Airports mean different things to all of us.
For some, they can be places of delightful connection as they reunite us with our loved ones. For others, they can feel nostalgic, drawing up memories of the people closest to us taking off on trips or journeys of their own.
However, airports can also be places of valuable learning, family-friendly enrichment and even social bonding. The summer fun series at Frederick Municipal Airport—running now through Aug. 30—does just that by giving families the opportunity to not only watch planes fly, but also learn more about them.
Partnering with Kotei Kids Shaved Ice, Frederick Municipal Airport offers a summer series with frozen treats for families to enjoy after a meal at the Airways Inn. Summer Fun Days also allows kids take in the alluring world of aviation from an airport viewing area.
Assistant Airport Manager Shon Dempsey hopes the series will help the general public connect with aviation in a meaningful way.
“Our airport features a unique viewing area with benches and picnic tables, just past the main parking area, with a 4-foot fence that allows the public to come out and be literally feet away from aircraft as they come and go from the Frederick airport,” he says.
With Frederick Municipal Airport being Maryland’s second busiest airport, Dempsey says, the staff wanted an opportunity to create something fun for the public that would add to the airport’s familiarity.
Drawing upon his personal experience, Dempsey goes on to describe how he developed an interest in airplanes at a young age.
“My grandfather was part of a crew on a C-47 (cargo) plane in the Pacific Theater in WWII. Growing up, I was enamored by the stories that she shared and developed a love for airplanes around the age of 4. Recognizing my interest, my mom would take me out to the local airport in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and would park at the end of the runway so that I could watch the airplanes come and go,” he says.
Through the series, Dempsey hopes to inspire other children to explore aviation—whether they want to become a pilot or not.
Though his early interest led him to learn how to fly planes as a high school senior, and he obtained his private pilot’s license the following year in college, Dempsey ultimately landed in an alternate career path.
“While I don’t fly for my career, I still get to spend all day around airplanes and am very committed to creating an environment to get more kids that were like me involved with the airport and aviation,” he adds.
The series at the Frederick Municipal Airport runs through Aug. 30, with shaved ice available every Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. To continue the fun, the airport will be hosting its second annual Frederick Festival of Flight from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sept. 28, featuring kids’ activities, radio-controlled aircraft demonstrations, planes, helicopters, local aviation groups and vendors.
