Air travel returns to Breckenridge

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BRECKENRIDGE – An airplane parked on the old dirt runway strip north of town caught the eye of Breckenridge resident Greg Wright Saturday morning as he drove down Highway 9.The single-engine Cessna was parked on the site that parallels Airport Road north of town. Tied down and sitting quietly in the blustery storm, Wright realized it may have been the first time the dirt strip was used for its intended purpose in more than 20 years.
“According to the story I heard from one of the bystanders, the last guy who landed there had to take his plane apart and truck it out,” Wright said.Wright returned Monday at around 9 a.m. to see the aircraft take off and disappear into the sky.According to a police report, a man from Ontario, Ore., landed the plane on the old airstrip on Friday afternoon. The pilot told a sheriff’s deputy that he was attempting to fly over the mountains but was forced to land due to an approaching storm. The pilot, who had been traveling with his wife, stayed in Frisco, then took a taxi back to the aircraft Monday when the weather cleared.
“He had trouble starting the aircraft in the cold weather this morning, but finally got it started and made a normal takeoff and landing,” said Charles Toups, a driver with Summit Taxi who shuttled the pilot to his plane Monday morning.Toups said the pilot seemed confident in his ability to depart, since he had a half-tank of gas instead of a full fuel load, which would reduce weight and boost airplane performance.”He did kick up some dirt on his way out,” Toups said. “I was relieved to see he made a normal takeoff and departure.”
The sheriff’s deputy gave the pilot permission to leave his craft on town property. The pilot could not be reached for comment.Kim Marquis can be contacted at (970) 668-3998, ext. 249, or at kmarquis@summitdaily.com.

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