Fly-in/Drive-in takes off
Photo by Chanse Watson The 1942 twin-engine Grumman Goose taxis around the end of the runway in preparation for take-off.
Photo by Chanse Watson Younger attendees at the Fly-in watch the Grumman Goose land on Saturday.
Photo by Chanse Watson The Grumman Goose passes over the airport while onlookers watch it from the ground.
Photo by Jana Mackin Flying the Sonex beats doing dishes for Jasper Stemple and Tiffany Starkel of Ferndale, Montana. The pair stopped in for some R&R at the Silver Valley Fly-in/Drive-in this weekend.
SMELTERVILLE — When the 1942 twin-engine Grumman Goose thundered onto the runway Saturday as part of the Silver Valley Fly-in/Drive-in, it signified the debut of Shoshone County Airport as a destination airport.
Military grade heavy metal doesn’t land just anywhere.
When this big bird taxied in, she surprised all with her presence at the Memorial Day weekend event that displayed unique aircraft and offered a full menu of aviation and community activities blessed by warm weather and clear skies.
“The weather gods have blessed us,” Silver Valley Chamber of Commerce coordinator Colleen Rosson said.
Besides the Addiston Pemberton & Sons restored Grumman, other aircraft that touched down were a Sonex and Van’s RV12 kit planes, Cessnas from the Civil Air Patrol (CAP), Selkirk Aviation, Latitude Aviation, a LifeFlight Network’s helicopter.
The joint airport and community venture offered pilots and participants activities that included airplane rides, static displays of drones, various specialized tours, food, arts and crafts, gondola rides, biking and hiking adventures.
Among the several organizations represented were Honor Point Military & Aerospace Museum, Shoshone County Fire Protection District, Aviation Club 1254, Dronex as well as LifeFlight and CAP.
Officials estimate some 700 people attended over the weekend.
During that time, Latitude Aviation offered 32 free rides, and 12 unique aircraft attended.
Pemberton, owner of the Grumman Goose, reportedly said he would return next year with a squadron of antique planes.
Also the work of volunteers such as Claudia Childress and her husband helped to provide the sweat equity to realize what is planned as an annual fly-in.
“It’s one of the best small airports in the area,” said Childress. “It would be in the county’s best interest to invest in it and expand the runway so we can get small jet service which could help local business such as Silver Mountain Resort, Galena Ridge Golf Course and Dave Smith Motors.”
Major Kirk Dehn, pilot with the Civil Air Patrol Idaho Wing Coeur d’Alene Squadron had nothing but positive things to say about the airport.
“This is a very nice little airport, a very nice little community, a very patriotic community.”
“This airport has a lot of potential. When Richard Abers (airport manager) came and met with us and said he had been a CAP member way back, I said, ‘We would be like to start a little chapter there,’” he added.
Aviation outreach, education, and instruction are venues being explored at the airport site.
The Aviation Club 1254 is just such an organization interested in perhaps creating a satellite presence at the airport.
With a mission to provide activities that introduce and engage students in aviation, organization officials express interest in such a venue.
“Right now there’s a lot of jobs out there,” said Murdo Cameron of the Coeur d’Alene Aviation Club 1254. “We want to get people interested in aviation. There’s a shortage of pilots. It’s a great, great career.”
As a destination airport for outdoor recreation and scenic beauty, any fly-in to the Shoshone County Airport is a great way play hooky from life’s stress and the never-ending list of honey-do.
“What would I do instead,” said Jasper Stemple, who flew from Ferndale, Mont., for a Memorial Day weekend break, “yard work?!”