Palo Alto Airport is my home airport, so when Airport Day 2025 rolled around on a Sunday morning in late September, I was not going to miss it. The Palo Alto Pilot Association and the city put this event together every year, opening the gates to the public for a free day of planes, food trucks, and aviation community. It was great to see so many people show up – families, students, pilots, and curious neighbors who had probably driven past the airport a thousand times without ever stepping onto the ramp.
Planes on Display at Palo Alto Airport Day
The highlight for me was the static display of aircraft lined up on the ramp. Owners opened their doors and cockpits so visitors could climb in, sit in the pilot’s seat, and get a feel for what it’s like inside a real airplane. One of the first planes I stopped at was a bright yellow Cessna 152 – a classic two-seat trainer that has taught more people to fly than probably any other aircraft in history. Seeing it parked on the ramp brought back memories. It’s a simple, honest airplane, and there’s a reason flight schools still use them decades after they rolled off the line.
A few spots down was a Pilatus PC-12 in a sharp silver and black livery. The PC-12 is a Swiss-built single-engine turboprop (in the same class as the Epic E1000) that can do just about everything – haul cargo, fly passengers in luxury, or land on short backcountry strips. It’s one of the most versatile aircraft flying today, and seeing one up close is always impressive. The four-blade propeller, the size of the cabin, the fit and finish of the whole airframe – it’s a serious machine.
The Quest Kodiak 100 Draws a Crowd
The plane that drew the biggest crowd was a Quest Kodiak 100 with its distinctive yellow tail and the Quest logo. The owner had the doors wide open and people were lined up to peek inside the cabin and check out the cockpit. The Kodiak was originally designed for humanitarian missions – built to carry heavy loads into remote airstrips in places like Papua New Guinea. It’s rugged, powerful, and can get in and out of surprisingly short runways. Watching families crowd around it, kids climbing up the steps and sitting in the pilot’s seat, was one of my favorite moments of the day. That’s what airport days are all about.
West Valley Flying Club and the XtremeAir XA42
One of the best parts of the day was hanging out with the people from West Valley Flying Club. West Valley is based right here at Palo Alto Airport, and their hangar was open with members chatting with visitors about flying, club membership, and what it takes to get your pilot’s license. Parked right in front of their hangar was an XtremeAir XA42 in a stunning red, white, and blue paint scheme. The XA42 is a German-built aerobatic airplane with a Lycoming engine, designed for unlimited-class competition aerobatics. It was roped off with caution tape, but you could get close enough to appreciate the craftsmanship – the composite fuselage, the massive three-blade propeller, and that aggressive stance it has sitting on its tailwheel.
If you’ve never been to an airport day, I’d recommend checking one out. Palo Alto Airport is at 1925 Embarcadero Road in Palo Alto, right along the Baylands. The Palo Alto Pilot Association hosts Airport Day every fall, and it’s free and open to everyone. There’s something about standing on a ramp surrounded by airplanes, talking with pilots, and watching kids discover aviation for the first time that never gets old. This is my home airport, and days like this are a reminder of why I love being part of this community. If you enjoy aviation open days, check out my visits to the Hiller Aviation Museum and Castle Air Museum too.
