Gogebic-Iron Airport hosts season's first fly-in

By IAN MINIELLY

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Ironwood TOWNSHIP - Thursday evening brought together a community of folks with a common interest and different zip codes.

The Gogebic-Iron Airport hosted the season's first fly-in. Fly-ins are for pilots to get some time in the air, meet other like minded folk, eat some chow, and even exchange airplane parts on occasion, according to Mike Harma, airport manager.

From June to September, the Flying Hamburger Social moves between airports, but it was originally founded as the Putt Putt Patrol in Wausau, Wis. This year, Ironwood was the first event, only the weather kept the pilots grounded and most drove in.

Harma and Bob Consie grilled burgers and radiated a turkey.

Pilots are encouraged to bring a dish, turning the event into a giant potluck. According to Harma, Lutherans can throw a potluck just as well, if not better, than Baptists.

Consie, asked why he started flying 11 years ago, was cut off by Harma, who said he, "Is too old to walk!"

Chuck Tronvig drove to the fly-in from the Gile Flowage, where he lives, because his plane is down south getting some work done, but he did not want to miss the event and opportunity to have some "hangar talk."

Tronvig said he learned to fly in 1971 after helping a TWA pilot with some remodeling and has been flying the same 1974 Piper Archer 180 he bought in the late 1970s ever since.

Bob and Judy Schmidt drove up from Minocqua because Bob said he cannot pass the physical now. Schmidt said if he would have taken the physical for his license when he was younger, he would be OK, but since he never did until it was too late, he cannot fly alone. It does not keep Schmidt from flying, though. He was in the air Thursday morning and said the wind was good.

Socials happen from Michigan to Minnesota, but the Ironwood airport, according to Harma, is one of the farthest north.

The Flying Social website is wisconsinflying.com.