The skies are certain to be abuzz over Iola and Allen County this weekend — at least part of the time — with the annual Powered Parachute Fly-In at Allen County Airport.
Powered parachute enthusiasts from the region began arriving Friday at the airport and will be in town until Sunday.
Windy mid-day weather may preclude much flying, organizer Ron Smail said.
“We may be able to go early in the morning and late in the evening,” he said.
The public is once again invited to visit with the pilots during idle times to talk about their aircraft — go kart-sized vehicles affixed with giant propellers that inflate an attached parachute to provide lift.
Several folks in town bring lawn chairs just to watch.
The pilots no longer offer rides to the public, Smail noted, and haven’t the past few years.
The pilots typically travel at sunrise, occasionally heading to a nearby community for breakfast, before returning to the airport for the day. Evening flights are in the works, too.
Another jaunt is scheduled for early Sunday before the pilots head back home.
“We’ve figured out the simpler we make these fly-ins, the more fun everybody has,” Smail said.
Powered parachutes return
