The old-fashioned aviation salute is held as a fundraiser for local foundation

By Kana Oliver

Special to the Wallowa County Chieftain

Aviation fans can time travel back to the heyday of the ‘30s barnstorming tours as a whirlwind of vintage planes descend on the Joseph Airport.

Forty-five vintage aircraft from the Puget Sound Antique Airplane Club are expected to land July 10 for a full day of aviation shows capped by a tri-tip and shrimp dinner to benefit Wallowa County-based North East Oregon Aviation Foundation, particularly the aviation scholarship program.

This is the first time the 120-member club has come to Joseph.

The community is invited to join the event, and a few lucky folks will be able to go up in a vintage biplane and experience history first-hand.

Airplanes scheduled to participate include a Boeing Stearman, which were widely used during WW II to train pilots. Since then, they have been repurposed into agricultural or personal aircraft. They have become part of the bridge linking older aircraft to our modern world.

The oldest airplane displayed on the tour will be a 1930 Stinson SM8A powered by a Lycoming R-680 225HP.

Each pilot and plane has its own story.

“Pilots attending come from all walks of life and will include airline pilots, machinists, mechanics, builders, flight instructors and Boeing employees,” said Marlo Jones, co-chair of the Puyallup, Wash.-based club.

“All have a passion for flying machines, and events such as this allow for sharing this passion with people and communities around the Northwest.”

Jones flies a 1947 PA-11 Piper Cub Special.

Local flavor will be added to the event as Joseph Charter School will be providing its flight simulator for a hands-on experience. Students will guide visitors through the process of flying and show off what they have learned in the one-year-old Joseph Charter Aviation Class.

Towards the end of the event, the evening meal will provide visitors with a great meal and an opportunity to donate to the foundation’s work, including funding the aviation promotion organization and $2,000 aviation scholarship. This year, the scholarship was given to Clayne Miller from Enterprise High School.

“The PSAAC tour combines the excitement and innovation of aviation from the past with the possibilities and opportunities for our youth in the future,” said foundation President Tim Locke.

“Much like the young innovators who developed aviation in the past, there is a bright future for anyone interested in the exciting field of aeronautics and aviation going forward.”

Tickets for the tri-tip and shrimp dinner are available by contacting Tim Locke at 541-263-0470 or Kana Oliver at kana.oliver@students.josephcharter.org.

Tickets are also available at Joseph Hardware in Joseph, Ace Hardware in Enterprise and M. Crow in Lostine.

Adult tickets are $25 (which includes beer), youth tickets cost $15, and children younger than eight are admitted free.

Raffle tickets for a biplane ride sell for 1 for $5 or 3 for $10.