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Dan Kegley--The star of last year’s fly-in, this Piedmont Airlines DC-3 from the Carolinas Aviation Museum, will return to the fourth annual event Sept. 28.

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Fly-in on final approach for Sept. 28

By DAN KEGLEY/Staff

The Mountain Empire Pilots Association Fly-in is on final approach for a Sept. 28 landing at the airport in Groseclose. The last arrangements for the arrival of several special aircraft are in place, according to Curtis Pennington. The event will be open from 1 to 5 p.m.
That big, shiny Piedmont airlines DC-3 that stole the show last year will be back from the Carolinas Aviation Museum in Charlotte, N.C., according to Pennington. This particular plane never flew a route under the Piedmont name but the company restored the 66-year-old aircraft that has appeared in movies and on television.
A number of military aircraft, including AH-64Apache, AH-1 Cobra and UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters and the OV-1 Mohawk airplane, have been confirmed to appear at the fly-in that will be a salute to all veterans, Pennington said.
Two T-34 Mentors, one of which is now based at Mountain Empire Airport, will be on display. Flights will be available for a charge in the local T-34. A flight will include the rider’s photo made with the plane.
An L-19 Bird Dog and T-28 Trojan owned privately are expected from Lenoir, N.C., and a PT-17 Stearman is scheduled to arrive from Greeneville, N.C., Pennington said.
The military does not charge for exhibition of aircraft, Pennington said, but getting museum and private collection aircraft is not an inexpensive undertaking. The Mohawk, for example, costs $1,500, plus fuel, Pennington said. Added to the aircraft costs are expenses for portable toilets required at public events and insurance required to hold fly-ins
The pilots get substantial assistance from the Virginia Aviation Board that provides grants for activities that promote the commonwealth’s airports. But the pilots association must first cover its costs, with the help of sponsors. Then the agency provides the grant money as a reimbursement, requiring receipts documenting costs, up to 75 percent of those costs.
“You gotta have it before you can get it back,” Pennington said. “They will reimburse three-fourths of expenses up to seventy-five hundred dollars. We could spend ten thousand dollars and get seventy-five hundred, but we don’t have ten thousand bucks.”
The event promotes the airport by helping the public understand the airport is a regional hub of commercial and charitable activity. Pennington said several airplanes based at Mountain Empire are used by business people in their work, including landscaping and real estate. Another is owned and flown by a consultant to the federal government.
At least one airplane there is used for Angel Flights, providing no-charge transportation for patients who otherwise would not be able to travel to distant care providers.
Executives traveling between local industries and headquarters and facilities in other states also use the airport, Pennington said.
“People just don’t realize how busy this place is,” Pennington said.