Air shows!

[primsong]

I posted this over at the fanclub, then thought to myself - wow, I think I have something I could put on my LJ for a change. Hence...

My dad is a pilot, and for many years my folks lived in an airpark, where everyone has a hangar and the road doubles as the taxi-way for small aircraft. Add to it my dad and brother both having an affinity for classic WWII airplanes.

Thus I am somewhat familiar with aircraft and at one point longed for an ultralight of my very own. (ooh -yeah!) Still kind of regret that I didn't get one... My dad talked me out of it because he considered them too unsafe. It was in the years when they were still something unusual, from kits.

Right now we live near an airport that hosts a big airshow every year, lots of funky planes and fabulous classic restorations. About every other year they have someone really big, like the Blue Angels there.

This was one of those years, when I could go out and look up in the sky in the morning to watch an old biplane putt-putt past, then a triangular thing I didn't even recognize, but it was flying... then that deep roar that says the Angels are practicing!

I live at their turn-around point when they come out from the airport, so we can put our chairs out in our cul-de-sac and watch four Angels in delta formation turning overhead. Way cool, and very loud. It feels like they are going to run right into the trees sometimes, and they move amazingly fast.

This year we were at a birthday party right by the airport when they did their Saturday show - Yowza! I swear, it is somethin' to see Blue Angels coming straight at you then passing overhead, turning upside-down as they go, so close that the smoke they are releasing curls down through the trees above you and makes it hazy. Totally wowed, we all just stood there and excitedly clapped and cheered every time they came around, or shot up into the air above us, or roared right over our building. It was a good show.

Neat stuff, even if I don't go to the airshow itself because I've already seen a lot of planes before and the concrete was too hot. Those Navy boys really know their stuff.

Comments

[boriel.livejournal.com]

we too have an airshow every year that corresponds somewhat to my birthday. I used to live in a place called Chilliwack, which is out in the Valley, near Hope. The airshow is in Abbotsford, also near Chilliwack, and so we would always have the american jets and the russian planes buzzing the mountain we lived on...so much so that they shook the windows and caused a popping noise when they went by.

I havent been to the airshow in years...living out near the ocean it is a logistical nightmare to get to 'the valley' and out again with all that traffic, and the heat coming off the tarmac is horrendous. But i did watch a bit of it on the news. The canadians have a variation of the blue angels, called the snowbirds, but can u believe? our planes are 50 yrs old? sheesh.

[primsong.livejournal.com]

We had the Snowbirds out here about 4 or 5 years ago - I didn't get to see them, but the paper was raving about them and had lots of pictures of them with their planes. I had no idea they were that old - I wonder if they'll ever get new ones for them?

[siradaono.livejournal.com]

In the Eastfold, where I lived by PDX, those jets come around to turn on the way back to the Westfold out by you. I was outside all day refinishing a picnic table and benches and got to see the jets and biplanes and such flying from PDX to Hillsboro.
In related news I get to fly in an open cockpit Bi-plane soon for my birthday out in Troutdale, up the Gorge and back for 45 min. This is a life long dream foe me....realised at last...like going to see the Elves...Sam I am.
;-{>

((((Prim))))

[primsong.livejournal.com]

Oh, I would *love* to fly in a bi-plane - lucky you! What a great b-day celebration that would be, and the Gorge is so lovely too. Be sure to wave at the Elves for me. :-)

[siradaono.livejournal.com]

well, my b-day was in June but the plane was being repaired and soon I will enjoy the flight. there is room for two, so if my Melissa can't go, your in!
promise! No one else wanted to go save her. stay tuned for news. Fly Girl!

[madamenorthstar.livejournal.com]

That IS cool, Prim; we also live near an airport and have classic planes flying over us all summer- no Angels, but a Navy base is located about an hour south of us, and Rich remembers air shows like what you describle from his childhood. Brynn really wants to go and see them. We get mostly bi-planes and some charter flights, and its fun to hear them, run outside and check which ones are coming through.

[gondoriangirl.livejournal.com]

I love air shows too! They are so amazing!