airfields are moving away from these kinds of events.
"The Moccasin Flying Club has been hit hard by the recent recession," said Craig Tyndall. "Fuels costs are high, and the airport has added badge fees and ramp charges that tend to scare away most private pilots. There hasn’t been a Fly-In at Lovell Field since the 1990s. We are working on making general aviation attractive to a new generation of pilots by planning Saturday events like this, where participants can meet local pilots, get close to an airplane, and ask questions.
"People are still interested in learning to fly for business and pleasure. Our goal is for the local pilot community to establish a positive rate of climb in membership and improve public access to general aviation.”
During the course of the year the club provides discovery flights for local schools, churches and scout organizations. In the past club members have been involved with Pilots N Paws, an organization that fly’s animals slotted to be euthanized to new and loving homes and Angel Flights.