LUMBERTON — High above Lumberton, Roger Marshall piloted his YAK-55 Saturday through twists and turns, spins and dives. The plane’s engine hummed. A trail of smoke filled the air.

On the ground, a large crowd at the Lumberton Regional Airport looked skyward and was thrilled by the performance — one of many — featured at the seventh annual Mid-Atlantic Fly-In and Sport Aviation Convention. The three -day event continues today with gates opening to the public at 9 a.m. The air show takes off at about 1:30 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 8 to 16, and free for kids younger than 8.

Several thousand — including pilots from across the country — are participating in the Fly-In that has continued to grow significantly since it began in 2003 as part of that year’s Celebration of Flight, an event that marked the 100th anniversary of the Wright brothers’ first flight.

In addition to the popular air shows, sponsored by the City of Lumberton and Robeson County, those attending the Fly-In can view vintage aircraft, take helicopter and airplane rides, and browse aviation-related and other informational exhibits. There is also a variety of food available to satisfy all tastes.

A car show is also being held at the airport. Sponsored by the Robeson Classic Cars Car Club, the show runs today from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Jerry Faggard of Fayetteville attended his first Mid-Atlantic Fly-In on Saturday. The trip to Lumberton for the event, he said, was well worth it.

“I’m really enjoying it,” he said. “I’m into cars, so I especially like the car show.”

Bryan Murray, 16, and his friend, Justin Mitchell, 17, both of Lumberton, especially liked Neal Darnell’s Flash Fire, the world’s fastest Chevy pickup truck. The Flash Fire set the world speed record of 375 mph on May 14, 2005.

“I wouldn’t mind having that to drive,” Murray said.

A favorite among young and old alike is a display of Vietnam-era helicopter gunships and transports. The helicopters are being displayed by the N.C. chapter of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, whose members are all veteran Vietnam War pilots.

“It makes things I’ve heard more real when I see the actual helicopters,” said Lindsay Piper of Hope Mills, as she watched her 2-year-old son Matthew crawl inside of a Huey. “It hits home for me what it must have been like for the pilots flying these helicopters with no doors, picking up wounded and being shot at. I now have a greater respect for those who have served our country in the past and those who are now serving our country.”

David Westfall and Jack Pickard, both of the Carolina Wings chapter of the national Commemorative Air Force, spent Saturday talking to Fly-In visitors about the 1944 Stinson Reliant (V77) their organization brought from Moore County to the Fly-In.

“We do this to teach people about military history,” Westfall said.

Overall, Saturday’s event was considered a success by local officials.

“The Fly-In has been well-received,” said Rod Jenkins an assistant Robeson County manager. “There’s people here from all over, including such states as Tennessee, Mississippi and Georgia. This event is great for the area. It gives us some exposure.”

Lumberton City Councilman John Cantey couldn’t agree more.

“This is definitely a good thing for the city. It gives us some publicity and helps bring in some additional revenue.”

Buddy Howell, who serves on the Lumberton Regional Airport Commission, said the Fly-In gets bigger and better every year.

“This sure is a good event for the city. We should continue to sponsor it,” he said. “It will grow as word about it reaches out into other communities.”