The Grove City Airport in Springfield Township is still flying high as improvements continue and the second annual Oakley Kelly Day is scheduled for Saturday.

"We are continuing to develop what we see as a very significant community asset," said Steve Rhule of Mercer who, along with Doug Thomas of Grove City, is leasing the airport from Grove City Borough as they renovate the buildings and revitalize the location. The businessmen have been leasing the main hanger, the business office and the fuel tanks at the airport since the fall of 2000.

In January the businessmen signed a five-year lease with the borough to rent the smaller auxiliary building just east of the main hanger that houses 10 individual hangers or T-hangers, which are so named for the position a small plane is backed into a bay.

"We signed the agreement to take over the care of the hangers, and as part of the agreement, we're going to renovate them and upgrade the facilities," Rhule said.

The rent that eight plane owners had been paying to the city to store their planes in the T-hanger building will be paid to the businessmen for the next four years, while they put about $65,000 in repairs and improvements into the building. A gravel-floor bay rents for $150 a month, and a concrete-floor bay for $175, Rhule said.

"In the fifth year, we'll begin paying a portion of the rent back (to Grove City)," said Rhule, explaining that the "win-win" situation creates no additional cost or risk for Grove City.

Repairs that will be done in the next month include sealing the roof, painting the outside of the building to match the main hanger; repairing the gutter drainage system and some landscaping.

"We're in the process of putting up new hangar doors which are 20-feet wide," Rhule said. The businessmen have also added electricity to the hangar and put in concrete floors to some of the 10 bays.

"We also added partitions, so that each owner will have access to his own bay, which provides security and privacy," Rhule said, adding that two bays have been made into a heated year-round plane maintenance area.

Future plans for the airport include a restaurant and store at the airport, and up to three more buildings to house more T-hangar bays, Rhule said.

Doug Thomas, who owns Thomas Construction Inc. of Grove City, has been using his company for the renovations, Rhule said, adding plans have been coming along nicely.

"Its a daily challenge, no doubt about it, but the Grove City borough council is being very supportive of our efforts, which is critical to our success," said Rhule. It's a municipal-owned property, "but we're trying to make it pay its own way."

On Saturday , visitors to the second annual Oakley Kelly Day can see the improvements for themselves and enjoy planes, gliders, helicopters and skydiving, as well as an assortment of food and music.

"The helicopter rides are $25 and they can fly in weather that is a little worse," said Carol Paul of Mercer. She and her husband Rod own Elbow Street Aviation, which handles flight instruction, maintenance and an aviation collectible store entitled 'Just Plane Crazy' at the airport. The couple also run the Greenville Municipal Airport.

"We've added vendors to the event, who will be located on our grassy area nearby," Mrs. Paul said. There will also be covered wagon rides by Windy Burrows of Hadley.

Musical entertainment will be provided by the sixth grade chorus from Mercer Elementary School at 11 a.m., the Shenango Area Youth Chorus at noon, and performances by the Mercer High School Show Choir and Jazz Band at 2 p.m.

The event's name comes from the late Oakley Kelly, who lived in Grove City and made the first nonstop transcontinental flight in 1923.