Family Day @ the Jetport 2025 Brings a Free Community Aviation Celebration

SANFORD, N.C. — Family Day @ the Jetport 2025, an annual community aviation celebration, returns to Raleigh Exec on Saturday, Oct. 4, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with aircraft displays, special demonstrations, community group exhibits, food trucks and more.

“We can’t wait to welcome everyone back for Family Day,” said airport director Bob Heuts. “We’ve been doing this for years and it may be even more important now because aviation is becoming essential to how we live and work. Every year, people say how much they love climbing in and out of the planes, talking with pilots, watching takeoffs and landings, and even seeing our airport for the first time. We love sharing it all with the community.”

Family Day was created more than a decade ago primarily to introduce young people to aviation, but also to invite everyone out to see the rapidly expanding airport and thank the community for their support. In fact, it was so successful that Raleigh Exec began adding other educational events to the airport calendar.

Young Eagles Day, offered with EAA Chapter 1114 based in Apex, provides free discovery flights for youth, usually on one Saturday in the spring. The airport also offers Behind the Scenes at Raleigh Exec, a free tour designed to introduce the facility and aviation to families and all members of the community. A modified version of those quarterly tours will be offered at Family Day as part of this year’s festivities. Youth organizations also use meeting rooms at the airport for aviation-related projects and special events.

Heuts said community events like these are important for the airport’s ongoing mission. “It’s hard for anyone to get interested in aviation when you can’t really see what it looks like. This gives everyone a chance to learn more directly from people working in the field right now. For young people, maybe the experience can eventually turn into an interesting hobby or even a rewarding career.”

About 20 aircraft are already scheduled to be on display — with more expected, since many companies and pilots cannot make firm commitments until closer to the event. Two specialized helicopters, an Apache military attack helicopter and a UNC Carolina Air Care medical helicopter, are among those confirmed so far.

Special events at Family Day 2025 include a precision flying demonstration by the Bullseye Flight Team; an aerial firefighting demonstration by the North Carolina Forest Service; “Meet the Pilot,” a conversation with David Williams from Elite Aircraft Services; and fun activities for children provided by Central Electric Membership Corp.

Family Day is offered free of charge with financial support from many area companies and organizations. They include gold sponsors Campbell Oil, Carolina Commercial Contractors, Central Electric Membership Corporation, Dickens RV Park, Elite Aircraft Services, Mertek Solutions, Michael Baker International, Sanford Area Growth Alliance and Wilkinson Automotive.

Also, silver sponsors Bearing Insurance, Express Employment Professionals, First Bank, Hiester Automotive Group, Mag Aerospace, Moore’s Aerial Applicators, Sanford Contractors, Wings of Carolina Flying Club and Wright Contracting — with bronze sponsor RealClean Aircraft Detailing.

Some displays and events are subject to change based on weather conditions and unexpected circumstances. For the latest updates on Family Day, follow Raleigh Exec on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn.

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About Raleigh Exec
Billed as a premier corporate gateway to the Research Triangle, Raleigh Exec Jetport is a general aviation airport serving corporate and recreational flights in a region of central North Carolina that includes Raleigh, Durham, Cary, Chapel Hill, Sanford, Pittsboro, Chatham Park and the Research Triangle Park. Raleigh Exec operates on 1,250 acres off of U.S. Highway 1, just 15 miles from the Raleigh Outer Beltline. It is home to corporate aircraft, the North Carolina Forest Service, many aviation-related businesses and one of the nation’s largest and most respected flying clubs. More information is available at raleighexec.com.

A Quick Look Back at Family Day 2024
Photos by Chip Pate