Benton 2024: Big Fly-In, Short Runway

Annual Invitation

In 2018 and 2019, we discovered that we were not the only flying club in the region that routinely mustered several airplanes for simple breakfast runs. We kept encountering a large group from the Bloomsburg Flying Club in places like St. Mary's, PA and Cherry Ridge, PA. Over time, I got to know Denny, one of the Bloomsburg ringleaders, who invited us to participate in the annual October "Fly-In and Pig Out" BBQ luncheon held at the private turf-only airport in Benton, PA (PA40). In 2019, five of us made the flight to Benton in three airplanes and it was a terrific experience.

Every year since, Denny has dutifully reminded me of the event by email. A combination of weather and a global pandemic kept us away from Benton for five years. But in 2024, we finally made it back to Benton in force as a group of twelve people flying six airplanes.

Benton's airport is a smooth, beautifully maintained grass runway located in the hills of northeast Pennsylvania. Despite being private use most of the year, Benton welcomes all comers for the annual fundraiser BBQ luncheon available for the price of a donation. At 2200 feet long, the runway is shorter than most of our club members are accustomed to, but is nonetheless manageable. Noah S, a new student pilot at the club, joined me for the flight to Benton in Warrior 481.

Grass Strip Perfection

Date	Aircraft	Route of Flight	Time (hrs)	Total (hrs)
19 Oct 2010	N21481	SDC (Sodus, NY) - PA40 (Benton, PA) - SDC	2.9	2928.5

Virtually no wind stirred as our airplanes flew in a caravan from the Williamson Sodus Airport to Benton. The day was clear, calm, and dry -- a perfect combination for an excursion to a grass runway.

As is typical on cool autumn mornings, low lying areas in the Southern Tier of New York State overflowed with fog. Although our airplanes shone in the brilliant sunlight of a clear sky, the approach controller at Elmira we spoke with was trapped beneath a low overcast, his airport reporting low IFR. We had a striking difference in perspective!

We flew over Merritt Field (4PN7), a sloping hilltop runway home to a remarkable private aircraft collection in the Eagles Mere Aviation Museum.

As in 2019, airplanes were converging on the tiny grass strip from all directions. Noah and I stayed high to overfly the field, get the lay of the land, and remain out of the fray until we were ready to enter the pattern for runway 21. Over the course of the morning, three parallel lines of parked airplanes formed up along the length of the runway. After the event, an email from Denny indicated that 125 airplanes flew in for lunch that day.

I acquitted myself well with the landing, touching down softly in the first third of the runway. Denny delivered parking instructions over the radio. "Roll to the end, turn right at the blue barrels." 

1947 North American Navion.

A gyrocopter.

A gyrocopter loitered overhead, but I never actually saw it land. I wondered if the pilot was taking aerial pictures of the event and, if so, I wondered where I might find them.

Tom and Alicia arrived in their 1969 PA-28-180 Cherokee 180.

Tom and Alicia arrived a few minutes later in Two Six Romeo.

Tom and Alicia parked farther down the line from us.

Eric brought the WFC's 1975 PA-28-180 Archer I in for a landing.

Next were Eric and Dawn with a teenager who aspires to become a pilot. They arrived in the WFC's Archer I, Eight Five X-Ray.

Gilead in the WFC's 1974 PA-28-151 Bold Warrior. 

At Benton, I encountered my old friend Mark B and, thus engaged in conversation, I missed getting photos of the other airplanes from KSDC that landed. Mark is the current owner of the 1999 American Champion Citabria in which I had my first general aviation airplane flight from Dowagiac, MI (C91) in the fall of 2000 with my mentor Dave. Dave was also Mark's mentor (I have previously referred to us as the "Daveciples") and, when Dave moved up to a Super Decathlon, Mark bought the Citabria and relocated her to New Jersey.

We coerced an innocent bystander into getting a group photo of everyone from KSDC. From left to right are me, the teenager whose name I have already forgotten, Dawn, Eric, Stacey, Ed, Noah, Alicia, Tom, Gilead, Zoe, and Sam.

Hey! I've seen that one before.

Lunch was served in a large hangar with plenty of space to dine under tents. Pilots in command were provided with a free "Fly-In and Pig Out" T-shirt that I have since turned into a wall decoration in my hangar. (Tom's idea, but one I was happy to borrow.) Lunch was excellent. I later learned from Denny that they served 800 lunches in just two hours and actually ran out of food. 

Re-purposed T-shirt on the wall of my hangar.

