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What's Happening in Champaign County?

Fly by for pie at the Aiport Cafe

10/15/2022

 
Grimes Field Airport- Airport Cafe
MIndy's Aiport Cafe, located at Grimes Field Airport
Everyone likes a room with a view. At the Airport Café you can enjoy your meal with a spectacular view. Grimes Field Airport is a wonderful asset to our community.

​Many employers need an airport close by which makes Urbana a prime choice for those looking to start a business. 
​
Having a café attached to the airport is not only convenient for those flying in and out, but also a great destination for the locals.  With a large selection of breakfast, lunch and dinner items there is something for everyone to enjoy. And make sure to leave room for a piece of their legendary pies.  Sit back and enjoy an evening out, watching the planes and enjoying a meal. ​
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CAM 10th Annual Fundraising Gala

1/24/2022

 
Headshot of Captain Scott O'Grady
F16 Pilot, Captain Scott O'Grady will be the guest speaker at the 10th annual gala. Photo from CAM Facebook.
Join the Champaign Aviation Museum (CAM) on Saturday, April 30th for their 10th Annual Fundraising Gala! Doors open at 5:30pm and activities of the evening include complimentary drinks and hors d'oeuvres, musical guests Chelsea and Paul Melcher, fly-by (weather permitting), a delicious dinner and dessert, silent auction throughout the evening, and special guest speaker Captain Scott O'Grady.
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Click here for more information and to purchase tickets online. Tickets can also be purchased at the museum.
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For questions or assistance logging into your CAM Member account, call Jessica Henry at (937) 652-4710 or send an email to jessica.henry@champaignaviationmuseum.org.

Airport Has Key Economic Impact

1/14/2022

 
Man standing under wing of plane in front of Grimes Municipal Airport with many people standing in the background
According to the 2014 Ohio Airports Economic Impact Study, general aviation airports like Urbana’s Grimes Field annually contribute more than $1.8 billion to the state’s economy. Andrew Grimm Photography
By Anna Kennedy of Urbana Daily Citizen

Last week, The Alliance for Aviation Across America applauded Governor Mike DeWine for signing a proclamation designating the month of December as “General Aviation Appreciation Month.”

According to the 2014 Ohio Airports Economic Impact Study, general aviation airports annually contribute more than $1.8 billion to the state’s economy.
“This is a good way to recognize the importance of aviation in our community and educate the public about what these general aviation airports do for the communities,” said Elton Cultice, manager of Grimes Field Municipal Airport in Urbana. “Travel, tourism, and businesses are associated with (the airport.) There is economic benefit from the people who work here, the cafe, people at the museums and construction people. The airport is a benefit to the community in every way you can think of.”

Cultice noted one particular area of importance.

“A lot of new pilots are being trained by small, general aviation airports like our flight school here,” he said. “Just about every small airport has a flight school and that is where a lot of the up and coming airline pilots are being trained these days. A lot of people don’t understand what the airports are doing and that is why in a lot of places, airports are getting closed down.”

Selena Shilad, executive director of the Alliance for Aviation Across America, spoke on the importance of small airports like Grimes Field.

“In Ohio, general aviation and our network of airports support the livelihood of businesses, towns, cities, and farms across the state and country,” said Shilad. “We thank Governor DeWine for his leadership in recognizing the importance of general aviation and look forward to working with him and other leaders to support these aircraft and our network of airports.”

Shilad stressed the important impact Grimes Field has on Champaign County.
“While many are aware of the value of commercial aviation, they may not be aware of the value of general aviation and local airports,” said Shilad. “In the Champaign County area, Grimes Field has an economic impact of over $2 million in terms of payroll as well as $9 million in economic impact. They support a lot of critical services and economic activity that people may be unaware of, such as flight training, medical care, patient and organ transport, firefighting and many others.”

Shilad said economic impact for general aviation was affected by the pandemic between 2019 and 2020. However, she said it is starting to return to the pre-pandemic level. For more information on the impact of general aviation in the community, visit www.aviationacrossamerica.org/economic-impact/.

With potential growth in economic impact, Cultice hopes to expand Grimes Field, allowing
for more business traffic access.

“One of the things we want to address is making this a more easily accessible option for businesses,” he said. “We have a lot of businesses around here and a lot of them need to be connected to a local airport where they can come and go.”

