Annual Air Fair fly-in Saturday

Those who go to the Havre City-County Airport Saturday will get the chance to tour the facility, eat breakfast, visit with pilots from throughout the state and maybe even get a free plane ride at the annual Air Fair.

Willie Hurd, president of the North Central Hangar of the Montana Pilots Association, said he estimates that the fair has been put on annually “for at least the last 20 years.”

He said the fly-in is aimed at reminding Havre and area residents that the airport is part of their community, and fostering an interest in aviation among young people.

When they go for a ride in planes, Hurd said, children generally enjoy the experience.

However, given that flying is expensive and access to a plane is not widely available, most young people don’t become the avid flyers they might otherwise want to be.

“For us, it's a lot of work to put this on,” Hurd said. “I’d say we do it mainly for the youth.”

Hurd said pilots are mostly local, but some come from as far west as Cut Bank, east as Glasgow and south as Bozeman.

He said as many as 15 to 20 planes will be on display. Attendees 18 and younger who meet certain height requirements will be eligible for free plane rides.

Pilots will get a chance to take part in what event organizers refer to as sky bowling, a game like bowling in which pilots fly 200 feet above the ground then toss a bowling ball out of the plane and attempt to topple a group of plastic barrels painted to resemble bowling pins.

He said the game has been a five-year tradition.

Visitors will get to see a wide range of planes, including a Vultee BT-13, a trainer plane from the World War II era, brought from Bozman.

Hurd said there will likely be a raffle, from which one person will be selected to receive a ride in the plane.

“So somebody might be the winner to get a ride in that airplane, which I have ridden in, and it is stimulating,” he said.

Hurd said he did not know how much tickets would be if there is a raffle.

Experimental aircraft will also be on display, as well.

Those who come with an appetite can buy an all-you-can-eat breakfast prepared by the Lions Club and consisting of scrambled eggs, pancakes, sausage patties, biscuits and gravy.

Those looking forward to taking a ride in a plane are encouraged to show up in the morning.

Hurd said that as the day progresses, the air gets hotter and therefore makes the plane ride less enjoyable.

Admission to the event as well as the plane rides for youth are free, but the cost of breakfast is $7 per person. The fly-in and breakfast will start at 7:30 a.m.