Combs Airport Party

Combs airport is the place that I learned to fly. I always love to return to that familiar place that reminds me of my youth. It is a beautiful, one of a kind, runway that is nestled in between the mountains in Eastern Kentucky. In 1977 it was a busy little airport with small airplanes littering the ramp. The airport was located just off of the main road. Highly visible for the pilots and people that lived in the area. There was a flying club who had just purchased a new airplane and my Father was falling in love with flying. He was a private pilot and he was eager to share his love of airplanes with his family and friends. At that time is was common to have airport parties, fly-ins, civil air patrol meetings.

Fast-forward to today (2011), you will see the grass growing up through the pavement. The small building is empty and dirty most of the time. There is no fuel for sale. They built a by-pass around that old two lane road. Most of the local people don't even realize that the airport is still in operation. My Father has been a flight instructor for many years now. He has over 10,000 flight hours in his Cessna 172. He has taught hundreds of people to fly and is still based out of Combs airfield. That in and of itself is a miracle since most small airports in the valleys have been shut down. They have been labeled too dangerous, and not worth saving, the funding is gone. There are some fantastic new runways up on the old strip mines in Pikeville and Paintsville. They are longer and without the obstacles that make the valley runways tricky to land. They have instrument approaches to help aircraft find the runway in bad weather. They don't have the character but they have some charm up on top of the mountains. I guess it makes sense to move to the newer, safer, better-equipped airports.

The Combs airport board, which includes my Dad, have had to fight to keep this airport open. It has not been an easy battle. The Mayor of Prestonsburg is a good friend and former student of my Father's and he has made sure that certain areas get some pavement and the airport is operational.

Every year or two I come home and help my Father put together a party for his flight students and friends of the airport. I don't live in the area anymore and my Dad wants me to do much of the work and planning. He and his friend Paul Hall clean the building and get the airport presentable by mowing and weed eating. This year we catered from a local restaurant and some of the students brought watermelon, drinks, chips and desserts. There were games and toys for the little kids to play with. There was not an official count, but probably around 60 people showed up. There were even five aircraft that flew in and out. It was nice to see people come to the airport and enjoy each other's company. It was a beautiful day and we took this picture in front of my Father's airplane. Most of the people in the picture trained or kept current with him at some point in the last 30 years. His instruction in this small community has definitely made an impact. Some of his students have gone on to pursue career's in avaition.

Getting this party together is not an easy task. It takes quite a bit of work and preparation. Frankly, it stresses me out. But in the end, I love to look over and see my Father talking to his friends and enjoying seeing the airport that he loves, thriving like in the old days.