Multicolored vintage aircraft touched down at the Aviation Education Outreach Fly-In at the Auburn University Regional Airport on Saturday, May 16, underneath a blue sky spotted with clouds.
Residents and families walked among the planes and displays, taking pictures.
Johnny Lawrence, event coordinator, said there have been other aviation events over the years, but this event is geared toward education.
Lawrence said the money raised helps offset the costs of putting on educational programs for the community.
"With the (department of aviation and supply chain management) being created at the University, we decided that we would use these aviation events to help them and reaching out to their outreach programs with K-12," Lawrence said. "That is kind of the focus of what we're doing."
Lawrence said providing interactive elements for the children, such as touching the airplanes, is one of the goals of Fly-In.
"Our goal is provide opportunities for kids to see and interact with the planes," Lawrence said. "We want the kids to come out and find a way to engage with science and math more so than they do in front of a computer screen."
Lawrence said the planes also serve as a history lesson.
"You look at the older planes that are up front with the propellers on them and you kind of look at the technology of the time there," Lawrence said. "Then you look at the Navy jet, you realize a lot of the same features are still there, but there are also so many different things."
Capt. Jeremy Marvin of the U.S. Air Force Civil Air Patrol said Fly-In served as a recruiting ground and educational tool for the cadets of the squad.
Marvin said cadets must be at least 12 years old. He said cadets learn about the military and flying. He said their main focus is aerospace education.
"They're loving it," Marvin said. "It's very, very educational for them. We're just sitting there explaining things to them and it sort of piques their interest."
Some Auburn student groups, such as representatives from the flight program also had tents set up.
Striped Wings is the student ambassador group for the aviation management program. They attend various events to promote the flight program and recruit new students. Kevan Leveille, senior in professional flight, is president of Striped Wings.
"Many people don't know that Auburn has the second-oldest flight program in the nation," Leveille said. "Our history goes all the way back to the Wright brothers in 1907."
Military vehicles were also on display. Dan Golden of the Dixie Division Military Vehicles Club was one of a group volunteers who brought their restored military vehicles. He said he came out to support veterans appreciation days. Golden said the group lets the veterans determine what stories to tell their families.
Golden said his small green vehicle was used in Vietnam. He asked Vietnam veterans to sign a white board.
Planes weren't the only thing flying through the sky. Three skydivers touched down for a cheering crowd. Justin Lovell, senior in software engineering and one of the jumpers, said it was "exhilarating," and said they jumped to generate excitement.
"Kind of the novelty of it," Lovell said. "Kind of get to do something you don't always get to do."
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