Judge Moves Planes of Fame Air Show Lawsuit Forward

Local business owners at the Chino Airport are not giving up on the idea of shutting down the Planes of Fame Air Show. A local judge has given the green light for a lawsuit after Planes of Fame attempted to thwart the idea through an anti-SLAPP motion — strategic lawsuit against public participation — claiming the suit was frivolous. Superior Court Judge David S. Cohn disagreed and will allow the lawsuit to continue.

The lawsuit claims the two-day weekend event “physically blocks and obstructs various airport businesses from operating by erecting fences and other barriers that keep would-be customers from accessing their businesses, creating huge traffic jams that keep customers away and by shutting down the air space, which grounds flight schools and other businesses not affiliated with the show,” according to a news release. The tenants claim they have unsuccessfully attempted to work with Planes of Fame to resolve the issues.

The lawsuit was originally filed in March, only weeks before the show was scheduled on May 5 and 6. After a few stressful weeks in which the Planes of Fame Museum collected thousands of signatures of support, the air show was allowed to go on this year, celebrating its 60th anniversary.

“Our goal is to find a fair resolution prior to the 2018 air show,” said Christen Wright, director of Yanks Air Museum, one of the plaintiffs in the lawsuit.