Desert Aire Airport's all-you-can-eat breakfast on Saturday

DESERT AIRE - The 18th annual Desert Aire Airport Fly-in, a breakfast to please a hungry man, will be held this Saturday, June 18, from 7-11 a.m.

This is an all-you-can-eat breakfast of pancakes, sausage and eggs. A donation of $5 is asked. The proceeds go toward improvements at the all-volunteer airport.

The fund-raising breakfast was started in 1994 and is the airport's largest fund-raising event. More than 350 participated last year.

Visitors to the breakfast will have the added treat of watching 40 or so airplanes land and take off during the breakfast. Most of the pilots drop in to eat.

"They come from all over the Northwest," said airport board member Cliff Naser. "They're just looking for a place to land and become part of the show."

Two years ago, the fly-ins included an Army Reserve Chinook Helicopter. Last year featured the Pilatus Air Ambulance.

The breakfast will take place at the "big" hangar near the Sagebrush Senior Center. There will be a display of classic cars and trucks nearby.

The Desert Aire Airport is administered by Grant County Airport District No. 1. There is a three-person volunteer board, and all work is done by volunteers. It receives no property tax revenue.

The airport has a paved main runway that is 36 feet wide by 3,665 feet long. It has two fairly new parallel taxiways.