When Aneda Ebert submitted a Picture of the Day featuring her husband and his airplane, something told me there was more to the story.
I was right.
The photo depicts Aneda’s husband of 50 years, Larry Ebert, taking off in his 1946 Aeronca Champ from the new grass runway on his farm in Ashton, Illinois.
“I was standing on the back deck of the house as he took off over the cupola to check on the crops and field conditions,” she reports.
That photo captures the achievement of a dream Larry has had since he became a pilot: Having his own grass runway on his family farm.
Larry, who earned his pilot certificate in 1980, has owned the Champ since 2017.
It was first based at Dixon Municipal Airport-Charles R. Walgreen Field (C73) in Dixon, Illinois, then Larry moved it to Ogle County Airport (C55) in Mt. Morris to give him some experience landing on grass runways.
Larry had great experiences with the people at both C73 and C55, according to Aneda.
“But having a plane at home has been his dream for decades,” she says. “And it does make it far easier to hop in it when the day is just too beautiful to resist.”
“He has a pretty red hangar a few steps from his farm shop and right out the back door,” she adds.
Achieving the dream of having his own runway on the farm, which has been in the Ebert family for 63 years, took some doing, Aneda acknowledges.
“Creating the runway was quite a process and it took a couple of years to get through the red tape,” she says. “Larry worked with the Illinois Department of Transportation and Zoning. A lot of time was spent on seeding and runway care.”
It was all worth it to create Ebert Field.
“Nothing brings a smile to his face like a trip around the hood checking crops and conditions,” she adds. “Neighbors will ask him what their back 80 looks like and he’ll send them a picture. I enjoy riding with him and taking aerial pictures. It’s just a great way to have fun!”
Aviation runs deep in the Ebert family. The couple’s two children, Sean, 46, and Julie, 44, are also pilots.
Besides the Champ, Larry has also been a part owner of a Piper Archer III for the past 35 years.
“It works great to transport grandkids who are 4-1/2 hours away by car,” Aneda says.
The couple allows other pilots to land on the new grass runway.
“That’s really fun,” she says. “We are supposed to be getting an identifier, but we don’t have one yet.”
What a remarkable story. Thank you for sharing it. My father learned to fly so he could fly us around the world for vacations. I have great memories because of that. He bought a ranch in Chico, California, and took his kids and grandkids there. He would land his airplane on a grass field like yours. We have beautiful memories there.
What a wonderful history? It makes my heart vibrate! Flying single engine is a really nice experience!
I learned to fly and did my 1st solo In a aronica. After a lapse of time many years I went back and flew another aronica and learn how to do wheel landings with. It’s a very very basic plane and it has a place in my heart Period Ultimately I bought a cessna150 I sold it many years ago but I just flying I’m out of medical at this point and I’m 75
I soloed in a 1947 Aeronca 7ac in 1958. I saw this story,and all the memories kicked in.
The 65 horse Continental still made me feel like a P 51 pilot Keep safe and enjoy.
Lou Kugell. CONNECTJCUT
Awesome!
Would make a great Drop Zone for o couple of old school Skydivers.
Nice story, n it brought back some memories. My first airplane ride was in a Cub owned by a family friend named Leo Ebert. I was 7.or 8. Always wanted to fly after that. I flew over that field the other evening in my Kitfox 4 that I fly from my own strip. There is a house in the middle of Leo’s strip now, and he is long gone as well. Fly while you can, and enjoy it.
Hi Janice,
Great story, aviation, grass runway, good wife = Happy Pilot!
Keep up your great work.
J.W.”Corkey” Fornof
Thanks!
Congratulations and what a nice airport. !! I hope you will open it ti visitors….
Congrats Larry! Always been my dream as well to have my own grass strip and hanger back in my hometown area in upstate NY’ Adirondack Mtns. Retired LTC Army curently living in central FL. Summers are too hot here, terrain too boring flat, and as the monthly rent for a T-hanger too high. But God is good. I have a Challenger II LW (Long Wing) home built. Thanks for sharing.
Bruce Viele
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