GNV airport hosts annual Gator Fly-In

Pilots take off prior to the 2023 Gator Fly-in.
Photo by Seth Johnson

Hundreds gathered for the 7th annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day on Saturday at Gainesville Regional Airport, walking through a C-130 Hercules and taking helicopter rides over the city. The event featured all types of military and civilian aircraft along with a classic cars collection, food trucks and vendors from across Alachua County.

Here are some pictures if you missed out.

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Attendees walk through and around a C-130 from Savannah, Georgia, came travelled down for the Fly-In.
Photo by Seth Johnson Attendees were able to ride in this T-34 Mentor at the Fly-In.
Attendees wait to enter the Navy’s P-8 Poseidon
Visitors check out the Alachua County Sheriff Office’s helicopter.
Visitors watch a jet land and park.
Swamp tours took off from the University Air Center, circled UF and downtown Gainesville before returning to the Fly-In.
Photo by Seth Johnson Downtown Gainesville with Paynes Prairie in the distance to the right and Newnans Lake off to the left.
University Air Center President Mike Lukowski, left, introduces retired Col. Michael Hare, right, to speak at the Fly-In.
.Special speaker retired Capt. Bill Pokorny tells of his time as a Navy pilot
Vendors set up inside the “Mustang Hangar.”
The University Air Center and Gainesville Regional Airport hosted the 7th annual Gator Fly-In and Armed Services Appreciation Day.

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T J M

In original story the airport was “GNV.” During our 12 years of living in Gainesville, I thought there was only one airport, so we drove through the commercial airport looking for the Fly-in. My opinion that the article needed an address, but we found and enjoyed the Fly-in, and I took an exciting helicopter ride.