Cajun Fly-in set for weekend

It took Thibodaux native Chris Aysen a half-decade to build his plane.

He’s more than ready to glide it across the Tri-parish skies.

Aysen will ride his plane, the Aysen CH-701, as part of the 2011 Cajun Fly-in, which rolls through Houma this weekend.

The local aircraft and pilot will be one of several showcased at the event, which takes place Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Houma-Terrebonne Airport’s North Ramp Hangar No. 1.

The event is free to the public, making it a can’t-miss for anyone looking to live life on the wild side during a weekend of fun.

“We’re trying to introduce this to as much of the public as we can, especially the up-coming generation,” Aysen said. “We’re trying to generate an interest in aviation. We’re going to have some things at this show people will want to see. … Most people aren’t interested in going into aviation themselves, but they like to see it and put their hands on it. We’re going to have plenty things people will enjoy seeing.”

Behind the wheel of a car for the first time, what a thrill.

Classic 1970s rock blazing from the stereo speakers with the windows down and shades covering the excitement burning from within one’s eyes.

Behind the wheel of a fueled-up plane?

That’s Aysen’s wheelhouse.

The local pilot said his passion for the air is family-based.

“Back in the 1950s, my dad was flying for a while,” Aysen said. “I think it’s something most humans have an interest in, flight. And being so high in the air and everything like that.”

From that inherent love for altitude, Aysen said he began to do research on the topic and explored getting his own plane.

What he discovered is a tidbit about aviation not known to the general public.

“Planes are priced similar to a big bass boat, pretty much,” Aysen said. “What you pay for the average car, you can build and fly your own airplane. … Seeing that, that’s what got me started, seeing that this was available and priced to where it was within my reach.”

Aysen’s initial thought was to buy an airplane kit, but he shifted to a set of airplane plans because of his experience in fabrication and metal work.

“It was built directly from a set of plans,” Aysen said.

With the plan pointing the way, Aysen started to work.

Then he worked some more.

And even then, a little more.

Initially planned to be a part-time hobby, the plane became a huge part of Aysen’s spare time.

It ended up being a whole lot more than that, taking a half-decade to perfect.

“I say it was a spare time endeavor, but for five years, it was pretty much my only hobby,” Aysen said. “It takes a lot of commitment.”

Aysen said that he’d be the first to admit frustration and rough patches occurred during the five-year building process.

He quickly added the entire experience as a whole was ‘awesome,’ thanks to help from his support system.

“You really have to have a spouse or a significant other who will have an understanding of that [time] commitment,” Aysen said. “Because if you’re a family man, it takes a lot of support to complete that project.”

The cost for a plane may be similar to a bass boat, but being certified to fly is much more expensive.

Aysen said he’s spent “well into the 10s of thousands,” on his hobby, adding that his plane was certified for flight before he was even certified to test fly his aircraft.

“At the time mine was test flown, I didn’t even have enough hours at that time,” Aysen said. “I had a friend of mine who has thousands of hours in all types of aircraft and he brought it up for the first time. And everything went fine.”

Cruise along the bayous of Terrebonne and Lafourche parishes and you’ll see shrimp boats resting in the murky waters.

Stare at the outside of the watercraft and you’ll find the boat’s name, often times hand-painted by the boat’s captain. Some are named after people, wives, children, celebrities. Others, after places, hometowns, children’s playgrounds, or neighborhoods. Even some are titled after abstract thoughts like pizzazz, ferocity or dilemma.

Aircraft isn’t much different, most airplanes are given names by their owners.

After five years of work, five years of good days and even sometimes bad, that may be the only detail Aysen forgot to perfect.

“My plane actually doesn’t have a name,” he says with a laugh. “Honestly, I haven’t even really put much thought into it.”

Ready or not, Aysen will fly the no-name plane at the 2011 Cajun Fly-in.

The local will showcase his aircraft with dozens of others coming from throughout the area.

The U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard will also take part in the show and will showcase aircraft, as well as countless other local pilots.

The Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office, the Houma Police Department and the Houma Fire Department will also participate, as well as the Louisiana State Police and the Regional Military Museum in what has become a popular event.

“This is annually a well-attended event,” said one of the event’s organizers, Newton Boudreaux. “We’ve had upwards of 500 people in some years. … We’ve had people from as far as St. Louis and even some from Minnesota.”

One new feature the show will exhibit this year is something called the “Young Eagles.”

In this exhibition, children ages 8-16 will have an opportunity to actually fly in a plane making rounds across the airport.

Boudreaux said parents must be in attendance to sign-off on their child’s flight.

The parent will not be allowed to actually enter the plane.

“Only the kids,” Boudreaux said.

Boudreaux said a B-52 flyover is also possible at the event, but hasn’t been finalized.

Away from the fun and festivities, Boudreaux said there will be enough food and drinks to go around, including Chef Norbert Punch’s famous jambalaya.

“That’s delicious,” Boudreaux said. “He has all of those special seasons in it and everything. It’s truly unique.”

Flying, food and free.

It’s a can’t-miss recipe.

“We just want people to be aware that we do have an airport here,” Aysen said. “And there’s some activities we’re doing here that will get some people to want to get involved in it and others to look at it and say, ‘Yeah, we do have this here,’ and ‘Yeah, I didn’t know that was in Houma.’

“I hope the weather is great. I want to fly my plane.”

Local pilot Chris Aysen showcases his airplane, which took five years to build. Aysen will fly his plane at the Cajun Fly-In, which will take place this weekend at the Houma Airport. CASEY GISCLAIR