Hinds Community College’s John Bell Williams Airport in Raymond will host the 26th annual Mississippi Afterburner Jet Rally, which is expected to draw more than 85 pilots of radio-controlled model jets, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day April 20-22.
The three-day event, open to the public at $5 per vehicle, will feature pilots from across the nation. Spectators can purchase a variety of food on site, including hamburgers, hot dogs, French fries, chicken plates and soft drinks.
The rally is the college’s major scholarship fund-raiser for the aviation department housed at John Bell Williams Airport. The programs include aviation maintenance technology, aviation technology, commercial flight school and the unmanned aerial systems school. Students can receive a two-year associate degree in any of the programs, allowing them to work in the aviation industry. The four programs enroll approximately 75 students.
The scholarship fund fueled by the rally, hosted at John Bell Williams Airport, generates approximately $5,000 to $7,000 in student scholarships. The funds generated by this event over the last 13 years have allowed for the creation and endowment of a scholarship by the Mississippi Afterburners.
Pilots at the rally will perform maneuvers with their turbine-jet propelled radio-controlled models many of which are museum scale models flying at speeds of up to 200 miles an hour, Montgomery said.
As part of the fly-in, awards will be given for Top Gun, Pilot’s Choice, People’s Choice, Best Military Aircraft pre-1960, Best Military Aircraft post-1960, Best Sport Jet and Best Sport Performance, he said.
The physical address for the airport is at 4100 Airport Road, Bolton, MS 39041. It’s just off Clinton/Raymond Road almost halfway between Clinton and Raymond.
For information see the website at http://mississippijets.com/.
[tweetable alt=””]Hinds CC hosts annual Mississippi Afterburner Jet Rally[/tweetable]
Hinds Community College is celebrating its 100th year of Community Inspired Service in 2017. Hinds opened in September 1917 first as an agricultural high school and admitted college students for the first time in 1922, with the first class graduating in 1927. In 1982 Hinds Junior College and Utica Junior College merged, creating the Hinds Community College District. Today, as Mississippi’s largest community college, Hinds Community College is a comprehensive institution with six locations. Hinds offers quality, affordable educational opportunities with academic programs of study leading to seamless university transfer and career and technical programs teaching job-ready skills. To learn more, visit www.hindscc.edu or call 1.800.HindsCC.