Airport could be venue for August 2018 car, air show

Staff report

VIENNA

The Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport might be home to next year’s Wings-n-Wheels car and aircraft show.

Ernie Hall Aviation Museum board members discussed during Tuesday’s Western Reserve Port Authority’s Aviation Committee meeting having the show at the Vienna airport in August.

Next year will mark the sixth year for the event, which features 1,000 show cars and 150 aircraft of all kinds. It typically takes place at the museum, which is adjacent to SLOAS Airfield.

“It’s a community event,” said Bill Griffin, owner of SLOAS and museum board member. “We get people from all over.”

This year, 7,000 people attended the event. More attendees are expected if the event relocates to the airport. The event is a fundraiser for the aviation museum and other organizations.

Airport officials are still considering having the airport as the official event site. Officials want to consider the cost to have the event at the airport and the logistics of it.

“The members of the committee were excited about moving that show [here],” said John Moliterno, executive director of the WRPA

It’s a great show, and we think [the airport] would be the perfect place for it to be held.”

Dan Dickten, director of aviation at the airport, said the show would provide awareness of the local airport to the community.

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, Dickten provided the committee with October’s number of passengers: 6,023.

The total was up from September’s passenger count of 3,435 because Allegiant Air brought back its Orlando service after a temporary hiatus.

Allegiant, the airport’s only commercial airline, will discontinue its service Jan. 4. Airport officials are in talks with several airlines to bring in new commercial service.