Family Day @ the Jetport 2026 Brings a Free Community Aviation Celebration
SANFORD, N.C. — Family Day @ the Jetport 2026, a free, annual community aviation celebration, returns to Raleigh Exec on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., with aircraft displays, special demonstrations, community group exhibits, food trucks and more.
“This really is a highlight of our year, so we’re looking forward to seeing everyone back again,” said jetport director Bob Heuts. “There’s no doubt that aviation is becoming more important, whether it’s passenger flights or the kind of business and recreational flights that come in and out of Raleigh Exec every day. So this gives us a chance to let everyone see the jetport and experience aviation by climbing in and out of planes, talking with pilots and mechanics and watching flying demonstrations.
“We love sharing it all with our community.”
Family Day was created more than a decade ago primarily to introduce young people to aviation. But it also offers a prime opportunity to see the rapidly expanding jetport and gives aviation professionals a chance to thank the community for their support.
In fact, it was so successful that Raleigh Exec began adding other educational events to the jetport 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 jetport 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. Youth organizations also use meeting rooms in the terminal for aviation-related projects and other special events.
While the jetport focuses day-to-day on flights and aviation-related business, Heuts said these community events remain an important part of the mission. “Really, we just want everyone to enjoy the day and get a chance to see what aviation is all about,” he said. “But every year, we hear about people who got interested in aviation because of Family Day. What they saw here sparked a passion that opened new options and career opportunities.”
About 15 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. Some specialty aircraft — including an Apache military attack helicopter and AirCam photography plane — are among those confirmed so far.
Special events at Family Day 2026 include a precision flying demonstration by the Bullseye Flight Team; “Meet the Pilot,” a small-group Q&A with David Williams from Executive Flight Training; “Meet the Mechanic,” another small-group Q&A with John Taylor from MAG Aerospace; and fun activities for children provided by Central Electric Membership Corp.
With major expansion continuing at the jetport, parking options have changed slightly this year, though all remain free of charge.
Several small lots will be located on the jetport grounds — in front of the terminal and among hangars inside the security fence. Members of the Apex Cadet Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol will be guiding visitors to those lots, where shuttles will be running constantly in a loop from parking locations to Family Day activities.
Another new option this year is parking at Deep River Elementary School — a location with easy access to U.S. Highway 1 and several shuttles running all day directly to the Family Day entrance gate. Parking shuttles are expected to depart Deep River Elementary every 10 minutes for a five-minute trip to the gate.
Family Day is offered free of charge thanks to financial support from many area companies and organizations. They were led this year by the event’s first-ever platinum sponsors — ARQ Aviation and Campbell Oil Company — as well as gold sponsors Bobbitt Construction, Brad Womble Aviation, Central Electric Membership Corp., Elite Aircraft Maintenance, Mertek Solutions, Michael Baker International, Sanford Area Growth Alliance and Wilkinson Automotive.
Also, silver sponsors Chatham EDC, First Bank, Hiester Automotive Group, Lineage Flight, MAG Aerospace, Moore’s Aerial Applicators, RealClean Central Carolina, RS&H, Sanford Contractors, Total Aircraft, Wings of Carolina Flying Club and Wright Contracting. And bronze sponsors Farm Bureau Insurance-Lindsey McCumber, Temple Theatre and Turpentine Design.
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.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, Apex, 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.
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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 2025
Photos by Chip Pate
