Waukon Municipal Airport has unique visitors on same evening ...

Tuesday, August 17 proved to be a busy evening at the Waukon Municipal Airport as several unique visitors graced the local airfield during the late afternoon/evening hours. According to airport manager Jim Wadsworth, a group of powered parachute enthusiasts (some of whom are pictured above) who call themselves “The Gypsies” requested permission to use the Waukon Municipal Airport for part of an annual venture the group takes part in, flying their powered parachutes from smaller community airports over the area’s surrounding landscape. The group of a half dozen or so powered parachutes may have been seen by area residents flying over Waukon and the surrounding area for several hours that Tuesday evening, with the group traveling by camper to stay overnight at various airfields throughout the tri-state area each year. Wadsworth said the group is based out of Waupun, WI and had flown out of Viroqua, WI on a similar venture prior to their Waukon venture. He said the group was heading to Caledonia, MN the following day and then elsewhere to other smaller community airports in Minnesota.

That same evening, an area native son also flew into and out of the Waukon Municipal Airport as part of his training to be a pilot through the University of Dubuque. Waukon High School 2020 graduate Lance Egan, son of Sarah and Pat Egan (all pictured below) of rural Monona in Allamakee County, flew the helicopter pictured in the background of the photo below to Waukon with his University of Dubuque instructor. Some of Egan’s other family members were also there to greet him and view the machine he was flying as a second-year Aviation student at the University of Dubuque, prior to his departure and return flight to Dubuque. Submitted photos.