A fun and friendly grassroots fly-in

The Grassroots Fly-In is one of those relaxing and fun fly-ins that need only be experienced once to understand why it’s such a longstanding favorite with general aviation pilots.

Established in 1946, Brodhead Airport (C37) in Wisconsin has three well-maintained grass runways and is truly, as EAA Chapter 431’s welcome sign states, “A Home for Grassroots Aviation.”

These manicured grounds are where the Midwest Antique Airplane Club’s (MAAC) private, members-only Grassroots Fly-In is held annually the weekend after Labor Day. MAAC, which boasts more than 800 members around the world, promotes “all aspects of preservation, restoration, and the flying of antique and classic aircraft.”

“Grassroots is really a family, fun atmosphere where people not only fly their antique and classic airplanes in, but they fly them throughout the fly-in,” said MAAC President Justin Niemyjski. “It’s where guys share rides and let their friends fly their airplanes. You don’t find that happening very often.”

The 2022 fly-in was the first time the event started on Thursday, and there was a stunning variety of airplanes in attendance throughout the weekend. Nearly two dozen Cessna 195 pilots decided to fly up for a day trip from their annual convention in Joliet, Illinois. They swarmed the field on Thursday and filled two long rows on the flight line.

Onsite meals were served during the fly-in at EAA Chapter 431’s hangar, with overflow seating at a pavilion filled with colorful picnic tables.

In the cool of the evenings, after the last landing of the day when the golden glow dissipates from the west and the moon starts rising high in the sky, attendees gather on benches around a neatly-arranged fire pit to stay warm — although it’s difficult to know whether it was the camaraderie or the crackling fire that warmed these aviators the most.

Kelch Aviation Museum

During the fly-in, a Fly Market was held, with neatly arranged tables chock full of airplane and engine parts, along with aviation memorabilia. All proceeds benefited the Alfred & Lois Kelch Aviation Museum, which is on the airport. Additionally, an anonymous sponsor matched each dollar paid or donated during the fly-in.

The museum, which opened a new facility in 2021, is brimming with beautifully-displayed aeronautical artifacts from the Golden Age of Aviation. The Bill & Sue Knight Memorial Vintage Aircraft & Auto Hangar showcases more than 20 airworthy antique airplanes and five drivable antique automobiles in its 12,000- square-foot hangar. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged.

The museum is still growing. A rendering of the museum’s Phase III — the Dick & Bobbie Wagner Welcome Atrium — was on display during the fly-in.

Let’s Fly!

Some of the more unusual airplanes flying over the field during the fly-in included an Aeronca LB Low-Wing, Heath Parasol, the Poplar Grove scratch-built Jenny, Pietenpol, Breezy, Aeronca C-3, and a Cygnet.

A 1928 Laird LC-B-200, steeped in history and currently owned by Vaughn Lovley of Webster, Minnesota, was flying as well. Powered by a 220-hp Wright J-5, NC6906 was airplane designer E. M. “Matty” Laird’s personal plane.

Matty and his bride, Elsie, flew it on their honeymoon. Vaughn’s father, Forrest, and fellow members of Marginal Aviation in Minnesota completed its restoration for then-owner Ken Love in 1982. Matty and Elsie got a ride in it to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary that year.

Ed Lachendro gave countless rides in a 1942 Fairchild PT-19 owned by Dan Wegmueller and a Marquart Charger, and Justin Niemyjski shared rides galore in his 1930 Waco CSO and 1943 Beech Staggerwing.

Les Gaskill flew his 1938 Piper J-2 Cub from Ottumwa, Iowa, to Brodhead, and happily shared the “flying with 40 horses, sans airspeed indicator and brakes” experience with a handful of pilots who jumped at the opportunity to solo the J-2.

It was a treat to take a quiet, meandering stroll through the grassy fields and an enjoyable challenge to keep track of all the airplanes. In addition to numerous models of Wacos, Cessnas, Luscombes, and Pipers, there was an Avro Avian, Bücker, Fleet, Brunner-Winkle Bird, Chipmunk, Beech 3N, Porterfield, Howard DGA-15P, Swift, Stinson L-5, Tiger Moth, CallAir A-2, Grumman Goose, Ryan Navion, Culver Cadet, Wag-a-bond, Rose Parrakeet, and Hatz … and the list goes on, for there were at least 210 airplanes at the fly-in.

Bückers in Brigadoon

There were eight Bückers on the field this year, which was a notable turnout. They flew in from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Wisconsin, California, and Montana.

“The Bücker is one of those airplanes that once you have it and fly it, you never want to get rid of it,” said Greg Stringer of Egg Harbor Township in New Jersey, who owns N1131J, a 1954 Bücker Jungmann C.A.S.A. 1.131. This is the first time he had visited Brodhead.

“It is fantastic,” he said. “This field is great and the diversity of the airplanes is unbelievable. We’ll definitely be back!”

It was also the first time at Grassroots for Ed Campbell of Hookstown, Pennsylvania, who owns NX4270, his 1959 Bücker Jungmann C.A.S.A. 1.131.

“I think this is my favorite fly-in of all time, because it’s exactly what I like,” smiled Ed. “It’s very low key and you get to do some flying, meet nice people, and eat good food.”

Ed bought his Bücker as a truckload of parts years ago.

“It flew in 2017 for the first time in 25 years, and this airplane is very special to me because my son, Kyle, and I restored it together. He was 9 when we started, and 17 when we finished. Kyle did almost all the fabric work and when he was 15, he painted the whole airplane. It won the 2017 EAA AirVenture Grand Champion Customized Gold Lindy, and he’s an airline pilot now. It was a wonderful thing we did together.”

At the other end of the spectrum is Alan Abell, who joined MAAC in the early 1980s and is a longtime attendee at Grassroots. His home field is Hinckley Airport (0C2) in Illinois, and he likes Brodhead, he said, “because this is the most laid back, friendly fly-in that I know of. It’s a general enthusiast fly-in. You can fly anything here, from the most exotic rare and one-off antique airplanes to a contemporary airplane and you’ll enjoy it. The beauty of this fly-in is that it’s not commercial.”

Through the years, Alan has seen a number of unique airplanes gracing the fields and the sky at Brodhead.

“There was a Bleriot and a one-off Dougherty, and the late Denny Trone had a collection of wonderful rare antique airplanes here that all flew,” reminisced Alan.

“This is a gathering of friends who have one thing in common, which happens to be flying. I keep seeing all these people that I know only through this place and — I realize this is kind of a sappy comparison — but it’s like Brigadoon. It doesn’t exist, and then suddenly it does for a short time, and then it doesn’t anymore … and that’s even better, because it makes it very sublime, and it lives on in your mind.”

More Photos From The Fly-In