You know Mt. Vernon, or you should. For 15 years, I’ve reported from, recorded videos at, and given talks at the Midwest LSA Expo, which is held at the Mt. Vernon, Illinois municipal airport, about an hour’s drive east of St. Louis.
Normally at Mt. Vernon, “It’s all about the airplanes!” It will again be so come September 5-7, 2024 — more on that below.
However, in April 2024, here comes something different and special for pilots at Mt. Vernon.
Going Dark
Out went the Message — “Calling all Midwest LSA Expo Attendees, AirVenture Cup/Air Race Classic Racers, KR/Ercoupe/Fly-Baby Builders/Flyers, Bonnie Aviator Club Members, CAA Members, and all Area Aviators!”
What?! Is KMVN manager Chris Collins simply asking very early for pilots to attend September’s LSA Expo. Nope! The announcement continued…
Mother Nature will provide an airshow at KMVN not to be seen again until 2044!
“Join us at KMVN at approximately 2:00 pm on Monday, April 8, 2024 to experience a 4-minute solar eclipse. Experience nearly four minutes of totality with other aviators. And bring your families and friends!”
Same Great Benefits — “Come visit us again. All the amenities of your previous visit(s) will remain,” Mt. Vernon assured. Included: “Free Admission, Free Camping, Free Parking, and Free Shuttles (to / from local hotels). Showers are available on site.”
“Food and fuel discounts will be extended by Bonnie Café and SRT Aviation. Come be part of the fun!”
To KMVN’s invitation, I add: I witnessed a solar totality a few year’s back. It was a grand and moving experience. An airport would provide a superb viewing area.
Just Add Airplanes
Later this year, the Midwest LSA Expo will again run its now-familiar event, but this time it will be different.
For 2024, the Mt. Vernon Expo will operate its 16th year. That exceeds the run the Sebring Sport Aviation Expo had — 15 years from 2004-2019 — making Midwest LSA Expo the longest-running Light-Sport event in the world.
Airport manager Chris Collins, his staff, and a small army of hard-working volunteers have made Mt. Vernon such a welcoming event that many vendors have attended every single year.
Midwest LSA Expo was the one-and-only event to happen in 2020. The good crowds that attended were very grateful Chris and group made the effort during that otherwise rather terrifying year.
For 2024, the 16th annual running will take place on Septmeber 5-6-7, 2024. I hope you can attend… both Eclipse and Expo!
More info — Midwest LSA Expo
16th Annual Running
September 5-7, 2024
The 16th Annual Midwest LSA Expo will be Thursday, September 5, 2024 to September 7, 2024 at the Mt. Vernon Outland Airport (MVN) Mt. Vernon, Illinois. Midwest LSA Expo. Inc. specifically organized the unique event to sell Light Sport Aircraft, LSA Ancillary Services, and LSA related Services.
We feel the Midwest LSA Expo is the most convenient and affordable of its type in the country. The host City and Airport are located at the crossroads of two major interstates and are 1 hour, 15 minutes by ground from Lambert St. Louis International Airport. Over 1,200 hotel rooms and 60 restaurants are within three miles of the event site. Over 50% of the entire U.S. population is within an eight-hour drive from Mt. Vernon!
The infrastructure of the host airport (KMVN) is impressive, and includes the following amenities: 6,500 foot by 150 foot main runway, five precision approaches including ILS, 9.25 acres of concrete ramp space, Class “E” airspace, and ARFF Index A safety. Event organizers have placed all aircraft exhibitor spaces on the main ramp with easy ingress and egress for demo flights.
Midwest LSA Expo. Inc. specifically created the event to educate aviators about all facets related to the LSA industry including the many different aircraft types, available engines, and LSA performance; promote the sale of LSA’s, the use of LSA aircraft for flight training and in rental fleets; and promote economic development in the southern Illinois region.
How can pilots make the most of the solar eclipse experience at Mt. Vernon (KMVN) while ensuring safety and adherence to regulations? Greeting : Telkom University
You fly in, put on your special glasses, watch, and fly away when done. It was not presumed you’d watch this while flying. Having seen a totality, I suggest you should focus on the celestial event and not also try to aviate.
I have attended the Mt. Vernon, Illinois LSA Expo many times since it was first held there. It is an absolutely outstanding show. I was born in Mt. Vernon and the military museum at the airport there is named in honor and memory of my Uncle R. D. White (Lt Col. US Army Retired)
He was a Glider Pilot during WWII. He was a sergeant when they asked if there were any sergeants who wanted to fly. He volunteered only to find out that Gliders were what he was to fly, very dangerous missions flown mostly at night into unfamiliar territory. Apparently too many officer pilots were being lost in these gliders and it was felt that sergeants were more expendable. He cautioned me when I decided to go into the Navy that I should be sure what I would be getting into should I volunteer for anything. I went to Oshkosh with him a long tome ago and there was a reunion of “The WWII Glider Pilots Association” there, a really tight knit group of men. My father was a Bombardier (Enlister Sergeant called a Togglier) on B-17’s during WWII and a POW when his plane was shot down near the end of the war. Sadly most of these men are probably gone now, but will be remembered with gratitude for what they were able to do.