Between 8 a.m. and noon on Sunday, Sept. 6, a total of 1,038 people, including 962 adults and 76 youngsters, ages 4 to 8, attended the 49th Annual Canyon Pilots Association’s All-You-Can-Eat Labor Day Weekend Fly-In Breakfast held indoors at the commercial corporate hangar at the Wellsboro Johnston Airport, near Wellsboro.

The Memorial Day and Labor Day Weekend Fly-In Breakfasts were originally started by the Tioga County Civil Air Patrol in 1977-1978. When the Canyon Pilots Association was founded in 1988, the breakfasts became its responsibility. Sunday, May 30, 2027 and Sunday, September 5, 2027 will mark the breakfasts’ 50th year. 

This past Sunday, 12 airplanes and one helicopter landed at the airport for the breakfast. Costa Air Service provided rides over the Pennsylvania Grand Canyon in two Cessna aircraft for a fee.

At the breakfast, the association usually raffles off chances to ride in the Blaise Alexander Family Dealerships’ Bell 407 helicopter. The raffle was not held on Sept. 6. “We are hoping to offer the helicopter ride raffles during our fly-in breakfasts in 2027 but that always depends on the weather conditions and the availability of the helicopter and pilot,” Joe Burnside said.

“Our busiest time on Sunday was between 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m.,” he noted. “The line moved steadily. Between 8 a.m. and 9:45 a.m. and 11 a.m. and noon no one had to wait because there was no line.” 

The Memorial and Labor Day breakfasts are the organization’s major fundraiser with monies used to provide flight instruction scholarships for youth, 16 and older and to benefit the airport. 

At this year’s breakfast, the association posted a sign thanking the Clemens Food Group for providing Hatfield hams at a discount. “That discount helped us keep the breakfast price the same,” said Joe.

Generosity has been exhibited at the breakfast for quite a while. 

Shirley Jordan of Wellsboro attended many of the breakfasts and anonymously donated $20 each time to be used to provide a meal for any two people who found out they couldn’t pay by using a credit card. At the May 2025 breakfast, a couple used the donated funds. After eating, they left and returned with cash to give back the donation. About 15 minutes later, half of the original donated funds were used to pay for another person’s breakfast. 

Shirley passed away on January 20, 2026. She never gave her name to Burnside, choosing to remain anonymous.  

“Sunday, one gentleman we are calling ‘The Mystery Man’ anonymously donated $20 with the money to be used to help pay for breakfasts if needed, and, if not, to be donated to the Canyon Pilots Association just like Shirley had done,” Joe said. Several others each donated $10 or more to the Canyon Pilots Association.” 

In May of 2021, a mother with two children found out she could not use her credit card to pay for breakfast. Treasurer Joe told her not to worry about it saying he would pay for them. Instead, the man standing in line behind her stepped up and paid for the three breakfasts and gave Joe an extra $10 to use to pay for another breakfast if needed. 

“The extra money does help us and we really appreciate it,” said Joe.