Marion airport hosts annual Fly-in, Drive-in Breakfast Sunday

MARION - A day of food, flying and fun awaits those who attend the 32nd annual Fly-in, Drive-in Breakfast in Marion.

The event takes place from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday at the Marion Municipal Airport, 1710 Marion Airport Rd.

The Marion East Rotary Club hosts the breakfast, which features pancakes, sausages, eggs and beverages. Cost is $8 for adults and $5 for children age 12 and younger.

All kinds of activities are planned during the event, including sky diving demonstrations by Skydive Iowa, an inflatable obstacle course for kids, classic cars on display and a variety of airplanes, some offering rides for $15.

'We'll have our airplanes from P&N Flight and Charter offering rides,” said Sarah Hammonds, flight school manager for the Marion company, which is based at the airport. 'Where the winds are at will determine if we take off to the north or to the south. We'll fly over Highway 13 by Gardner Golf Course and we'll continue west.

'Basically, it's a tour a Marion. We're going to fly over the city,” she said, adding the rides will last 10 to 15 minutes.

Tickets are on a first-come first-served basis and sales stop at 11:30 a.m.

Also on tap are pedal planes for kids, hot air balloons, displays hosted by Marion police and fire officials; ultralights, home built and antique aircraft; helicopters and farmers market vendors.

Hammonds said she expects pilots to fly in from other airports in Iowa and beyond.

'We are expecting two to three dozen airplanes, maybe more. It all depends on the weather.”

The breakfast and activities occur rain or shine, but the weather will dictate who flies in and whether flights will be offered to the public.

Hammonds said officials are expecting 2,500 to attend.

She encourages those who do come out to take a look around the airport while they are there.

'There are no formal tours, but the airport is open and we encourage people to come out and take a look at their airport,” she said. 'We'll have employees and volunteers so people can always ask us questions.”