The Red Deer Airport held its second annual Props and Pistons Show and Shine to give the general public a chance to explore aircraft and show off their vehicles. Automobiles and aircraft glittered in the hot sun on the Red Deer Airport’s airstrip, and some aircraft took off right before the eye.

“We have helicopters, planes, water bombers, the Canadian forces are here with the Hawk Jet. So, we have a lot of different air craft available but there’s also the car show going on and tons of food trucks,” explained Nicole Holinaty, director for communications and marketing for the Red Deer Airport.

In addition to travel vessels, the show and shine was also raising money for the Red Deer Food Bank.

“This is kind of our way to create an event that is going to give back to the community, that being the Red Deer Food Bank and also give the public a chance to get up close and personal to all our tenants and our businesses that call this airport home and display some aircraft that you wouldn’t necessarily see on a daily basis,” said Holinaty.

Being that the Props and Pistons Show and Shine is an event that is relatively new and growing, Holinaty believes that the donation number will be almost doubled this year.

“Last year, we were able to raise I do believe it was almost three thousand dollars in cash and four thousand pounds of food. We are hoping to double that number. What we are going to end up with I guess only time will tell but we are hoping that we can double our contributions to them and just continue our donations feat going year after year.”

Kids and adults alike were given the opportunity to hop in some aircraft and imagine what it would be like seeing the world from above. Getting people involved and interested in aviation was one of the aims of events according to Holinaty who says that Canada’s aviation industry is suffering from a general lack of interest.

“We’re hoping that this sparks a bit of interest to a career in aviation be that into mechanics or into becoming a pilot. There’s a huge pilot shortage in Canada so if we can trigger some youth to get excited about aviation that is fantastic.”

The show and shine saw fifty to sixty aircraft, approximately two hundred vehicles as well as an anticipated four thousand in attendance who made food bank donations.