by Brittany Lueth (Nielsen)
Published in Midwest Flyer – February/March 2020 issue
The Price County Fly-In & Airshow in Phillips, Wisconsin, was another hit with the local community and people visiting Phillips over the Fourth of July weekend. Airshow performers from across the Midwest brought exhilarating aerobatic performances and kept the audience at the edge of their seats. The two-day airshow included Grant Nielsen of Rice Lake, Wisconsin, flying his CAP 232 called “Bubbles;” Craig Gifford of Minneapolis, Minnesota, flying a Staudacher; Dave Scott of Marinette, Wisconsin, with his Pitts; Mike Weinfurter of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, with his L19 Birddog; Don Arvold of A.C.E. Helicopters, Colfax, Wisconsin, providing helicopter rides throughout the weekend; and the Vanguard Squadron from Tea, South Dakota, with their aerobatic formation team performance. Darrel Massman of Waupaca, Wisconsin, served as airboss and airshow coordinator. The diversity of the show brought together biplanes, warbirds, formation flying and high-performance monoplanes to this rural/recreational community of 1,478 residents.
The Friday evening and Saturday afternoon airshow were packed with high-flying action as families enjoyed the show from the deck at Harbor View Pub & Eatery, located across the highway from Price County Airport. A live band performed at the conclusion of the Friday evening airshow.
As the pilots tumbled and snap-rolled their airplanes, two announcers – Jeff Overby of Scottsdale, Arizona and Brittany Nielsen of Rice Lake, Wisconsin – described the aerobatic routines and shared stories about the performers. It was entertainment on the ground and in the sky!
The show kicked off with the National Anthem, and as the song concluded, from high above, U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Team member, Craig Gifford, flew his beautiful red, white, and blue Staudacher monoplane, “Captain America,” down towards the crowd, brought it knife edge, and left the audience cheering for more! Grant Nielsen followed with a beautiful performance in his CAP 232 named “Bubbles,” and showcased the impeccable roll-rate of this aircraft, while a large bubble machine provided visual wonder on the ground. The show concluded with the Vanguard Squadron demonstrating precision aerobatic formation flying. The audience was captivated when the team showcased the Vanguard Heart in the sky, as well as their signature bomb burst.
For many years, Duane and Bonny Grube of Harbor View Pub & Eatery, have sponsored this airshow, so it remains free to the Phillips community as an annual Fourth of July celebration. Additional support is provided by other local businesses, the Price County Airport, and volunteers.