Jun 8, 2016 3 min read

Flyers from all over will bring their model airplanes to Carmichaels for the 20th annual Brodak Fly-In next week.

“This year is special because it was going to be the last year, but now we’re going to keep doing it,” said John Brodak, the 77-year-old founder.

Brodak said he expects 160 competitors for the control-line airplane fly-in, more than last year’s 130. More people signed up for the event this year because they thought it was going to be the last one, he said.

Since he started his battle with cancer three years ago, his health was declining and he didn’t think he’d be able to host the event after this year, Brodak said.

“But things are under control now,” he said. “My strength is starting to come back and I’m looking forward to getting this going again.”

The annual fly-in will begin Monday on Brodak’s property in Cumberland Township, where he has six flying circles in his backyard. Throughout the week, more than 800 competitive flights are scheduled. The fly-in concludes June 18.

Brodak said along with the competitors, who in the past have come as far as South Africa and South Korea, he anticipates about 300 spectators, to which the event is free.

But the backyard fly-in wasn’t always such a big event. According to a news release, Brodak’s Fly-In started out with about 30 competitors and lasted only three days. Its purpose was “to host an event where people could get together and have some fun,” Brodak said.

Over the past 20 years, more than 2,500 pilots have made more than 10,000 flights, collectively logging more than 65,000 miles during Brodak’s Fly-In, he said.

“We think that this is a case where everyone wins,” Brodak said. “The builders and fliers have a great time, they spend money in the local communities, and Carmichaels gets national attention through the advertising for the event.”

Competitions range from precision aerobatics and combat to “Ladies and Youth Only” basic flights and “Junkyard Wars,” a competition in which a team of builders must build and fly a plane made from scrap.

Each of the different categories requires different flying skills, and competition is usually divided into beginner, intermediate, advanced and expert classes.

This year, Brodak said his flyers will join in a worldwide event June 16 to fly Ringmaster airplanes.

“It’s the first year we’re participating,” he said. “It’s to see how many Ringmaster plane around the globe can be flown the same day. Last year the worldwide number was 25,000 planes.”

For more information about the Fly-In, visit www.brodak.com or call Brodak Manufacturing at 724-966-7335.