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Sweet Pea showed up after all.
The World War II-era warbird was on the field Saturday for the first Crosswind Classic at Baxter County Airport, an all-day event that ran from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. about five miles northwest of Mountain Home near Midway.
Organizers said the day was a success and drew a noticeably larger crowd than the airport’s 2023 open house, which followed a similar format.
The aviation poker run sent competing pilots out on a route to collect cards at other fields. On the ground, the event filled out with a classic car show, a live band, a kids zone and a fleet of food trucks. Rows of general aviation aircraft, experimental planes and historic warbirds sat on static display for visitors to walk.
EAA Twin Lakes Chapter 775 opened the morning at 8 a.m. with a coffee and doughnuts social before the poker run safety briefing.
Inside the Leading Edge Aviation Foundation’s Aviation Learning Center, visitors took turns at the flight simulator.
The airport is owned by Baxter County and run by the Baxter County Airport Authority. Federal Aviation Administration figures list 74 aircraft based at the field and roughly 11,500 takeoffs and landings there in 2024.
The next event at the airport comes in the fall. The Leading Edge Aviation Foundation will host Run the Runway, a 5K and 1-mile run and walk on the airport’s runway, on Saturday, Oct. 24. The race starts at 7:30 a.m. and is open to runners and walkers of all ages, with registration available through the foundation.
