| ISSUE 757 - August 9, 2022 • Over 9,000 Total Ads Listed • 1,000+ NEW Ads Per Week |
| Breakfast at Smith's Falls Fly-in - Part 2 |
| Kevin Moore, Contributing Writer & Photographer |
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Last week we visited the Smith's Falls Flying Club's annual breakfast fly-in for a look at the airport and the aeroplanes that made the trip to the Russ Beach Airport. This week we return to the airport for more airport history and information and a look at more of the aircraft that made the trip for a hearty breakfast.
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| A bigger but younger cousin to the first aircraft that flew into the newly formed Smith's Falls Airport in 1959, which was a J3 Piper Cub, the PA-12 Piper Super Cruiser adorned with an assortment of small green maple leaves flew in for breakfast. |
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| Another cousin of the J3 is the Piper Tri-Pacer, left, a rugged tricycle gear aircraft and its brother, the Piper Colt, right, another tricycle gear aircraft. |
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In the late 1950s, a small group of 5 local men had a dream of building an airport. In 1959 a small, bright yellow Piper J3 Cub, piloted by Bert McIntyre, landed the first aeroplane on the newly made runway. From there, the airport began its humble beginnings with the L & B Flying Club with less than 10 members.
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| Cessna 172, left, departing after a good breakfast. The low wing and speedy Van's RV-6A. right, heads home, right. |
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In 1962 the Smith's Falls Flying Club was formed, replacing the original L & B Flying Club and, in 1962, the Smith's Falls Airport hosted its first airshow followed in 1963 with their first fly-in breakfast. From those early days, the airport expanded and in 1971 a new flying school started followed by the official naming of the airport in 1972, known then as Smith's Falls and District Airport.
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| Cessna aircraft were well represented including a 150, left, and the only US registered aircraft to attend the fly-in, right, arriving later in the morning for breakfast. |
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By 1978, the now Smith's Falls Montague Airport, was recognized as the official airport for Lanark County. Later that year ownership of the airport was turned over to the Town of Smith's Falls and the Township of Montague. They then formed an airport commission who designated the airport operations to the Smith's Falls Flying Club and its members. This process offered an opportunity for the airport to apply for, and receive, a government grant to improve and extend the existing runway.
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| Van's RV-6 and RV-8, both with sharp looking paint schemes, head home. |
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A gentleman by the name of Russ Beach ran his business in Smith's Falls, Beach Industries, making steel tool boxes for the air force and army, postal letter boxes and post office lock boxes. Beach also built a hangar at the airport and paid for and installed the first paved runway at the airport. Upon his death, the Beach hangar was donated to the Smith's Falls Flying Club through the estate of Russ Beach.
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| Piper also make low wing, 4-place PA-28 aircraft, which were well represented at the fly-in. |
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The airport today has 53 hangars and 60 - 80 aircraft on the field. There is an AME, and avionics specialist and a group known as Classic Wings who fly vintage jet & piston engine aircraft. Occasionally, business aircraft fly in with executives visiting their operations or to do business with other local companies. With a runway long enough and suitable for a wide variety of aircraft, the airport is a useful tool for many different types of aviation. There are no landing, ramp or tie-down fees associated with the airport.
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| A beautiful Mooney made the trip in for breakfast, left, followed shortly thereafter by the big Cessna 170, right. |
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If you're looking for a great airport to fly into in order to tour the area, come for a business venture or idea, stop for fuel, hangar your aeroplane or just come and have a look, Smith's Falls, Russ Beach Airport won't disappoint. If you want a hearty, delicious breakfast next spring, make the flight or drive to the airport and come meet the members and volunteers who make the airport the success it is and who will provide you with a tasty meal. Either way, you'll enjoy the beautiful country that is Lanark County, spring, summer, autumn and winter!
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| Ultralight Technam Echo, left, climbs away after a very short take off roll. After a quick breakfast, this Cessna 170, right, departs for its next stop. |
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| Another unusual aircraft that visited, this Bede B 4 departs, left. Cessna Cardinal departing the airport, right. |
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| Known more in its tricycle configuration, this Cessna 150, left, has been converted to a taildragger. |
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| This beautiful Super Stinson Voyager 108 departed during late morning. |
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CLASSIC WINGS: classicwings.ca (also search on Facebook & join their group page)
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| One of the last to leave was this lovely RV-8, heading home on a beautiful late, spring morning after breakfast. |
| By Kevin Moore, Contributing Writer & Photographer
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