Aviation fans flock to the Dayton International Airport every summer for the annual Dayton Air Show.
Now in its fifth decade, crowds attend to witness and experience not only the latest in technology but can also catch a glimpse of aviation’s past.
Aviation shows in Dayton go back to the earliest days of flight, but the modern-day Dayton Air Show evolved from the events of 1974 when there was a shift in what air shows were and what they would become.
General Aviation Day
In the late 1960s, airplane manufacturers, related organizations and local aviation enthusiasts started observing “General Aviation Day.”
Dayton held their first “GAD-FLY” — as the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce billed it — at the Cox Municipal Airport in 1971.
In 1972, the event moved to the Montgomery County Airport and started with a fly-in breakfast. Afterwards, there was a “poker flight” for pilots, who flew to Middletown Airport, Greene County Airport and Moraine Airport and picked up a playing card at each before returning to Montgomery County Airport. The best hands won prizes.
Also, helicopter, airplane and glider rides were provided during the day. Passengers were able to fly in planes and helicopters for 50 cents each and in gliders for $10.
During scheduled times, demonstrations of aircraft and aerobatics were performed by some experimental and stunt planes.
One of the highlights of the day was the Grimes flying laboratory, an airplane carrying 60…
