Pilots brought their biplanes to Junction City for the National Biplane Fly-in Saturday.

The Freeman Field tarmac was a busy place as the public took in the planes, visited with the pilots, and enjoyed the vendors who were selling food and airplane related items on site.

Coordinator Marvin Hornbostel said the turnout was good. “People coming in to look at them is really outstanding I think.”

One pilot, Steve Gross, Larned, brought his Boeing-Stearman which dated back to 1941 when it was used as a trainer plane in World War II. “This one is a little special. This one has a 450-horse ( power ) engine on it. Most of them of this nature are 220 horse. ” He cited the extra horsepower as the advantage for this plane. The gusty winds made it a bit difficult for pilots as they flew over Junction City on Saturday. ” We give quite a few rides normally here, but it’s just awful rough. The average person wouldn’t like that very much. ”

Steve Gross credited the organizers for their efforts in putting on the Fly-in. “The man that instruments this, Jim Clark, does a fantastic job. Him and his wife and all his crew put on an air show here for everyone, not just the pilots, but for all the people that attend. They do a wonderful job.”

Hornbostel noted there was some concern during the overnight – early mornings when rain with gusty winds moved through the area. “We were a little bit about that…that wind coming up. You know birds are pretty hefty and they’re tied down.” He added everything worked out well.

The Geary County Historical Society sponsored a Chris Cakes pancake feed and Ala Carte lunch at the airport for those who were in attendance. Historical Society Director Katie Goerl explained they had a good turnout. “Yeah, I think things have gone really really well. When I walked up there was a line out of the hangar for the pancakes and they were flipping them right onto people’s plates, and it looked fun to me.”