About 50 attended free fly-in event

Another fly-in is in the books. 

At its meeting Wednesday, Portland Board of Aviation heard that the Young Eagles event that took place Saturday at the airport was well-attended. 

The event, hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association, took place from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at Portland Municipal Airport. Children ages 8 to 17 were able to take free flights with four pilots who donated their time and planes for the morning. 

Airport manager Hal Tavzel said 51 children signed up for the event and 49 were able to take flights. It was the second year that the airport had hosted the free event. 

“Almost every kid that I flew had never flown before, and just really was a good feeling to be able to give them a free plane ride,” Tavzel said. “And I think it’s something that we would like to do every year.” 

Board president John Lyons thanked the pilots and other volunteers for helping with the event. 

In other business, board members Mitch Sutton, Faron Parr and Lyons, absent Dick Baldauf: 

•Read in a written report from Butler, Fairman and Seufert that the first construction project to extend the airport’s runway from 4,000 feet to 5,500 feet should take place next year. The Federal Aviation Administration has funding set aside for 2020 for grading and drainage, which BF&S will be prepared to bid by May 1, 2020.

•Learned that the annual fly-in and breakfast will be from 6 a.m. to noon Aug. 24 at the airport. Westchester United Methodist Church will prepare the pancake breakfast and plane rides will be available.

•Heard the airport sold 5,203 gallons of fuel in June for $21,696.94. That’s up from 4,638 gallons sold during the same month last year.

•Paid claims of $8,696.78.