Impromptu fly-in

It wasn’t quite the big event that the late Frank Klenawicus used to host every summer at his private airfield years ago but eight pilots from three East End airports flew in to the now preserved and town-owned Klenawicus airfield on Friday, November 11 for an impromptu visit. They hired a cab, had a pizza lunch and headed home. Jim Pugh, president of the local pilot’s association that manages the field for the town, said this week he’d been unaware of their visit.

The planes and pilots came from Gabreski Airport in Westhampton, Spadaro field in Moriches and Bayport Aerodrome, according to one of the visitors, Ed Katzen of Westhampton. “Eight planes formed up over Riverhead,” he said. “We had called ahead for a taxi. The driver was a little taken back by the size of the load but we all squeezed in his minivan. Pizza lunch in town was very good. I think they were happy for the business now that the season is over. No local pilots, but an Aeronca formerly based there was flown in by its present owner.”

Permission is required for non-member pilots to use the airfield but with no one on the scene to tell them so, the gaggle of pilots, experienced in grass strip operations, came and went without a hitch.