Originally published in 1995
Yoakum Municipal Comes Alive!
As little as a year ago Yoakum Municipal Airport appeared to have been abandoned. But that has changed drastically. In the spring of 1995, TxDOT completed an improvement project at the airport. The reconstruction project for Yoakum Municipal included a hot mix overlay of the runway, taxiway, parking apron, and replacement of the runway lighting system. The City of Yoakum has executed an agreement for a fixed based operator for the airport effective July 1, 1995. The FBO will provide aircraft maintenance, aircraft rental, and has moved three aircraft onto the airport with plans to use them for flight training. The FBO will also operate a Unicom radio system. Plans are underway to provide 24-hour aircraft refueling.
It appears that Yoakum has rediscovered a community asset that has been under-utilized for years. A celebration is planned for the near future.
Greater Southwest Fan Fly
Over 150 participants with their remote controlled aircraft will converge upon Majors Field in Greenville, Texas, on September 8, 9, and 10th, for the 13th Annual Greater Southwest Fan Fly. This is the oldest jet rally in existence and is sponsored by the Austin Radio Control Club It is held in different locations throughout the state from year to year.
This is an international event with pilots attending from England, Australia, Mexico, Canada, and South America. Some of the confirmed states that will attend other than Texas are Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, Oregon, California, Colorado, and Oklahoma.
Turbine jets will also be included in the fan fly. These turbine engines are new to the modeling community. During flight they will reach 125,000 PRMs and have an exhaust temperature of 715 degrees at engine and 260 degrees at the tailpipe. The cost of the jets ranges from about $2,000, to a value of over $15,000, with speeds that range from 60 mph to 230 mph.
Trophies will be awarded for Best Military, Best Civilian, Best Flight Performance, and Top Speed. For more information contact Gus Hudson, P. O. Box 222, Sulphur Springs, TX 75483, (903) 885-3611.
Aircraft Assembled At Hondo
The Northrop Grumman Corporation is using a very large hangar facility at the Hondo Municipal Airport as an assembly plant for the new USAF T-3A aircraft. One hundred-fifty Slingsby T-3As will be assembled for the Air Force Pilot Screening Program. Seventy-five of the aircraft will be assigned to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and the remaining aircraft will be assigned to the Hondo Training Facility. These T-3As will replace the T-2s, which have been used for the Air Force Pilot Screening Program for many years. In November of 1995, assembly will be complete, and the City of Hondo will have a 190′ wide x 225′ long x 59′ high hangar available. If you know of an organization interested in a facility of this size, have them contact Scott Wall in Hondo at 210-426-3378.
Last Victory Parade of WWII
On September 2, 1995, Fredericksburg, Texas, boyhood home of Admiral Nimitz, will be the scene of “The Last Victory Parade of WWII.” The massive parade, air show and field day planned for September 2-3, 1995, and called the “V+50” celebration, will be sponsored by the Admiral Nimitz Museum, the only museum in the country dedicated to the history of WWII in the Pacific. For more information regarding “V+50” activities at Gillespie County Airport, call 1-800-580-9218.