Formed in 2007, the Alliance for Aviation Across America is a non-profit, non-partisan coalition of over 7,000 individuals representing businesses, agricultural groups, FBO’s, small airports, elected officials and charitable organizations. They lead business and aviation groups that support the interests of the general aviation community across various public policy issues.

Local Airports to Receive Millions in Federal Funding

12/20/2021

 
Close up of Seth Timmerman standing in front of Springfield Municipal Airport
Seth Timmerman, Manager of the Springfield Airport. Bill Lackey/Springfield News-Sun Staff
crowd gathered in a line in front of Grimes Field Airport
A crowd gathers to watch the "That's All, Brother," C-47 airplane land at Grimes Field in Urbana in April. Bill Lackey/Springfield News-Sun Staff
By Sydney Dawes of Springfield News-Sun

Airports in Clark and Champaign counties are expected to receive more than $6.5 million in federal grants earmarked for construction projects and various upgrades.

The funds are part of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs and National Defense Authorization acts.

Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport will receive more than $6 million that’s geared toward infrastructure and the creation of a base-wide microgrid. Urbana’s Grimes Field Airport will get $795,000 in a federal grant for airport upgrades.
Roughly $295,000 will be awarded to Springfield’s Beckley Municipal Airport and $159,000 to Urbana’s Grimes Field Municipal Airport annually over the next five years through an airport infrastructure grant.

These airport infrastructure grant funds can be used toward projects to improve and replace runways, taxiways, and airport-owned towers. The bill also expands this program to include terminal improvement and multimodal connections to the airport, according to a press release from Sen. Rob Portman’s (R-OH) office.
“Upgrading and modernizing our airports will create tens of thousands of jobs and play a key role in attracting business and growing Ohio’s economy, both in the near term and for many years to come,” said Portman in a statement. “Now that air travel is beginning to ramp up as we work to get through this pandemic, it is the right time to make significant investments in our airports to ensure they will be able to meet the increasing demands of services.”

For large and medium primary hub airports, the grant covers 75% of eligible costs, according to the release. For small primary, reliever, and general aviation airports, the grant covers 90-95% of the costs.

Seth Timmerman, manager of the Springfield-Beckley Airport, said that the infrastructure funding will likely benefit the airport through paving and electrical rehabilitation.

Grimes Field Airport manager Elton Cultice said that the Federal Aviation Administration will release details about how the funds can specifically be spent at the airport in the coming weeks, but he hopes to see runway work and building improvements be made through the funding.

The local grant awards are among the $254 million in airport infrastructure funding awarded to 100 airports across the state.

Springfield-Beckley is also expected to be allotted $4.7 million though national defense funding to create the microgrid, according to a press release from the office of Sen. Sherrod Brown.

Microgrids are local power generators – creating energy likely through solar or wind – that can connect to a main power grid, but also can operate self-sufficiently, said Gerald Brown, who teaches electrical engineering at Cedarville University.

Although microgrids are not common throughout the state, they could be appealing in the instance of a security emergency or a natural disaster, the professor said.

“If the main power grid goes down, everything goes down,” he said. “The appeal of a microgrid is that if you want or need to have power to run a facility or building… with the proper planning, you can run independently of the power grid. They’d be self-sustaining.”

The microgrid project is a part of $58 million of funding dedicated to military construction projects through the National Defense Authorization Act, which now is off to the president’s desk to be signed into law.

Timmerman said that more information about the microgrid project will be released in the coming months after airport leaders complete other development projects currently underway at the airpark.

Holiday in the Hangar

12/16/2021

 
Mr. and Mrs. Clause smile while sitting in front of a plane next to a christmas tree
Spend your afternoon at the Champaign Aviation Museum for "Holiday in the Hangar" this Saturday, December 18th from 1pm-3pm.
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Enjoy a festive afternoon at the Aviation Museum with hot chocolate, cookies, and crafts for kids. There will also be a special visit from Mr. and Mrs. Clause!

The Champaign Aviation Museum is located at
1652 North Main Street, Urbana.

Aviation Lecture To Be Held Oct. 21

10/19/2021

 
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Pictured is a PB4Y-2 Navy bomber in this vintage photo. Submitted photo.
From Urbana Daily Citizen

Dan Walter will present a program at the Champaign Air Museum, Urbana, on Thursday Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. titled “Privateers of the U. S. Navy.”
​
Walter will relate the development and actions of the heaviest navy bombers of WWII, the PB4Y-2 Privateers, throughout the Pacific Theater. Included will be a brief history of the first Privateers, the ships and crews who fought in the Revolutionary, 1812, and Civil Wars. His presentation will contain personal stories and photos relayed to him by one Privateer pilot, his father, Lt. jg Joe Walter, who was awarded the DFC and three Air Medals. In addition, 42-year navy veteran, Edwin Corwin, will be on hand to share his experiences flying in PB4Y-2s and later P-3 Orions during the Cuban Missile crisis.

