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Summer brings out the airport's best
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June 11, 2012 |
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The last
Saturday of each summer month is special
at the Boundary County Airport, as
people fly, drive, bike, run, walk and
crawl in for their famous
all-you-can-eat huckleberry pancake
breakfast. |
Airport News
By Ashley Glaza
It’s June already and summer is only moments
away.
Grass runways throughout our beautiful state,
like Cavanaugh Bay on Priest Lake, are opening
up for a summer of endless adventures for
pilots. It’s also the season when airports all
over the country are hosting airshows, fly-ins,
camp-outs, and pancake breakfasts.
The local EAA chapter hosts a delicious
huckleberry pancake breakfast on the last
Saturday of each month from May through
September.
Don’t forget to bring the kids to the airport
July 7 for the Young Eagles flight for kids.
Local pilots and EAA members volunteer their
time and airplanes to give free rides to kids
for a day. Call the airport for more details or
visit
www.757.eaachapter.org.
On May 26 the local EAA chapter put on a
huckleberry pancake breakfast at the Boundary
County Airport like no other, with a record
turnout of 243 hungry, happy people!
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An extremely
rare 1929 MonoCoach flew into the local
airport from Creston at the end of May. |
The breakfast was held in conjunction with the
Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit, “The Way We
Worked," featuring Aviation flight rules from
the 1920s to present, and women in aviation
history from Amelia Earhart (the famous Aviatrix
and first president of the Ninety-Nines
International Organization of Women Pilots) to
Bonners Ferry’s own Tammy Blanford (currently
flying for Horizon Airlines).
Five members of the Ninety-Nines were present at
the breakfast, including KK Prussian and Terri
Watson of Coeur D’Alene, Annie Orton of
Sandpoint, and Carla Dedera and I, both of
Bonners Ferry.
Also featured at the breakfast was a history of
the Boundary County Airport, including several
vintage aircraft. Two of the aircraft on display
were restored and presented by Charlie Brown of
Sandpoint.
They included a 1928 Stearman Biplane and a 1930
Fairchild 24. Charlie Brown also displayed a
1917 Curtiss aircraft engine. The third aircraft
was a 1951 L-19 Bird Dog owned by Lionel Gartner
of Creston, B.C.
Thanks to the EAA club members for putting
together the posters, to everyone who
volunteered, and to those who came out to enjoy
a delicious breakfast in support of the local
airport and general aviation.
A fourth aircraft that did not make it in time
for the Smithsonian exhibit arrived a few days
later. Of the 22 airplanes built and certified
by the Mono Aircraft Company, this was the only
airworthy one of its kind left in the world.
The 1929 MonoCoach, N11872, landed at the
Boundary County Airport on the morning of May
30. William Piper of Creston, B.C. spent nine
years restoring it to nearly mint condition with
leather seats, Mohair interior, and red oak
trim.
Wayne Sommers of Bonners Ferry and a pilot for
Northern Air is the only qualified pilot to fly
the MonoCoach. He flew tfrom Creston, cleared
customs at Port Hill, and then, after a low
fly-by, landed at the Boundary County Airport
where the plane will remain indefinitely.
Howard Hughes, the famous aviator, as well as
Sunny Jim Rolph, former Governor of California,
both flew in this Monocoach airplane between
1931 and 1935.
Because of its similarities, this plane is often
referred to as the Sister Ship to the Spirit of
Saint Louis which is on display at the
Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC. The Spirit
was the aircraft flown by Charles Lindbergh on
his solo, non-stop flight from New York to Paris
in 1927.
More information on this unique piece of history
can be found online by searching “1929 MonoCoach."
The Boundary County Airport was recently
recognized by the Federal Aviation
Administration for the professionalism,
commitment and outstanding efforts of its staff
to improve the airport and the community of
Boundary County.
The Airport Board and County Commissioners have
worked tirelessly to improve the airport through
the acquisition of federal grants and hours of
manual labor. With improvements such as an
automated weather observation system, instrument
approach, runway improvements, and airspace
protection, the airport is capable of hosting a
variety of larger aircraft.
Recently the Boundary County Airport hosted two
twin turbo-prop King-Airs bringing in
businessmen for various meetings and
appointments in town. We are expecting
Anheuser-Bush to land their jet here several
times this month for various visits to the hops
farms north of town.
Most interesting was a twin Aero-Commander that
flew in with music historian Garry Eller and the
Chicken Dinner Road, a blue-grass band that
played at the Pearl Theatre last month as a part
of the Smithsonian Exhibit.
Numerous light aircraft fly to Boundary County
every day for business meetings, visiting
friends or family, to enjoy the beauty of the
scenery, or to have a meal in town at one of the
local restaurants. Pilots and passengers from
business executives to vacationers comment on
the high quality of the airport facilities and
the friendliness of this community.
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Nick Peck and
his wife, Janelle. |
There will soon be a new pilot among us!
Northern Air is proud to announce that
private-pilot student Nick Peck of Bayview,
Idaho, took his first solo flight on May 31. His
wife, Janelle, got to celebrate with him when
his feet were back on the ground - though his
head was still high in the sky!
Nick has been dreaming of flying for the past 30
years since taking a flight in an open cockpit
Stearman biplane at Silverwood. He knew he had
to learn to fly after his wife bought him a
scenic flight in October and then an
introductory flight with Northern Air for
Christmas.
He is dreaming of building his own plane someday
and is looking forward to taking his father for
his first flight as a new pilot!
Remember Father’s Day is June 17, and it’s a
perfect time to give the man in your life an
Introductory Flight Lesson or a Scenic Flight.
Northern Air has gift certificates available, so
stop by or give us a call at (208) 267-4359.
For more information about the services provided
by Northern Air you can visit our website at
northernair.biz.
We also serve ice cream, so stop in if you need
to cool down on your way by! |
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