Location: DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, Atlanta, GA.

Admission: FREE

Parking: $5.00

The Good Neighbor Day is an annual tradition for the DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, located in the community of Chamblee, northeast of downtown Atlanta. Hosted by Epps Aviation, a locally owned and run FBO and maintenance center, GND is concentrated on local talent and static displays.

DeKalb-Peachtree Airport started life as Naval Air Station Atlanta, and was converted to civilian use in 1959. The airport has over 750 hangars and is the second busiest airport in Georgia, behind Hartsfield-Jackson International. Approximately 600 daily operations are handled by 3 main FBOs, Signature Aviation, Atlantic Aviation and Epps Aviation. The airport was closed to traffic other than the performers from about 10:00 am to 6:00 pm.

A special guest was present for pictures and autographs – NASA Space Shuttle Pilot Eric Boe was at the Civil Air Patrol in the afternoon. He took time to talk to everyone in line, and expressed interests in everyone who waited to see him. He was a member of the Georgia Wing of the CAP and graduated from Henderson High School not far from Peachtree-DeKalb Airport. He served as Shuttle Pilot on two missions, STS-126 aboard Endeavour and STS-133 on Discovery’s last mission.

This airshow is rather small, not including any jet or team aerial demonstrations. Rather, the show featured mostly local performers who flew a variety of acts – Gary Ward,Skip Stewart, Pat Epps, Greg Koontz, Mark Sorenson, Greg Connell, Buck Roetman, Larry King, US Army Black Daggers, FlashFire Jet Truck and Team RV.

The opening act of the show, flown by Team RV, was a Missing Man formation dedicated to Amanda Franklin, an airshow performer who on Friday May 27 th lost her battle with severe burns sustained in an airshow crash on March 12 th in Texas. A Black Daggers paratrooper then jumped with the American flag for the national anthem, and the airshow was underway. Pat Epps was the highlight for some classic aviation enthusiasts, as it may have been the last of the 77-year-old’s long and storied performing career. Both Greg Koontz and Skip Stewart performed ribbon cuts and the airport fire authority participated in Mark Sorenson and Greg Connell’s comedy act, assisting in the capture of an escaped ‘prisoner’.

The weather was a slight issue, as temperatures on the ramps exceeded 95 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the day. Most attendees sought shelter in the main hangar of Epps Aviation, which was also occupied by several vendors and exhibitors. Water was available from several mobile sellers and stationary vendors for between $2-4 per bottle and food ranged from $2 popcorns and hotdogs to $6 for hamburgers. There was a playground and several inflatable attractions to keep children entertained (and slightly shaded) during the day. Portable toilets and permanent restrooms inside were readily available and did not experience overuse or long lines.

Some of the participants on static display were (on the northwest side of Epps Aviation):