Grantham Fly-in Helps Keep Pilots in Touch, in Air

By Nick Hiltunen, 'Goldsboro News-Argus'

Organizers advertised the June 6 fly-in at Cox-Grantham field in North Carolina with this message: "Fly in for good BBQ, lots of lies and lots of fun."

The event included pilots of ultralight aircraft, plus larger certified planes like the sporty Cessna models. Veteran pilot Shane Kilpatrick, who mans a 1967-model Cessna 150 powered by a higher-horsepower Cessna 170 engine, said the reason for holding the fly-in was to spark interest in recreational aviation, an objective he thought was realized at the event.

"A lot of people were here that we haven’t seen before, a lot of very young kids, a lot of people that are old enough to start now—and a couple of them that I’m convinced probably will," Kilpatrick said.

July 13, 2009