DIXFIELD – Thup, thup, thup, roared the rotors of a small helicopter that threatened to drown out foot-stompin’ Christian music Saturday at a Dixfield airstrip.
Shortly after the Robinson R-44 chopper lifted off from Swan’s Airfield for the umpteenth time and zipped over trees lining the Androscoggin River, a Helio Courier H-395 fixed-wing plane roared into the sky.
Its engine noise temporarily obliterated gospel songs and music by New Beginnings vocalists Ron and Deb Hodge of Farmington at the first-ever Missions at the Airport event.
It was held to teach people about missionary work and how Bibles are translated into thousands of different languages and distributed around the world.
“We want to try and get people here so they can see the opportunities,” said Ken Hinkley, event organizer and pastor of Dixfield Common Baptist Church.
The plane and helicopter are from Jungle Aviation and Radio Service, a North Carolina organization that serves Wycliffe Bible Translators. Seventy people paid for a plane ride around the River Valley area; 138 went for a spin in the helicopter.
Organization spokesman Bart Bartholomew explained the plane’s features, then narrated maneuvers made by the pilot, Mike Mower.
“We feel it’s an ideal tool for getting our people in and out of missions,” Bartholomew said of the plane and its 135 mph speed.
“It beats every dugout canoe I’ve ever ridden in,” he added.
The pilot performed a short-field takeoff and landing, showed off his prowess at landing and lifting off in spaces confined by mountains, and demonstrated how slow the plane could go.
It almost hovered in one spot, looking more like a helicopter than an airplane.
About 500 people attended the 10-hour aviation ministries exposition off Canton Point Road near Route 2.
On Saturday, vendors sold Christian books, food and drink, and plane and helicopter rides. Others offered free literature and opportunities to become missionaries. Christian music groups also performed throughout the day.
“The music is designed both to entertain and challenge,” he said.
Sponsored by eight churches from Rumford to east Wilton, Hinkley said the event attracted people from many churches.
“This is a good family weekend,” said Melissa Dumeny of Dixfield. “It’s not like the fair. Here, you can just drop your bag, and go up in a helicopter. I didn’t have to worry about it.”
Her mother, Darlene Richards, said she thought the mission event “was just wonderful.”
She also said that about the helicopter ride.
“I got a picture of my house, an aerial picture, and we saw the neighbor kids riding their bikes up the street,” Darlene Richards said.
At the end of each day, the gospel group Crosswinds was to accompany a time of worship, prayer and praise.
Hinkley said each day’s service would also include a final challenge to all, “to either commit themselves to Christ or to think about missionary work.”
Not many people were left, though, by day’s end Saturday.
The fly-in is to continue today from 1 p.m. to dusk.
“That allows everyone to worship at their own church before they come,” Hinkley said.
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