2024 Benton fly-in T-shirt.

I liked this year's T-shirt design -- you cannot go wrong with a round engine -- so I bought a second shirt. One of my favorite memories of wearing my old 2019 Benton T-shirt was the time I was stopped on the ramp in Winter Haven, FL while wearing it. Kristy and I were preparing to fly Warrior 481 from Winter Haven to Ocala.

"Where is Benton Airport?" I was asked.

"Northeast Pennsylvania," I answered.

Her expression immediately soured. "Oh, that's much too far away." Pitfalls of northerners flying in Florida, I suppose.

Airplane Spotting

With lunch complete, we mingled with other pilots and checked out all of the airplanes that came in for the event. Aircraft models represented nearly 90 years of aviation, from Stearman biplanes designed in the 1930s to recently purchased twenty-first century light sport aircraft. From bush wheeled tail draggers to nose dragger Cessnas and Pipers, many walks of aviation life came together around Benton's grass runway.

1945 Piper J-3 Cub.

2002 Maule.

1955 Cessna 170A.

1955 Cessna 170A.

Clearly not the original paint.

Photo by Alicia.

When we came upon Mark's airplane, I just had to get my picture taken with it.

1999 American Champion Citabria 7GCAA.

1999 American Champion Citabria 7GCAA.

1950 De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.

An example of Canada's iconic bush plane arrived, the mighty De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.

1994 Maule.

2011 RV-8.

2010 RV-6.

2010 RV-6.

2019 BRM Aero Bristell, a Czech-built light sport aircraft.

2010 Aero AT Sp.z.o.o., a Polish-built light sport aircraft.

Pitts Biplane.

Pitts Biplane (with Ed and Stacey watching from the sidelines!)

Pitts Biplane.

Boeing Stearman.

Twinsies: Boeing Stearman. (StearMEN?)

2011 RANS S-19.

1948 Ryan Aeronautical Company Navion.

1974 Piper PA-28-180 Archer I.

Stinson 108.

1977 Piper PA-28-181 Archer II.

A vintage Cessna 172 still equipped with venturi.

1950 Piper PA-18 Super Cub.

2017 Czech Sport Aircraft SportCruiser.

1952 Cessna 180.

1957 Cessna 180.

1970 Champion Aircraft Citabria 7GCBC.

1950 De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.

1950 De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.

1950 De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver.

1948 Cessna 170.

One of these things is not like the others...

A 1992 experimental.

1947 North American Navion.

2021 Rainbow SkyReach.

I met the owner of this Rainbow SkyReach when I visited McVille, PA (6P7) in July of 2023. I also saw this same plane appear at Slatington, PA. The guy seems to get around. Then again, I guess the same could be said of me.

Pitts.

Ed departs in his 1984 Piper PA-28-181 Archer II.

While Noah and I were still wandering the flightline and checking out airplanes, our group began to disperse with Ed and Stacey being the first to rough up Benton's turf.

Eric departs in the WFC's 1975 Piper PA-28-180 Archer I

Eric was not for behind.

Tom departs in his 1969 Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee.

Tom made a picture perfect short field departure in Petrie.

Tom departs in his 1969 Piper PA-28-180 Cherokee.

Mark taxies for departure in his 1999 American Champion Citabria.

It was good to see Mark and Three Three Papa again. We'll have to meet up at Cherry Ridge sometime, though I'll endeavor not to almost break my wrist again if we do.

Gilead departs in the WFC's 1974 Piper PA-28-151 Bold Warrior.

Zoe and Sam depart in their 1974 Cessna 172.

The Ones That Go on Wheels Instead of Wings

Noah and I investigated the antique cars at the event as well, though I confess to being much more interested in the airplanes.

At least the driver of this Dodge Dart had a sense of humor about the dangers of taking your baby to public gatherings.

Homeward Bound

Getting out of Benton was more fraught then arriving. As we climbed away from the pattern, we heard on the radio that someone taxied onto the runway in front of a landing airplane, forcing the other pilot to go around. Aside from that, I saw amazingly little bad behavior considering the sheer number of aircraft that converged on Benton's short turf runway. While the event itself was well-organized, a lot is dependent on arriving pilots exercising good judgement.

Shore of Seneca Lake.

The flight home was every bit as pleasant as the flight south to Benton. Between our flight to Old Rhinebeck Aerodrome in September and Benton's busy BBQ event, I felt like I introduced Noah to some great examples of what recreational general aviation is all about.