The question has been raised multiple times about utilizing the Wilmington Air Park for the upcoming Clinton County Honor Flight, scheduled for our veterans in October.

The Honor Flight Committee did consider this idea at the first meeting in January. The matter was discussed with the air park management and with Honor Flight Dayton and both were willing to support the effort.

However, it was determined that the lack of passenger support equipment and facilities available for the loading and unloading of veterans from the plane, as well as the lack of reception areas for the families and support personnel, made this idea untenable. Dayton International Airport makes accommodations for the Honor Flight program and has the facilities necessary to make the departure and arrival as comfortable as possible for the veterans and their families.

The Honor Flight Committee is currently working to fund buses to take the veterans to Dayton, and to pay for hotel rooms the Friday night before the early flight to Washington, D.C. on Saturday morning. Families of the veterans are encouraged to be a part of the Friday evening send-off from Wilmington and the welcome home reception upon the veterans’ return to Dayton Saturday night.

The committee members realize that the Wilmington Air Park is a wonderful asset for Clinton County and the idea of flying out and returning to our local airport is fantastic. However, Honor Flight is about creating a wonderful, once-in-a-lifetime experience for the veterans and we believe, for the reasons stated, Dayton International Airport is better suited for this goal.

Jack Powell

Chairman, Clinton County Honor Flight

Wilmington