Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Improvements Lead to Expo

Airport improvements are the driving force behind the First Annual Gurdon Forest Festival Air Expo.

Mary Burns, a member of the Gurdon Airport Commission, said getting the airport upgraded is important to the city's economy, at Thursday's meeting of the Rotary club.

The airport is being improved in four phases, she said, with each phase costing about $100,000.

Phase I is done, Burns said, and phase II is almost completed. When the second portion is finished, the runway will be 60 feet wide, instead of the current 30-foot width.

The runway will have an overlay of asphalt applied as the third segment, with the final phase being a complete paving with new lights installed.

But this takes money, and plenty of it. So, in order to help offset the expense, Burns and the commission decided to hold an air expo in conjunction with the 16th Annual Forest Festival on Oct. 26.

The first day of the air expo will primarily be a time for pilots to fly in with their aircraft, while the grounds at Lowe Field are set up with static displays.

Burns said ultralight crafts, homebuilts and antique planes are expected during the fly in Saturday.

A remote control airplane club from Arkadelphia will also be on hand Saturday afternoon to display the handling and maneuverability of the small craft they prefer.

However, Sunday, Oct. 27, will be the big day for the expo. Burns said the fun will kick off at 1 p.m. with the country western group, Cheyenne performing.

At 2 p.m. the first aerobatic act will begin. This act will be quite unusual as it is a remote controlled flying lawnmower.

A parachute act will be included in the day's events, with the jumpers streaming red, white and blue smoke behind them as they fall earthward.

Andy McCain will bring his barnstorming act to Lowe Field, while Dr. Galen Hutcheson will be flying high in his Pitts Special. Doug Watts will thrill the crowd with his Forbes "F-3" Cobra, the last of its kind, while Bobby Younkin, a professional specialty act, will perform with his Wolf-Sampson biplane, and possibly, his Twin Beech aircraft.

"We were incredibly lucky to get him (Younkin)," Burns said. "It will be well worth it." She said work is continuing to pay for his Beech act, but he will fly in the Wolf-Sampson.

Other fun for visitors of the expo include the Arkla Gas Co. hot air balloon. Rides will be available in the balloon for a small fee.

Additionally, Burns said glider rides will be possible for the strong of stomach and stout of heart, with a few dollars to spare. The Eagle glider is motorized, but the engine is shut off once the desired altitude is achieved. She said the glider rides will last 25-30 minutes.

But there's still more, as the Rotary members learned. The Tulsa helicopter tours will be flying down, giving rides (for a fee) over Gurdon.

She said the Arkansas State Police traffic helicopter will be on hand, but as a static display only. No rides will be given with the ASP copter. It is hoped, Burns continued, Huey helicopters can be obtained from the Arkansas National Guard as displays for the event.

The city and commission are working with the Guard to provide crowd control at the expo, she said.

And the youngsters aren't being forgotten either. The Clark County Sheriff's Office will be bringing in McGruff, the Crime Dog, while the Arkansas Forest Service has, as its special guest star, Smokey the Bear.

Along with the displays, Burns said there will be plenty of concession stands, where munchies and soft drinks can be obtained.

Souvenir hunters won't go home empty handed either, as the commission will be selling commemorative T- shirts, mugs, posters and caps. The T-shirts, she said, can also be purchased locally in stores downtown.

Sponsorship for the expo is going well, Burns informed the Rotarians. A total of $7,200 is needed to pay for the entire show, and about $5,300 has been raised to date.

"We feel confident we can raise the rest," she said.

The money raised from the expo will be used as part of the 25-75 match for the needed grants.

Burns said the expo currently has its own web site on the internet, and advertising is being done as much as possible to let people know about it.

"This (the expo) is important to the city, to help it build and grow," she said. "But we need help, volunteers.

"What started as a fly in, to get pilots down for some fun and a barbecue, snowballed. It will be a great compliment to the Forest Festival."