Local airport hosts 34th Annual Fly-In Cruise-In in Marion

Last Saturday, the Marion Municipal Airport hosted the 34th annual Fly-in Cruise-in.

 Each year, different antique vehicles like planes, cars, tractors and more are displayed for visitors and Marion residents to see.

Ray Johnson, the founder of the event, said he did not expect the event to take off.

“It all started in 1991, and we had an idea,” Johnson said. “We did not dream that here, 34 years later, that we would still be doing it.”

Johnson said the event originally started as a fundraiser for the Marion High School band. This year, the Grant County Rescue Mission fundraised the event through their all you can eat pancake breakfast.

Brad Terhune, the executive director of the Grant County Rescue Mission, said he was happy that the event still takes place so the rescue mission can still be beneficiaries.

“We get a lot of support from people who come out and eat,” Terhune said. “We also have people that come up to volunteer, so we’ll utilize up to maybe 200 volunteers to serve breakfast.”

Johnson said the beauty of the event is that it is an all-out community event. Many people from all over the country come to display their vehicles.

“This year we are showcasing a 1942 Curtis P-40N Warhawk,” Johnson said. “We are also showing a 1962 Beech Bonanza, a vantage airplane that flew around the world.”

Adrian Eichhorn, the owner of the Beech Bonanza, said he heard about the event through Johnson and originally planned to attend last year but had some scheduling conflicts.

“I fly for a living and was in Europe at the same time last year,” Eichhorn said. “I got back the night of, and there were pretty bad thunderstorms, so I decided not to come last year.”

Eichhorn shared that he bought and restored his Beech Bonanza back in 1990 and has taken it all over.

“2015 was the first time I flew it around the world,” Eichhorn said. “The most memorable flight for me was flying over Omaha Beach where over 10,000 soldiers lost their lives, because I’m a veteran and remember that time.”

Eichhorn said the best part about the event was getting to meet others who are passionate about their vehicles and being back in the Midwest.

Phil Martin, the co-owner of the Life Star Pulse Owners Group, has been attending the event with his wife for 20 years.

Martin said that his group attends the event as part of their national rally to show support.

“We love to come out and participate in the silent display to help support Ray Johnson, who I have been friends with for 20 years,” Martin said.

With the Fly-in Cruise-in having a big turn out this year, Johnson said that he hopes the event will continue to grow and help support the community in the future.