Planes, Trains and Automobiles rally returns to Plant City on Saturday

April 11, 2024

37 3 minutes read

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PLANT CITY – Like the popular movie of the same name, “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” has also become one of Central Florida’s premiere transportation-themed events over the past 15 years.

On Saturday, the 12^th annual Planes, Trains, and Automobiles rally, presented by Tampa International Airport, takes place at the Plant City Airport. Held annually since 2010 (the event was canceled in 2021 and 2022 because of the COVID pandemic), Planes, Trains and Automobiles features real aircraft, radio-controlled aircraft and demonstrations, a large car show and operating model train layouts.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and will also feature a large LEGO display with all modes of transportation. In addition, first responder vehicles and personnel along with train safety vehicles and equipment will be there.

The event also features hands-on stations for children, including Science, Technology, Engineering, Math exhibits and flight simulators from SUN ‘n FUN’s Aerospace Center for Excellence in Lakeland.

Radio-control aircraft are among the attractions at Planes, Traines and Automobiles at the Plant City Airport.

Coordinator Greg Gibson said the Planes Trains and Automobiles event will include Young Eagles discovery flights conducted by Plant City Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1178, Scout merit badge opportunities and a pinewood derby among others. For younger children, there will be bounce houses and other fun activities.

Gibson, a commercial pilot and past air show director for Sun ‘n Fun, said the event is designed to showcase for families and children various modes of transportation.

“It’s getting people out to the airport, they can appreciate what that airport’s function is in the community, while at the same time, they get to see a car show, they get to see train layout and safety presentations from train authorities and work on some awareness,” said Gibson, in his third year as event coordinator for Planes, Trains and Automobiles.

Each year, Gibson estimated between 3,000 and 4,000 people from across Central Florida and beyond come to visit the event. He said there’s a lot to do in a “relatively compact space,” with five food trucks and 40 to 50 vendors expected to attend.

Throughout the day, visitors will be able to vote for their favorite cars and airplanes and radio-controlled airplanes, which will win trophies based on that public vote. Across the grounds, he said model trains will be running along with toy trains in which guests can sit and take photos. CSX Transportation will be bringing their new train exhibit to PTA and there will be between 20 to 30 airplanes out for judging, as well as show planes, normal aircraft and about 75 cars entered in the car show.

All of the Plant City first responder stations will have displays on-site, such as police SWAT vehicles, and the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority will present a K-9 dog demonstration.

The demonstrations are part of the ways Planes, Trains and Automobiles helps introduce adults and children to the “wonders of transportation,” said event committee chairman and founder Jason Jones.

“The purpose of the event has always been to give families an affordable day together discovering the wonders of transportation, introducing them to not only aircraft and aviation opportunities at their local airport but a wide variety of ‘how things work’ displays and fun educational activities to capture the imaginations of our local youth,” he said in a written statement.

A 12-member committee organizes the event showcase. It takes about 30 volunteers on-site, some from the Hillsborough County Aviation Authority and Plant City, to help the event run smoothly. Other volunteers will include pilots with the Experimental Aircraft Association Young Eagles program, who will take about 130 children up for flights, with hopes some of them might turn to aviation as a career.

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Proceeds and donations from the TIA-sponsored event go into scholarships and in 2023, $4,000 was raised, which may be awarded for student flight training, mechanic schooling and professional career education. Gibson said the event committee is hoping to double that this year, along with a matching grant to be awarded.

“This is a very inexpensive county event and there’s a lot of cross-over at the county line. It’s a great family event, a short drive, very simple to get to,” Gibson said. “If you want simple and inexpensive to go spend the day with your family, this is a great way to go do that.”