While the cloud ceiling might have been low, spirits and appetites were high at the Fly-In Breakfast.
Aviators young and old were joined by Fulton firefighters, Harley-Davidson bikers and hungry Callaway residents during Saturday's Fly-In pancake breakfast at the Elton Hensley Memorial Airport, all of which was accompanied by live music.
"Unfortunately, due to the low cloud ceiling, no one has flown in yet," Air Boss AJ Stricker said.
Kingdom Pilots Association Secretary Susan Haines said despite no planes dropping by, donations at the breakfast were still coming in strong.
"We have raised about $750 so far," she said. "By the end of the breakfast, we could easily make $1,000."
The donated money will go to providing a scholarship for a lucky future aviator, Stricker said.
"The donations today will help get a kid their first 15 hours of flight time," he said. "After that is solo flying. To get the scholarship, kids write an essay about why they want to fly."
Wright Flight students
One group of hungry students was eager to get off the ground and into the air, Haines said.
"We have a group of students here from Columbia Public Schools," she said. "They are finishing up their Wright Flight Course. They take an eight-week aviation course, and if they pass the test, they get to go up in a plane."
Haines said the program reflects the perseverance of the Wright brothers.
"They didn't fly the first time," she said. "They had the tenacity to keep trying."
Elizabeth Henderson, a student from West Middle school, said she was excited to get up in the clouds.
"I'm nervous, but excited about the experience," she said. "I have been doing a lot to prepare and studying the history of aviation, which has been interesting to learn about."
Henderson's mother, Andrea Fischer, said going up in a small plane can be a transformative experience.
"I think it's an amazing opportunity," she said. "The first time I was in a small plane, it was so eye-opening. It's so cool to look down and see the geography from above. I think the kids today will really enjoy it."
Airport hangers damaged during storm
"We had some damage light night during the storm," Stricker said. "We had a hanger door that was blown off, but that didn't hurt anything. We did have some major damage to some of the original hangers, though."
Some of that damage included a pair of hanger doors that buckled under the force of Friday night's storm, and a roof on the same building was stripped off, Stricker said.
"I hope the city comes out and builds some new hangers," he said. "Airports are a (great) asset."