Shelby Fly In Celebrates Another Year of Aviation

Shelby, NC Fly-In - June 6, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Posted Thursday, June 11, 2026 10:20 am

By: Mason Beam - Wise News Network

Shelby, NC (WNN) - On June 6, 2025, the Shelby Regional Airport held its annual fly-in. Throughout the day, attendees could watch as planes took to the sky, shuttling passengers into the local airways. The clear day made it wonderful for viewing, which many did from the grass at the center of the runway as they enjoyed concessions from local food trucks and vendors. Those who arrived early enough could see the sights for $40 per person by plane or $50 per person by helicopter. The event also featured a car show, in addition to showcasing the most stunning planes in the area.

Local Aviators

Some of the smaller aircraft located near the vendors - Shelby, NC Fly-In - June 6, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

The event was filled not just with planes but with many types of aircraft. During the earliest part of the event, several hot air balloons lifted off as many pilots were just touching down. Some of the events stranger crafts sat front and center, such as an American Ranger 1 Gyrocopter. However, lining the runway, pilots from the local area could be found proudly showing their crafts. We spoke with one such pilot.

Shelby, NC Fly-In - June 6, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

Bob Cabaniss is a Shelby local who has been flying for over 50 years. He sat in the shade under the wing of his 1946 Piper Cub, enjoying the day with his second show plane, a Van’s RV-4 parked beside it. Cabaniss’s Cub started its journey with a test flight. The test pilot simply wrote “flies good” in the logbook before it started making its way through owners. In the 30 years it took for the aircraft to find its home with Cabaniss, it had 20 other owners. The plane is powered by a 65HP engine, and while Cabaniss uses aviation fuel despite the plane’s ability to use car gas, for the engine's health. Pilots and enthusiasts may notice something strange about the Cub. It has rounded propellers because it uses originals that are no longer in production. The plane itself cruises at a rather leisurely 80 MPH.

Shelby, NC Fly-In - June 6, 2026

Mason Beam (WNN)

However, the Van’s RV-4 kit plane is Cabaniss’ fast craft. He built the RV-4 himself in 1995, and it has a cruising speed of 200 MPH. This plane notably has wooden propellers, which Cabaniss installed to deal with the vibrations caused by metal propellers. With as much experience as he has, Cabiness says that his best advice for aspiring pilots is to get your ranks and start flying. It takes a couple of thousand hours, so the best time to start is as soon as you can. He also mentioned that the career path is not only fun personally but also a way to make a good living.

FAA Safety Tips

Of course, pilots must follow a vast array of rules. This is true regardless of whether you fly a drone, a hot air balloon, or a commercial airliner. For those looking to fly a plane or a helicopter, the FAA recommends its WINGS program. This includes many free online safety courses and scheduled events on safety protocols and aviation regulatory updates. You can check out this program here.

For those flying smaller craft, they offered general safety tips, such as never flying above 400 feet and avoiding emergencies like hurricane recovery and forest fires. They also recommended using their Drone Incident Report Program when law enforcement gets involved. This information includes: