Friday, May 3, 2024
With the Total Eclipse soon to be in Gatesville’s path, the Gatesville Municipal Airport has been preparing for an influx of visitors from around the country.
The recently established “Gatesville Pilot’s Association” has been making way in their plans for the eclipse.
Member of the Gatesville Pilot’s Association, Ken Mallach, said, “What I told our group when we were getting together was that this was a chance to show Gatesville that we are serious about supporting the airport.”
Mallach is retired from the United States Air Force after 25 years of service and served with the Fort Hood Fire Department for 18 years before retiring. He is now a private pilot at Gatesville Municipal Airport and has been flying for over three years now.
With only having an approximate estimate of the number of planes that will be flying in, the city’s Eclipse Coordinator Cheri Shepherd has set up an online form for those who will be traveling by plane to the event.
“On the city website, on the airport page, we put out some information and said that if you are flying in, please let us know,” Shepherd said.
As of right now, there are 30 registrants who have signed up to visit Gatesville for the eclipse from out of state. The states include Florida, California, Colorado, and North Carolina.
According to Shepherd, as she has seen on social media, many people are planning to wait until the 10-day forecast comes out to make their decision on if they are planning to travel or not.
“What we expect is that 10 days before the eclipse, all of a sudden, we are going to see a bunch of things start moving faster,” Shepherd said.
As the preparations are still unfolding, the airport, along with the City of Gatesville, are preparing in advance by adding portable restrooms, trash cans, ways to access food, and efficient public transportation.
“We have people that we know will fly in on Saturday and Sunday and some that will fly in on Monday and fly out,” Shepherd said. “On Saturday and Sunday, some of the people are going to camp next to their planes.”
“We have had to think about where the planes will park when they land, so we went to the Pilot’s Association and said, ‘what do we need to do, and can you help us,’” Shepherd said.
Between the City of Gatesville and the Pilot’s Association, the two organizations will work together to have the airport ready in time for the Total Eclipse on April 8.
“We realize that those people coming in are going to have some issues to deal with, and we want everyone that comes to Gatesville, however they get here, to have the very best experience possible,” Shepherd said.
Mallach expressed that the main priority will be to keep everyone safe.
“We are drawing up plans for where people are going to camp and put a temporary taxi way across the grass fields, so when it comes time for everyone to leave it will be more efficient and expedient,” Mallach said.
Mallach explained that at the moment the airport only has one taxi way, and if people are leaving, everyone will get packed together, because only two planes are allowed at a time.
“We are going to make sure that the grass is mowed short, and we have surveyed it already, so it is pretty level,” Mallach said. “It is just a matter of doing it.”
“People who go to air events like this and do camping often taxi through fields,” Mallach said.
Shepherd explained that some pilots use tents that go over the wing of a plane when camping.
“This is just something that pilots are accustomed to doing,” Shepherd said.
A hanger party is planned for Sunday afternoon on April 7 for visitors flying in.
“We get together every so often at the airport and talk about our favorite subject, flying. We barbecue and talk out at the airport, it’s just a pilot get-together,” Mallach said. “Hopefully, we will get a lot of pilots who are coming in to camp, and we are going to have a meet and greet.”
Once visitors arrive at the airport by plane, fuel will be available, but Shepherd explained that the pilots have been told that the supplies are limited.
“We want to make sure that our fuel tank is full, because you never know what might happen or who will come in,” Mallach said.
As a lot of pilots will be flying in the morning of the eclipse on Monday, April 8, the airport will host a pancake breakfast for the visitors as well as a hot dog lunch.
“Our group is hoping that we get a good turnout,” Mallach said.
When flying in, visitors will need to be mindful of restricted airspace, as Gatesville is located next to Fort Cavazos.
“Matter of fact, as you take off on runway one-seven, if you keep flying straight, aircraft will be in restricted airspace, so pilots have to turn out either left or right pretty quick,” Mallach said. “There are all sorts of things that pilots do to stay safe.”
Mallach said that it is expected that immediately after the eclipse people will be jumping in their planes to go home.
“We are hoping that it doesn’t rain,” Mallach said. “We want to make sure that everybody gets out in a timely fashion; we don’t want a big backup like they are expecting on the highways.”
“One of our members, Dick Butler, flew out to see the 2017 eclipse, and he saw what happened there,” Mallach said. “He said they had hundreds of planes show up at a little airport like Gatesville.”
When discussing the advantages of flying versus driving to Gatesville for the eclipse, Mallach explained that flying is quicker and possibly easier than driving a car as well as the love and joy of flying.
“People want to experience totality,” Mallach said. “Whether it is by car or flying, people want to go.”
“I have always been in the role of helping people and I always enjoy helping people,” Mallach said. “Getting out here and helping fellow aviators, getting to meet them, and hearing their stories is going to be fun.”
The Gatesville Pilot’s Association is always looking for new members. To become a member, contact the association on Facebook by searching Gatesville Pilot’s Association.
For further details regarding airport preparations, contact the City of Gatesville at 254-865-8951.
The Gatesville Municipal Airport is located at 137 Airport Road.
