Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Air Expo In Works For Fall

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, there will be an experimental aircraft show at Lowe Field this fall.

The Gurdon Airport Commission, in a meeting Tuesday, July 9, decided to forge ahead with plans for such a show.

The event is tentatively titled the Forest Festival Air Expo, with a motto of "Get high at Lowe," or "Have a high time at Lowe Field."

It is hoped this can become an annual event to help promote experimental aircraft as well as generating revenue for Gurdon.

According to plans, the air expo will feature experimental and home built aircraft. With a little luck, other aeronautic-type acts will be willing to work with the commission.

The commission also plans on working with the Forest Festival committee and have the expo on the same weekend.

The two events could compliment one another, giving visitors a wider variety of entertainment to participate in.

Commissioner Mary Burns said a small admission fee could be charged at the airport, and recreational vehicles could park there if they are self-contained, as there are no hookups.

Gary Deaton, also on the panel, suggested having some events Sunday after the Forest Festival to keep the tourists in town and give them something to do.

It was agreed while the airport crowd would be separate from the Forest Festival crowd, the air expo would be a good attraction for the annual Forest Festival.

However, until the details are discussed with the Forest Festival group, how everything will work out is not known at this time.

Commission Chairman Roy Ricketts said there should be no problem generating revenue for the airport with the air expo. Funds raised at the expo will be used for airport upgrades.

Jerry Johnson, the newest member of the panel, said if an air show is held, the airport must be closed.

He also suggested having static displays which are aircraft related.

According to Johnson, if there are aeronautical acts at the expo, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) must be notified.

A co-sponsor, Johnson said, would also be a good idea. He suggested contacting an Experimental Aircraft Association to see if its members would be interested in helping out.

Additionally, the panel talked about having some type of shuttle system to get visitors at the air expo into Gurdon to participate in the Forest Festival if they want to.

Johnson said the air expo could set up the Saturday of the Forest Festival, with events scheduled for Saturday night. Sunday could be the event's finale with the "best" acts saved for then.

Burns suggested having T-shirts made up bearing the name and motto of the expo. Additionally, she said the commission may want to consider having caps or mugs made up for the event as well.

All agreed the air expo should be a fun and festive event for everyone involved. If visitors have a good time, they reasoned, they would be more likely to come back next year and this could become an annual event.

The commission also agreed the air expo should not work against the Forest Festival, but in conjunction with it. This way, everyone could be successful.

In other business, the commission discussed the current phase of upgrades at the airport.

Ricketts said a ditch will be needed to make sure water drains properly.

The specifications called for PVC pipe to be used, but it needed to have a four-foot diameter. PVC pipe in this size could not be found.

Because of this problem, the commission will be using a corrugated steel pipe coated inside and out with asphalt. Once this pipe is put in place, it will be overlaid with concrete making it a more solid structure.

Ricketts said the project could be finished by fall if the commission can get the drains in and base gravel laid.

Once this is done, the commission can file another application with the state's aviation commission and begin work on the second phase of the project.

Burns said the commission will have to come up with $25,000, either in cash or in-kind work, in order to apply for the $75,000 grant.

Deaton reminded the panel it needs to worry about finishing the first phase before concerning itself with phase II.

The commission also agreed to try and have a work day at least one weekend a month.