Every Saturday, rain or shine, summer or winter since 1992, Sporty’s local and transient customers gather for free hot dogs at noon. The only change is whether the hot dogs are served inside or outside.
A few days before EAA AirVenture 2012 began, Sporty’s served its 200,000 hot dog to Ian Seager, publisher of the British aviation magazine Flyer. Seager had flown his Cessna 182 across the Atlantic and made a stop at Clermont County/Sporty’s Airport (I69) on his way to AirVenture in Oshkosh.
“To put this in aviation terms, if all the hot dogs Sporty’s served were laid end to end on our runway, we’d have 28 rows of hot dogs up and down 4/22,” says Michael Wolf, Sporty’s President and CEO.
Phil Boyer, former AOPA President and airport resident, ate the 150,000 hot dog five years ago. “We’ll have to plan something special for hot dog #250,000 – that will be a quarter million tube steaks all enjoyed by our customers and friends,” says Wolf.
Now in its 51st year, Sporty‘s has grown from a one-man operation launched by Hal Shevers to the world’s largest pilot shop and an iconic general aviation brand. Sporty’s operations extend to airport management, avionics installation and repair, aircraft maintenance, a residential airport community, new aircraft sales and flight training, including for the University of Cincinnati’s professional pilot program. Located at Clermont County/Sporty’s Airport (I69), Sporty’s is philanthropically dedicated to expanding the general aviation community with both pilots and skilled technicians.
