CRESWELL – National Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) is a competition series for pilots nationwide to showcase their skill in a sport-like setting. On Monday night, the Creswell City Council talked about bringing the event to Creswell’s Hobby Field this summer.
“National STOL is really up and coming in the aviation world,” said airport manager Shelley Humble. “It’s really great for the general public, because they can come to an airport and see what aviation is all about up front and center.”
The ability to take off and land in short distances is commonly used by bush pilots in backcountry flying, but it is a skill that all pilots can practice, making STOL competitions accessible to anyone involved in general aviation. Pilots from all over the United States and Canada compete in events throughout the year to earn points for a chance to win a National Title.
National STOL was established in 2020 and has since become the nation’s leading Aviation Competition Series. The 2024 Series attracted more than 145 teams and almost 20,000 in-person attendees, with more than 760,000 individuals tuning in to the live broadcasts online.
Monday night’s conversation involved the founders of National STOL asking to hold an event at Hobby Field, with a $30,000 fee and a goal of $40,000 in local sponsorships to offset costs. Council voiced concerns about the cost of the event and ensuring the event makes money, or at the very least breaks even.
“I think it’s really cool, but I’m concerned about the airport not being self-sustaining financially, and then bringing on bigger and more expenses,” said councilor Staci Holt.
Humble said she already has five vocal commitments from local businesses, including from Cottage Grove.
“My goal is to break even, but I think we’ll make a little bit of money,” Humble said. “I’ve always been asked, ‘Where’s the air show?’ They want the air show. …This event, you need to be front and center, and it is contagious. It is so much fun to watch, and it brings so many people from all around the area.”
The event includes airplanes showcased to spectators and an up-close view of the show.
“They all watch the show right up close and personal, about 300 feet away, which complies with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA),” the founder said.
“We’ve proven that we’ve had no incidents and no injuries in the last five years that we’ve ever had our operations. So we really focus on safety. We brief it, we practice it every day, and most importantly, we’re also family-friendly,” he said. “We want people to come out with their kids, their grandchildren, and really have a good day at the airport, which also promotes the airport… It really helps to tie it all together.”
The difference between National STOL and other air shows is the organization’s social media presence, which continues to grow. With over 370,000 followers on Facebook, the page received 267 million views and impressions for last year’s broadcast.
“We have fans all over the world that watch us. And not only do they watch us online, they come out for the shows. They see a show, for example, in Creswell, and they’re like, I want to go there next year. I want to see that person. Then they fly out there, and they actually stay for the week, and they watch the show in person,” the founder said.
The council gave a head nod to continue the partnership with National STOL and bring the event to Creswell.
The 2026 tentative season schedule includes nine airshows across the country throughout the year, including national finals in Texas. The Hobby Lobby event is tentatively scheduled for Aug. 28-30.
