VERNON TOWNSHIP -- Visitors to Port Meadville Airport this weekend will be stepping back in time of sorts with vintage planes and cars on display as well as current aviation.

Saturday marks the 25th anniversary of the Wheels & Wings Fly-in from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the airport in Vernon Township, located off Route 322 about 4 miles west of Meadville.

Hosted by the Meadville chapter of the Experimental Aviation Association, the free event is a fundraiser to allow the chapter to offer free flights to youngsters each spring.

"It's a passion," Brian Shaw, the chapter's president, said of becoming a pilot.

"We want to get kids interested in aviation as a career by learning how to fly," said Shaw, a licensed pilot since 2010. "It's not just for kids either. Adults can learn to fly."

A couple of children who Shaw taught in past years have gone into aviation.

"One girl actually got a job with Delta (Airlines) as a pilot," he said. "She's flying a 767 airliner for Delta. Another is now a flight instructor up in Buffalo."

The club's role and goal is to give people an introduction to aviation.

"It's a great opportunity as a career for young people if you just give them a taste," he said, adding that commercial pilots are making around $300,000 a year.

Admission to the fly-in is free; however, there will be a pancake breakfast and lunch items available for donations. There also will be airplane rides for purchase as part of the fundraising effort.

Fees for the rides will be used to cover fuel costs for the free airplane rides given to children in the spring.

"The money is to young kids in the spring ages 8 to 17 for free," Shaw said. "We flew about 100 people year.

"We want to raise enough money to be able to offer rides to kids twice a year -- in the spring and the fall."

One of stars of the event will be the Beach City Baby.

It's a fully restored C-53 Skytrooper, a troop transport plane that was used during World War II, according to Vintage Wings Inc., the company that restored and maintains the plane. The plane will be available for tours.

Beach City Baby will be accompanied by Baker Company, a World War II reenactment group.

The event will also feature basket auctions and drawings as part of the fundraiser.