Third Annual Champaign County Balloon Fest

8/27/2021

 
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A Hot Air affair will be held on September 10th and 11th from 4pm to 9pm each day at the Historic Grimes Field, 1636 N. Main Street, Urbana. This will be fun for all ages and included will be children's games and activities, music, food trucks, and assorted vendors!
View the The Grimes Flying Lab
Built in 1952 by Grimes Manufacturing and used by engineers to test and evaluate aircraft exterior lighting systems during flight. This is a must see!

In addition to food trucks, the Airport Cafe will be open serving a full menu and the famous "Airport Pie"! The balloons will launch at 6:00 pm followed by a pizza or wings eating contest. On Saturday, September 11th at 5:30 pm, a memorial recognition of the 9/11 tragic events will be held.  Closing the evening will be the balloon glow at approximately 8:00 - 8:30 pm; an awesome display of light and color! Bring your lawn chair and enjoy an evening of family fun.

All balloon activities are subject to wind conditions at the time of launch and glow.

UYC Students Take Flight

8/20/2021

 

Mad River Air Assists

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UYC students take flight at Grimes Field. A Cessna 172 was the plane used for rides. Submitted photo
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From left to right are Carmine Lantz, Levi LaForge. Submitted photo
From Urbana Daily Citizen

About 20 student members at the Urbana Youth Center recently had the opportunity to experience the aviation industry at Urbana Grimes Municipal Airport thanks to a contribution from the local flight school, Mad River Air.

Justin Weller, Executive Director at the youth center, learned to fly at the airport and was the pilot who took students for rides in the flight school’s plane.

“Mad River Air generously donated the use of their plane so that we could give students the opportunity to experience aviation in their local community. Many of these students have never been in a plane before,” Weller said.

In addition to the ride, students learned about pre-flight checklists, the aerodynamics of flight and about potential careers in aviation. According to the UYC team, developing programs that provide unique, fun and educational experiences to students is key.
“Perhaps the most common comment from students was how small everything seemed from the air. I know it gave them an appreciation for just how big the world is and that’s essential to developing an appreciation for the town they live in,” Weller said.

Aviation is woven into the history of Ohio and Champaign County. The youth center plans to offer more plane ride and aviation opportunities this fall as part of its program lineup.

Levi LaForge, one of the students at UYC who participated in the rides, said, “Being honest, it (the UYC) is one of the best places for youth to have opportunities. The free plane rides especially are one of the many examples of why I love coming here.”

About Urbana Youth Center

UYC believes that the future of our children impacts our community’s opportunities and success for decades to come. With open hearts and open minds, this community can rally our resources to not only lift kids up but set them on a trajectory for accomplishing amazing things. The youth center serves students in grades six through twelve who attend Urbana City Schools or live in the district.

WWII Veterans from Springfield Take Special Flight at Urbana’s Grimes Field

8/16/2021

 
World War II veteran, Ed Fisher smiling in a restored Boeing Stearman biplane
World War II veteran Ed Fisher, who recently turned 100 years-old, smiles after taking a Dream Flight in a restored Boeing Stearman biplane at Grimes Field in Urbana. Ed was a NAVY pilot and actually trained in a Stearman biplane. BILL LACKEY/STAFF
From Springfield News-Sun

Several World War II veterans were paid a high honor for their service on Wednesday. Make that a sky-high honor.

Ten men ranging from 95 to 101 years old, including several residents of Springfield Masonic Community, were given special dream flights at Grimes Field in Urbana in a restored open-cockpit Boeing Stearman biplane.
The event was sponsored by Dream Flights, an organization dedicated to honoring military veterans and seniors with no-cost flights. This was part of Operation September, a program to give back to senior veterans.

It’s almost as beneficial for the Dream Flights employees as for their clients.

“It spins the clock backwards and reconnects them with their youth,” said Marcus Smith, a Dream Flight pilot and crew chief. “It’s such a rewarding thing to be able to do. They love it and gives them some excitement in their lives they’ve been missing.”

