REDMOND — All forms of flight were on display Saturday at Aviation Day at the Deschutes County Fairgrounds.

The hands-on event, hosted by the Redmond Area Park and Recreation District, featured drone demonstrations, flight simulators and up-close views of an aircraft rescue fire truck and a hot air balloon.

Children at the event also made aviation-related arts and crafts and learned from educational and career-oriented booths set up at the fairgrounds.

Drone demonstrations were held throughout the day by volunteers from the Central Oregon Community College aviation program and members of Redmond’s Field of Dreams RC club.

Redmond couple Scott and Kim Waite, teachers in the Crook County School District, brought their 4-year-old daughter, Jubilee, and 1-year-old daughter, Avalyn, to the event. The family started the day playing with a drone inside the fairground’s High Desert Activity Center.

Scott Waite said Jubilee loves airplanes but was terrified at first when she saw the drone. After a few tries operating it from a remote control, her fear turned to excitement.

Her favorite part of the drone?

“The lights,” she said.

“She loves airplanes. She loves flying,” Scott Waite said. “We’re really just trying to expose her to as many things as we can.”

Monty and Molly Nelson, of Bend, came to Aviation Day with their 6-year-old son, Bridger, and 1-year-old daughter, Isla. The family stopped to watch a drone demonstration outside on a grass field at the fairgrounds.

Bridger was drawn to a TV screen that displayed a live camera shot of what the drone was seeing from above. Bridger said he liked all the different kinds of aviation at the event. “Because they can go so high,” he said.

Monty Nelson said his son is infatuated with planes, mostly because his grandfather — Nelson’s father — used to fly airplanes and helicopters.

Nelson said his father, William Nelson, was a military flight instructor during the Vietnam War. He taught pilots how to fly a variety of aircraft, including the large Boeing Vertol CH-46 helicopter that has two rotors on each end.

Nelson said his father lives in Bend and still flies gliders at the Bend Municipal Airport.

“He is still a little bit involved in flight around town,” Nelson said. “He doesn’t fly a whole lot, but he will get up on the gliders.”

Chris and Erika Fields, of Redmond, took their three children, 6-year-old Hope, 4-year-old Gideon and 1 year-old Josiah, around to all the different activities at the event.

Gideon, who wore a knit hat designed like an old leather aviator’s cap, said his favorite part of the day was the drones flying around. His older sister agreed. The children were excited about an Airlink ambulance helicopter that landed at the event.

Erika Fields said the event let her children gain new experiences they don’t get every day.

“It gives them the opportunity to dream about different things,” she said.

— Reporter: 541-617-7820, kspurr@bendbulletin.com