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POLK CITY, Fla. (May 15, 2009) Drop the tie or gimmick gadget for Dad this year and instead treat the man of the house to some quality time with his flight fantasies in mind.

 

Fantasy of Flight is offering free admission for Dad when accompanied by a paying guest Thurs., June 18 to Sun., June 21.  These dates include Fantasy of Flight’s Father's Day weekend, Sat., June 20 and Sun., June 21, where Central Florida’s premier aviation attraction will be offering two days of special high-flying experiences that the whole family – especially Dad – will never forget.

 

“We are pleased to salute and honor hard-working dads, many of whom make sacrifices daily including leaving their families to support our country,” says Kermit Weeks, Fantasy of Flight creator and founder.  “This weekend is in honor of all that Dads do for their families every day and gives families an opportunity to thank Dad while spending some quality time learning and just enjoying each other.”

 

 

The action-packed weekend of fun kicks off with the Fantasy Flyers R/C Club First Annual “The Golden Age of Aviation Fly-In” featuring WWI and Golden Age giant scale remote control planes.  The skies will be filled with zooming, zipping, and all manner of rip-roaring remote-controlled fun that is sure to have the whole family breathless with excitement and to appeal to the young boy in every man.

 

Families who want to get in on the fun have an opportunity to strut their stuff with their own remote control planes in the R/C Fly-In.  A Fly-In package is available and includes two days of admission to all Fly-In activities, two days of admission to the Fantasy of Flight attraction and two days of complimentary parking.  The package is $20 per R/C pilot plus 7 percent sales tax.  Details and advance registration for R/C pilots and their guests are available online at www.fantasyofflight.com.

 

The Second Annual Military Collectors Show will also be held on-site June 20 from 9 am – 4 pm as part of the Father’s Day weekend at the attraction’s Orlampa Conference Center.  Scheduled to be on-hand at the Military Collectors Show are Don Albury, the co-pilot of the B-29 Bock's car; Robert Roberts, a Combat Media and D-Day veteran; and Hiram Mann, a member of the Tuskegee Airmen who was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.  

 

Featuring close to 40 military antiques collectors, military Dads or Dads with an interest in history are certain to enjoy the wide variety of collectible memorabilia showcased from the Civil War to the Vietnam War.  Guests can see uniforms, medals, insignia and war relics, a military vehicle display, as well as military re-enactors.

 

The Military Collectors Show is included with the price of regular admission to Fantasy of Flight or guests can pay just $6 for entry to the show alone.

 

As an added bonus to top off the weekend of high-flying family fun, families with fathers deserving of a one-of-a-kind gift this year can really make an impression by taking advantage of the rare opportunity to let Pop hop in a real cockpit and allow his imagination to soar.

 

“For those who want to give their father a truly memorable experience, we can completely drop the rope and hoist them right up into the pilot's seat of these historic beauties,” said Weeks. “Or, if they choose, the whole family can take turns getting behind the controls and imagine what the pilots experienced when they crawled into these gorgeous beasts.”

 

Families are invited to bring Dad to participate in the wildly popular “Open Cockpit Days” for an unforgettable treat. Weeks noted that Fantasy of Flight will roll out some classic airplanes from his  prized collection – including the Grumman Wildcat, Grumman TBM Avenger and the Corsair -- to allow guests the photo opportunity of a lifetime as they climb into and claim the cockpit of some of America’s most rare vintage aircraft.

 

“Open Cockpit Days” are June 20 and 21 from 3-5 pm and are free to annual pass holders and available to single day admission guests for an additional fee per person including 7 percent sales tax.

 

Finally, make the weekend last for an entire year.  Impress Dad with a Fantasy of Flight annual pass so he can experience everything the attraction has to offer throughout the year including vintage aircraft from the world’s largest private collection; themed immersion experiences; flight simulators; interactive exhibits; a tram tour of aircraft maintenance areas; Restoration and Backlot tours; Fun with Flight center for families and an Aerial Demonstration of the Day (weather permitting). Annual passes are available for $69.95 for adults, $39.95 for children ages 6–15, free for toddlers, plus 7 percent sales tax, and are good for one year from the date of purchase.