Airport fly-in

By PHIL FAUVER Staff writer

Wings and wheels event at Huntington Airport
The Utah Back Country Pilots Fall Fly In was held at the Emery County Airport, Huntington Sept. 30 -Oct. 1. This was a Wings and Wheels event, as both airplanes and antique cars were on display.
Leon Defriez the Airport Manager and Jody Cox the Airport Flight Instructor planned many events for the Back Country Fliers and the Pair-A-Dice Auto Club to enjoy at the Emery County Huntington Airport. Nearly 40 pilots flew airplanes into and out of the airport that Friday and Saturday. Twenty five custom built and antique cars were on display around the airport hangars and among the planes.
Numerous visitors to the Emery County Airport were seen walking about admiring the planes and cars. Some of those visitors were wishing they could own a plane or restore an antique car.
Airplane owners were seen checking their plane for safety after refueling and before take off. The antique car owners were observed putting a last minute shine on their vintage automobiles. The custom, antique cars and planes were glistening in the sun light on this beautiful warm fall day.
Tory Killian of Huntington and Wards 4X4 Auto Parts Store organized the auto show in conjunction with the air show for the Pair-A-Dice Auto Club. The Pair-A-Dice Auto Club gathers six or seven times a year around the state, to show off their custom and antique cars. Killian also helps organize the International Days Car Show in Price. At least 25 classic, custom and restored antique cars were on display at the airport Saturday.
Some of the events offered those that came to the airport were as follows: Friday there was an evening dinner and campfire at the airport. Then on Saturday there was impromptu skeet shooting with Bert Oman assisting, a short field take off and landing contest was held, to see who could get their plane off the ground in the shortest distance. Another contest was held, where badminton shuttlecocks were dropped from an airplane by Jody Cox, at 300 feet elevation in an effort to hit a target on the ground. Names were written on the shuttlecocks and the closest shuttlecock to the target was the winner. Breakfast was served Saturday morning. That evening a dinner was served to 55 guests at the Cedar Mountain airstrip.
Pilots came from many places to participate, such as Salt Lake City, Eastern Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming and one from as far away as Boston, Mass. Some of the pilots camped out at the airport and others at airstrips out in the desert. One couple reported they spent the night camping at Mexican Mountain.
The Civil Air Patrol cadets from the Castle Valley Squadron stationed at the Price Airport were on hand to assist in parking airplanes, to direct planes coming in and going out and other activities as assigned. Commissioner Jeff Horrocks and Gary Wadley both second lieutenants in the Castle Valley Squadron were on hand to direct those activities.
Mervin Miles and his wife Gale were set up in the big airport hangar, to answer questions about the desert and display photos depicting the petroglyphs, the pictographs and the scenic wonders around the San Rafael Swell. Mervin’s photos captured a lot of interest among those attending this Wings and Wheels event.
Ann and David Wall of Salt Lake City, camping at the airport said they enjoyed seeing the fall colors over the mountains as they flew in to the airport on Friday morning. Ann said it is so beautiful, peaceful and quiet here.
Raylene Larsen from R-Pizza Place assisted by Danny VanWagoner catered the breakfast at the airport and dinner at the airstrip on Cedar Mountain. From the two clubs 55 attended the grilled pork tenderloin, Dutch oven potatoes and corn on the cob dinner served on Cedar Mountain. Three senior citizens buses and several cars were used to transport people to the top of Cedar Mountain for the dinner.
Emery County Commissioner Jeff Horrocks said, “Saturday morning, weather permitting we are hoping to have 50-75 airplanes report in here. We already have several airplanes out on the dirt runways in the desert that stayed overnight. We have a car show going on, with custom and antique cars. We want to thank all those who were involved in preparing for this event. This is a good program for the county and our airport and we hope to have it every year. A lot of these folks are return flyers.”
Scott and Doreen Strong from Price, Utah, Scott commented that I think it is a great idea to have this Wing and Wheels event. This is a perfect time of the year. We have enjoyed it. This is the first time that I have been out to the top of Cedar Mountain. This is gorgeous scenery.