Carson City Airport's 15th annual open house is Saturday

Classic and modern planes will take to the skies Saturday for the Carson City Airport's 15th annual open house.

The free event kicks off at the airport at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association, with fly-bys starting at 9:30 a.m. It will include skydivers, a P-51 Mustang, an AH-1 Cobra helicopter, UH-60 Black Hawk and more. All the planes and helicopters will be displayed for viewing at the airport afterward.

"Last year was such a tremendous success that we are even more excited to host this year's Capital Wings Open House," airport General Manager Tim Rowe said in a statement. "The exhibits and activities are a fantastic opportunity for people of all ages to experience the thrill of aviation in a safe, fun, family environment."

Other events include a hot-air balloon and plane rides, a bounce house, face-painting, a paper airplane contest and performances from local dance, tumbling and martial arts studios. Visitors can also shoot a simulated machine gun and fly radio-controlled planes.

In an interview, Rowe gestured to the 10 computer terminals nearby and said that they all have flight simulators on them.

"That'll be real big at the open house with all the kids," he said.

He said the event is a good way to show people what the airport offers and also to build a sense of community around the airport and the local aerospace manufacturers in the area. They'll all need workers and pilots in the not-too-distant future, and this is a great way to instill a love of the sky in the youth, he said.