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Veterans, first-timers take to skies at annual Cracker Fly-In
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E.J. and Kayla Radich, 5 and 7, work the controls Saturday of the local Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 at the annual Cracker Fly-in at Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport in Gainesville. The Radichs, including sister Chloe and parents Kimi and Eric, are from Gainesville. CAP Major Ross Statham said, “Education is part of our mission — educating our community on the role aerospace plays in our community. - photo by NAT GURLEY
Buzzing off the runway onto the grass, Covington resident Willie Williams slowly parked his blue Zodiac in a long line of Cessnas and biplanes at Saturday’s Cracker Fly-in at Gainesville's Lee Gilmer Memorial Airport. Its two passengers in the bubble cockpit were separated greatly by experience: While Williams, the pilot, has been in aviation since the boom of the World Wide Web; his passenger, Brandon Ferrell, was enjoying his second time flying. “The first time was just overwhelming, just the fact that we could get this big thing to lift off the ground,” said Ferrell, an Atlanta firefighter.