EAA Chapter 804 Encourages Aviation

Next week, O'Neill will celebrate Summerfest by adding an air show sponsored by EAA Chapter 804 of O'Neill.  The chapter is not new to the community but is fulfilling part of its purpose, which is to encourage an interest in aviation and the opportunities that aviation provides.

"My love for aviation began in my childhood," shared Neil  Shunkwiler, the Airport manager of O'Neill. "Despite not having a plane of my own, I found my passion at the local airport, where I befriended pilots and mechanics, igniting my interest in aviation."

"I took an interest in everything aviation, and with hard work, I eventually decided that I would like to be an aviation mechanic. In this position, I would help pilots maintain their planes, repair them, and keep the aircraft flying."

"Airports aren't just rich people with planes. There is so much more. The O'Neill airport serves local recreational pilots and is also a commerce source. We have aerial applicators based out of O'Neill that fly over and apply chemicals to local crops, as well as delivery services such as UPS that flies in and out of O'Neill daily and provides the area with next-day service of packages to and from the area. Our fuel supply is also essential to helicopters as well as fixed-wing medical aircraft that fly in, which may need to refuel here to deliver a critical patient to a far-off medical facility. Investors and large corporations with land or business interests don't drive to O'Neill. They fly in, and we can accommodate their larger aircraft with our longer runways."

"I really hope that we can spark interest in local aviation when people come to the air show next week. We will have so many aircraft and many different types as well that will be on display as well as the great people that show to events such as this," said Shunkwiler.

The O'Neill EAA Chapter is sponsoring the P-51 Mustant coming to O'Neill and will be having a raffle to ride in the aircraft.

The P-51 mustang at the airport will be the P-51C Mustang Tuskegee Airmen, tail number N61429, which saw service stateside as a trainer in 1945, then declared surplus after the war ended. It was displayed at Montana State College (now Montana State University) for 40 years before being donated for restoration. The CAF took possession of the aircraft in the late 1980s, and was initially restored to flying condition in 2001.

You may contact Neil Shunkwiler at the airport to purchase a raffle ticket at 402-336-6582.

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