3 rd Annual Belize Air Show at Central Farm, Belize, a HUGE SUCCESS and crowd!

Bunch of different size agriculture spray planes, used to spray citrus, bananas and other crops.


Can´t remember the name of this homebuilt experimental plane. A two place, for short fields, takes off in 50 ft and climbs out at a 45 degree angle, due to the configuration of the wings. Special unique deal. Being built by the owner of COMPUTER RANCH over in Spanish Lookout, the Mennonite center. Usually fitted with a 90 hp Lycombing or Continental engine. The Belizean builder is doing a good job on the kit plane.


Sacred Heart High School ( College ) has the concession at the AIR SHOW at Central Farm. They had lines waiting all day, for hot food with a delicious variety of food. Also a booth for beer products. They looked well organized this year.


Another shot of the AVID FLYER. An ultra light two place. Was missing an altimeter.


Avid Flyer homebuilt with Rotax 582, 2 cycle engine, water cooled. 65 hp engine. For sale at the show by two Mennonite young guys as they wanted to buy a Cessna 150 to get their licenses. I wanted to buy, but the wife said no. They were asking $20,000 Belize. This is a two place acrobatic plane. This is an ultra light and the two Belizean white boys said they wanted to turn professional pilots, so they had to move up to a registered trainer to get their flying hours legalized. They were looking for a Cessna 150 trainer. You don´t need a pilots license for ultra lights, or registration, but if you plan to go commercial you need to go to bigger aircraft that fit all the regulations. There are no regulations on ultra lights, and experimentals, only a 1600 gross weight limit thereabouts.


Famous long distance RV homebuilt.







Hang glider lessons, very popular site. Guy gave lessons continuously to young Mennonite men interested in hang gliding. What he needed was a tow plane, to give examples.


The AIR SHOW at Central Farm, I think it has been the THIRD annual one, was a resounding success with a BIG CROWD, bigger than ever. This year the concessionaires, the SACRED HEART SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE SERVING MEALS AND DRINKS. They had it better organized this year and were doing darned good business. It was a family time with lots of kids running around, fascinated by helicopters and toy, radio controlled aircraft. Missing were the Ultra Light crowd from Bedran´s airstrip by CHAA CREEK. I nearly bought a plane. An AVID FLYER, but my wife said NO! Too much drain on the capital we live on. Awwww shucks! Nice ultra light, with two seats, Rotax engine, 65 hp and acrobatic. Meaning it would be real tender to fly. Guys ( Mennonite young men ) wanted $20,000 Belize currency and then I would have to pay monthly hanger space of $150, plus maintainance. So my wife said NO!

The relatively HUGE CROWD were family people. 75% of them were Mennonites. I would estimate 300 people maybe? Very, very few Belizean Creoles, but lots of Belizean whites. Some Spanish mestizos. Hard working entrepreneurs are the only ones with spare cash I guess?


One Mennonite guy had a great plane half way done in aluminum on display. Forget the name of it, but I wanted one, one time. This plane can take off in 25 feet and climb out immediately with two people at 45 degrees. The way the wings are designed. Forget the name of that one.

The Radio Controlled planes were giving acrobatic displays all day. The paraglider jumping guys came on around 2:30 p.m. I left earlier and missed them. I got there around 9:30 a.m. as the newspaper ad didn´t give a time. By afternoon I was tired and needed my nap. Old man you know! ( grin )

Exprimental Aircraft Association, Chapter 1, of Belize was represented at the AIR SHOW. Couple of amateur plane builders there

Couple of ANNUAL meetings were held at the show, while the pilots and plane builders were all together. The PA was announcing for the AOPA Meeting. Rules and regulations would be my guess in dealing with our Belize government, to change amateur rulings by aviation officials with little, or no real experience. Sometimes our aviation officials in Belize come up with the most shocking and wierdest rules, trying to show their authority.