Central County Airport-Paul Johns Field (68C) in Iola, Wisconsin, features a noon luncheon each Friday from the first Friday in May to the last Friday before Thanksgiving. When in doubt, it is best to check the website which features its weekly menu: https://centralcountyflyers.org/.
The airport is grassroots flying at its best! Located in beautiful Waupaca County, the airport is a haven for recreational flying and aviation fellowship.
You must be a member of the airport association to eat there, or accompany someone who is a member, due to state food service regulations. Money raised ($13.00 per person) goes to maintain the private airport for the two dozen or so aircraft based there. A lifetime membership is only $10.00, payable at the door. The only requirement to membership is that you must be a proponent of General Aviation. Members receive a membership card.
Pilots are urged to monitor 122.9 MHz well in advance of entering the traffic pattern for the active runway.
Iola has several grass runways: 05/23 (60 X 2493 ft), 09/27 (40 X 1783 ft), and 12/30 (130 X 1725 ft). The airport elevation is 882 feet MSL.
Refer to the Green Bay Sectional, Wisconsin Airport Directory, and ForeFlight for additional information.
Just beware of the trees that surround the airport, as well as aircraft parked near inactive runways.
On Friday, August 28, 2026, the official plane count was 39, including a DeHavilland Beaver on amphibious floats, plus one helicopter.
Since Iola is home for one of the largest antique car shows and swap meets in the country, featuring as many as 2500 show cars each July, the airport attracts its fair share of collector vehicles on Fridays too, which complement the vintage aircraft that show up. For additional information on the “Iola Old Car Show,” visit (https://www.iolaoldcarshow.com/).
The airstrip is ideal for taildraggers and okay for tricycle Cessnas. Not ideal for high-powered retractable aircraft, or any aircraft loaded with lots of passengers.
The mix of pilots includes retired professional pilots, vintage and homebuilt aircraft owners, and your general run-of-the-mill GA pilots like me. While there, get into a conversation with fellow guests, and the volunteers behind the counter, and you will find people from every walk of life including “Bill,” who flew F-4 Phantoms in Southeast Asia, and his wife, “Peggy,” who is charge of scooping up the ice cream for dessert.
The hero of the field was Paul Johns, who celebrated his 104th birthday at a Friday lunch on October 13, 2017. The airport named in his honor. Paul was born on October 11, 1913, and flew a Boeing 314A Clipper for Pan Am during World War II. Some 57 airplanes and 200 people came out to celebrate Paul’s birthday. Paul Johns passed away on March 28, 2018. Click here for a complete story on Paul Johns.
Lunch is served at 12:00 noon sharp, but you are urged to come early, enjoy a cup of coffee and roll, and watch arrivals, or to just hang out by the stone fireplace.
