The Westlock Flying Club is hosting its annual fly-in breakfast Aug. 11.
After being shelved in 2018, the Westlock Flying Club will once again host its fly-in breakfast Aug. 11, giving local airplane enthusiasts an opportunity to check out the aircraft and get themselves a good breakfast at the same time.
The event will take place at the Westlock Municipal Airport Aug. 11 from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m.
The club is promising pancakes, eggs and sausages in the hangar, and a full sightseeing experience among the planes.
Georg Hertz-Kleptow, club vice-president, said they’ve seen close to 40 airplanes from the surrounding area show up in the past for the breakfast. Last time it was hosted in 2017, the club sold about 200 tickets.
“People can look at the airplanes, they can walk around them. … They just have to be (careful) with flying in and taxiing, stay off to the side and not interfere with the traffic there.”
Last year’s weather prevented the breakfast from taking place, with rainy weekends followed by smoke from B.C. wildfires, remembers Hertz-Kleptow.
“At one point, from the road I couldn’t see the house here,” which made it difficult for aircraft to fly safely.
A few years ago, Hertz-Kleptow said there was also an airshow, but lack of funds and a multitude of paperwork are prohibitive factors now.
The event essentially pays for itself; most of the money goes back into replenishing the funds spent on organizing. This makes the breakfast a way for the club members to introduce the facility and themselves to the community.
“It doesn’t work without volunteers,” says Hertz-Kleptow.
The flying club currently has 30 members. Most have their own planes, but others are just supporters of aviation in the area, or fans of flying. The club also cares for a Piper Cherokee 140, supported by the pilots who fly it.
Tickets for the August breakfast are $8 per person. Kids under the age of five get in for free and families of four can buy a ticket for $20.