Families and friends were invited for the big day.
Eddie Fisher celebrated his 100th birthday in July and actually trained in this type of plane when he was a pilot for the U.S. Navy during the war. When he found out he’d be taking this trip, he joked to son Paul Fisher that he’d made captain.

Although Eddie Fisher was often up before 6 a.m. for years, he wasn’t that enthused to be called away from his rest the morning of the flight. Paul Fisher understood and noted his dad’s sense of humor kicked in when on the plane.

“After a hundred years, he probably deserves it,” Paul Fisher said. “They said the first words out of his mouth when they got him in his seat was ‘contact.’ ”
World Word II veteran Ed Fisher showing Darryl Fisher a picture of himself when he was a pilot in the NAVY
World War II veteran Ed Fisher, who recently turned 100 years-old, shows Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation pilot Darryl Fisher a picture of himself when he was a pilot in the NAVY Wednesday following his dream flight in a restored Boeing Stearman biplane at Grimes Field in Urbana. Ed's son, Paul, is at his side. BILL LACKEY/STAFF
World War II veteran, Albert Carr giving a thumbs up while sitting in a restored Stearman biplane
World War II veteran Albert Carr, 96, gives a thumbs up before taking off in a restored Stearman biplane for a Dream Flight Wednesday at Grimes Field in Urbana. BILL LACKEY/STAFF
Army veteran Albert Carr’s service began in 1943 and discharged in fall of 1945, seeing action as part of the second wave of the D-Day invasion of Normandy and was wounded twice in France, earning the Purple Heart along with a Combat Infantry Badge and Presidential Citation Medal.

Wednesday’s experience was the second time he’d done this flight and even more rewarding.

“This was great, even better than the one before. I enjoyed it thoroughly,” he said.

Historical Society Announces Lecture Dates

7/5/2021

 
Warren Grimes in 1960
Warren Grimes, circa 1960. Submitted Photo.
Dean Wilson in 1950 on a tractor
Dean Wilson is shown in this vintage photo preparing for the plowing contest in 1950 after having won the competition the previous two years. Submitted Photo.
Submitted story from Urbana Daily Citizen

The Champaign County Historical Society will present two educational lectures this summer about local history. The programs are free.

Nancy Patzer: A Light In The Sky

At the Urbana Aviation Museum on Sunday, July 25 at 2 p.m., Nancy Patzer will present a program on Warren Grimes, a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

Grimes, the inventor of the familiar red, green and white navigation lights still found on the wing tips and tails of modern aircraft, made his home in Urbana, Ohio and created an internationally-known company, Grimes Manufacturing. As businessman and community leader, Grimes provided jobs for thousands of local workers and built the Grimes Field airport on the north side of town.

From his humble beginnings in an orphanage near Dayton, and as a day worker at Ford Motor Company, Grimes had the grit and ambition, not to mention ingenuity, to live the American Dream. Grimes served as mayor of Urbana and chairman of the State of Ohio Aviation Board. This “Father of the Aircraft Lighting Industry” built airplane lighting that helped the U.S. and Allied Forces win World War II.
Grimes Manufacturing is now part of Honeywell International’s Aerospace Division. Mr. Grimes passed away in 1975. In an effort to celebrate Grimes and his legacy, Mike Major, visual artist and sculptor, published a book on Grimes at Main Graphics, his design shop in downtown Urbana. With the help of writer Nancy Patzer, who grew up in Urbana and has written historical non-fiction throughout her writing career, the book is called “A Light in the Sky: A Biography of Warren G. Grimes and the History of Aviation Lighting.”

Patzer, a 1983 graduate of Urbana High School, currently resides in Columbus, Ohio. She has written a number of articles on Ohio history. She owns a marketing communications company, providing consulting services to the residential housing and healthcare industries. Patzer also dabbles in fiction and has twice received the Thurber Treat Award for Humorous Fiction by the Thurber House Literary Center.

1950 National Plowing Contest

On Sunday, Aug. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Champaign County Historical Museum at 809 East Lawn Avenue, there will be a program on the 1950 National Plowing Contest that was held in Champaign County. There will be several presenters talking about their memories of this event. The presenters will include: Howard Brust discussing the history of this event, members of the Dean Wilson family relating how the publicity from their father’s success affected their family, Sue Evans Berkemeier covering the conservation project connected with the event, and finally, Sarah Finch will introduce Shirley “Payne” Prosser who was crowned the Queen of the Furrow of Champaign County in 1950.

Information from Champaign County Historical Society.
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