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Van
Buren County, Arkansas -- The stage was set for Saturday, September 15,
to fill the skies over Holley Mountain Airpark with planes of every
imaginable size, shape, vintage, and description. The culmination of
many months of planning and preparations by the Airpark Property Owners
Association, over 100 private planes, their pilots and their families
had planned on attending the fly-in event.
Then
the terrible events in New York and D.C. that preceding Tuesday, closed
U.S. air space by order of the FAA and Holleyfest planners found
themselves in limbo, seriously considering cancellation or postponement. But
phone calls started flooding Airpark offices, and the consensus grew clear.
Pilots wanted this gathering to happen and were making plans to arrive
by pick-up truck, motor home and car.
Above: One of the few planes to receive special
clearance from the FAA to attend the Holleyfest event comes in for a
landing.
Solidarity
among the aviators and their families filled the private hangar of Jim
& JoAnn Collom, which had been converted to a conference room for
the event. Patiently, they listened as Captain Jim McDonald of the U.S.
Air Force and Jarrett MacFarland with the FAA explained the immediate
and long-term ramifications of Tuesday's horrific events.
The
news was not the best for General Aviation, which is the technical term
used by the FAA to describe non-military and non-commercial planes. U.S.
Airspace was to remain closed to private pilots and their planes
indefinitely. And when American skies did reopen for General Aviation
use, the likelihood was that it would be with dramatically increased
regulatory control.
Above: Aviators filled
the Collom's hangar to hear U.S. Air Force and FAA representatives answer questions about
both the immediate and long-term implications of the federally mandated
grounding.
The
news was received with a solemn sense of necessity.
As the
day unwound, clutches of aviators grouped in quiet conversation. Talk
was of family:
“We
grew up with a father that was a WWII Veteran,” said Jim Collom,
Holley Mountain Airpark developer and Holleyfest coordinator. “He was
called into active duty in 1961 and ’62, during the Cuban Missile
Crisis. So the civil defense movement of the early 60’s was not just
something on TV at the Collom House. It was planning, it was
staying in touch closely with the current events, it was another very
uncertain time.”
And
of war:
“I
even remember the rations and water that was in place under the house
and that Daddy was gone for 10 Months to Ft. Polk, Louisiana, in
preparing for war,” Collom continued. “I was only 6 about to turn 7
that October of 1962 as it all came to an end, but it is a real thought
to reflect on at this point. We should all feel blessed.”
In
reverence to the overriding circumstances, a number of festive events,
competitive games and awards ceremonies had been taken off the day's
agenda, however "Artic Annie," a Beech 18 (also known as a US
Army C-145), did receive special clearance to attend. Owned by Mark
Trimble, of Branson, Missouri, the historic plane is one of Trimble’s
collection of “about twenty” antique aircraft.
Above: The flight crew of "Artic
Annie" grabs a bit of wing-covered shade. The historic plane is
owned by Mark Trimble who has an antique aircraft collection of about 20
aircraft in Branson Mo. Mark is the gentleman next to the near end with
the dark blue jump suit and white jacket.
Several
dozen small planes routinely based at the Airpark were on display for
fellow aviators and the general public to view. Also on exhibit
were the Airpark’s VFD fire trucks and equipment, including a Mack
Pierce 85 ft. Snorkel Truck and two Diesel Powered Pumpers.
Arriving visitors kept the Holleyfest registration booth busy throughout
the day.
Keith
Wingad, a private pilot from Fairfield Bay, was interviewed “live on
the air” during Holleyfest by Dixie Carter, KGFL-KHPQ Radio, about his
family’s near-miss with Tuesday’s tragic events. Ralph McCormick,
publisher of Fly-Low, interviewed
former Chairman of the NTSB, Jim Burnett. Members of the Lake Area Fun
Flyers Squadron assembled model aircraft and did demonstration flights.
An eclectic gaggle of “future pilots” imagined themselves to be
soaring through the skies on the wings of balsawood airplanes. And a
family-style buffet, catered by Cadron Creek Catfish House, concluded
the activities.
Above: Arriving visitors kept the registration booth
busy all day. The primary engine of the Holley Mountain Airpark
Volunteer Fire Department can be seen in the background.
L-R above: Keith Wingad,
a private pilot from Fairfield Bay, is interviewed "live on the
air" during Holleyfest by Dixie Carter, KGFL-KHPQ Radio, about his
family's near-miss with Tuesday's tragic events.
L-R above: Ralph McCormick, publisher of Fly-Low,
chats with Airpark developer and Holleyfest organizer, Jim Collom.
Above and below: Members of the Lake Area Fun Flyers
Squadron assemble model aircraft to prepare for demonstration flights during
Holleyfest.
Above: These "future pilots" and many others
were treated to model airplanes made of balsa wood and had great fun
flying them.
Above: The buffet dinner, catered by Cadron Creek
Catfish House.
Above: "More ketchup, please."
But
the story does not end with the afternoon waning and the crowd wandering
slowly back home. The consequences of the actions now in play are far
reaching and have already begun to have a haunting effect.
Consider,
for example, the circumstance faced by so many pilots and their
associates. Men and women who have built a life and a family livelihood
by and through aviation who now face an impending disaster of their own.
As Jim Collom remarked, reflecting on the trickle-down ramifications of
Tuesday's tragedy:
"This
morning I heard one TV reporter state 'VFR aircraft, like the ones used
to train the pilots in the World Trade Center disaster, are still
grounded and will be for the foreseeable future'. Now is general
aviation Part 91 VFR being categorized with those 'Bastards'? Is
General Aviation, in the non-aviator's public mind, going to take the
rap for the tragic disaster that took place in New York and Washington?
Is it only used to train foreign flight students? We all hope not!
"We have all been told 'return to work and be normal' but how can
you do that, when all your assets are tied directly to general aviation?
What is an airplane worth if there is no place to fly it? What is a nice
hangar on a fine airport worth if there is no way to use it? What are
aircraft inventories worth if only a very small percentage of General
Aviation is flying and needing them? What is a small FBO to do when
there are only a few aircraft to fuel and keep maintenance on?
"The
backbone of aviation in this country is General Aviation. It's
where we all started! The airlines have never trained a primary
student. Have they? Without a return of General Aviation as
we know it, the chain of pilots will be broken. If you aren't putting
anything into the pipeline today, you cannot get anything out tomorrow.
Terrorists have tried to remove one of the greatest liberties in the USA
and as long as General Aviation is grounded they have accomplished yet
another one of their goals.
"We have had many obstacles in the past in General Aviation, yet
aviation has always shined in troubled times. We hope in the weeks to
come we will find out the sacrifices imposed on General Aviation, as we
know it, will be well worth the cause. Stay Positive and feel
confident in our country's mission. 'This too shall pass'! And, in the
long term, we will accomplish more than you ever imagined.”
For
more information, contact Jim & JoAnn Collom, 501-745-5300, arkair@artelco.com,
or visit http://www.HolleyMountainAirpark.com
To request more information, please click
here.
Permission
granted to reprint article and photos appearing on this page.
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