Generous Gift Memorializes AirVenture’s History

Donated scrapbooks date back to 1994

BY BARBARA A. SCHMITZ AIRVENTURE TODAY STAFF

GRAYLING PETERSON STARTED creating scrapbooks highlighting the yearly EAA convention and fly-in the same year EAA debuted its daily newspaper on the grounds. Nearly 30 years later, those scrapbooks are being donated to EAA archives.

The first scrapbook Grayling created in 1994 is filled with newspaper coverage from EAA Today, then published for EAA by General Aviation News, as well as local newspaper articles. It includes a column by then EAA President Tom Poberezny, who wrote: “I have long wanted to see a daily newspaper that could communicate the whole story of the convention.”

The rest of Grayling’s scrapbooks are filled with AirVenture Today clippings of articles and photos and include interviews with aviation notables like Neil Armstrong, Bob Hoover, Burt Rutan, Chuck Yeager, and Yves “Jetman” Rossy. There are news stories, such as the start of the wristbands that replaced the ticket-on-a-string flightline pass in 1994, and coverage of the International Visitors Tent and parade, the Young Eagles program, the seaplane base, warbirds, volunteers, and surprisingly, at least to me, a photo of a boy holding up his Popsicle Sopwith near a flying replica on the grounds who just happens to be this writer’s son, now 28.

Grayling, of Sandstone, Minnesota, has volunteered for 37 years at the lost and found and information booth, including for about 30 years as vice chairman. He said he started creating the scrapbooks “just to keep the memories.”

The books take up the entire top shelf of his closet. “The shelf is starting to sink because of all the weight,” he said.

But after suffering two heart attacks last July just before AirVenture, Grayling started questioning what would happen to his collection once he was gone. His daughter, Amanda, who had helped create some of the books when she was young, said she wasn’t interested, and nor were his siblings. So he brought some of the books along this year and asked EAA if they were would like them. The answer was a resounding yes.

(Coincidentally, Grayling was already in Wisconsin when he had his heart attacks, and was treated in Oshkosh. He managed to be at

AirVenture for the entire convention, before going home to start his cardiac rehab and create a 2022 scrapbook.)

Grayling isn’t a pilot, but once was close to it. “I had an Aeronca Chief and had one hour to go before I could solo,” he said. But he was playing in a band in West Palm Beach, Florida, and ran short of money, so he was forced to sell his airplane.

“Now I just get my fill of aviation at AirVenture,” he said.

Victor Briones, a friend and volunteer from the International Visitors Tent, plans to put all the scrapbooks on CDs for Grayling so he can still look back at the memories once he donates the physical books. And for as long as he is able to come back, Grayling plans to continue scrapbooking AirVenture highlights.

“As long as EAA wants them, I’ll keep creating the books.”

AROUND THE GROUNDS