The Gladstone Flying Club welcomed the community to the Gladstone Airport just north of town this past Saturday for a day of flights, food, and classic cars, all in the name of raising crucial funds for airport operations.
Despite a morning of passing rain showers, the event drew an estimated 150 to 200 people who enjoyed plane rides, a barbecue, and a classic car show.
The weather, while an initial concern, cooperated well enough for pilots to conduct 15-minute scenic flights throughout the day.
Attendees paid $30 for a spot in a small aircraft, taking to the skies solo or in groups of three with experienced club pilots.
Jerry Peters, President of the Gladstone Flying Club, was pleased with the turnout and conditions.
"It's going really well this year. We were a little bit concerned with the weather reports being up and down all week, but we've got a nice day. It's a little overcast and cool. Planes are flying well, though, because of the cool weather," Peters says, "It's just warm enough that people are enjoying themselves, sitting around outside, enjoying the barbecue, and watching the planes take off and land, visiting with friends and neighbours."
A pilot's perspective from the sky
For pilots like James Merke from Portage la Prairie, the day offered a chance to share their passion despite some variable winds that added a bit of challenge to the landings. Merke, who has logged approximately 550 flight hours over a decade of flying, took attendees up in his 1952 Cessna 170B.
"Well, the weather is up from what it was this morning, but the wind is picking up, so it's a little bit variable, so it's making it a little bit of a challenge for getting them on the ground, but it's all working out good right now," Merke says, speaking from the tarmac.
His interactions with passengers were a highlight. When asked about the people he had been taking up, his response was enthusiastic: "Oh, they've been great, yeah!"
For Merke, the event was a perfect way to introduce others to the adventure he loves.
"I like the adventure. I like going places I've never been before and seeing some of the wilderness country," he notes, adding, "I hope everybody who wants to get involved in aviation gets out and tries flight."
Funding the future of flight
The primary goal of the fundraiser is to support the club's most ambitious project: repaving the aging airstrip.
The club is actively applying for grants and fundraising to achieve this goal within the next seven years.
The event also featured a special draw for rides in two vintage World War II training planes—a Tiger Moth and a Cornell—operated by the Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum from Brandon, creating a partnership between non-profits.
Darrel Teichrib, the club's Secretary-Treasurer, was encouraged by the community's support.
"I'm thankful that the weather wasn't as bad as forecast. It's a little breezy, but it's still doable, so that's encouraging, and it's good to see a good number of people out and enjoying just visiting and watching airplanes and going for rides," Teichrib says.
President Jerry Peters also highlighted a recent $5,000 grant from the Big Grass Community Foundation for crack-sealing work, emphasizing the importance of community support.
"We've got to help each other out at all times," Peters notes, extending a thank you to all the volunteers and local businesses that made the day possible.
See photos and video from the car show and from up in the sky below:
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.
