Aviation View Magazine | Volume 1, Issue 4

135 AVIATION VIEW VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4 S ince the days of the Wild West, Oregon has been the rural frontier on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. Folks who go there, often end up staying. Not only is the scenery breathtaking, but the region is a green paradise filled with hipsters, farmers, and foresters. Opportunities are only limited by the imagination: Visit the Painted Hills, climb snow-capped Mount Hood, ride horseback through the Wallowas, rappel down the side of Smith Rock, or swim in Crater Lake. You can go sandboarding at the many dunes and hike through the overgrown evergreen forests. And do it all while feeling away from the crowds of the modern world. “We are still really the rural frontier,” explains Haley L. Walker, Airport Manager at the Grant County Regional Airport, “with an absolutely beautiful landscape to offer to visitors, which I think is a big part of why people love it here and end up relocating here. Essentially, what we have is an abundance of natural resources for anyone looking for an adventure, as well as large property owners such as ranchers and foresters.” The Grant County Regional Airport is just south of John Day City, with a population of 2,200, and not far from Canyon City, with a mere 700 people. The airport covers 335 acres and has two asphalt runways: 17/35 is 5,220 by 60 feet and 9/27 is 4,471 by 60 feet. Like many regional airports, the COVID-19 Grant County R A soaring reputation