Groton — More than 500 aircraft and several thousand visitors will be at the Groton-New London Airport starting Friday as part of a two-day "fly-in" event.

The event, akin to an auto show for aircraft enthusiasts, will focus on flying advocacy and allow private aircraft owners to show off their planes. But it also provides the local community with an opportunity to showcase its airport and the offerings in the region.

"Our goal is to have visitors fly back and spend more time here in the future," said Franz Edson, chairman of the event.

The show is open to the public from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. Admission is free.

It is one of only four fly-ins happening around the country being put on by the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, the largest aviation association in the world with about 320,000 members nationwide.

Many aircraft will be on display including a C-47, a U.S. military transport aircraft that flew in the World War II Normandy Invasion; a rare Albatross, a large amphibious plane built at Grumman in Bethpage, N.Y.; and a C-130, the cargo planes being used by the U.S. military to fly emergency relief supplies to Puerto Rico.