Monday, July 31, 2006

Report From SkyFest: Day Three & Four

The weekend at the Fairchild Air Force Base "SkyFest" was lots of fun for everyone. I talked to many of the demonstration pilots, including the Thunderbirds and, as mentioned in a previous blog, Bill Anders, an Astronaut on Apollo Eight.

In most cases, if not all, the people that came to the air show could look into the aircraft, but not actually sit in the cockpit. I think the R J Ranch helicopter was one of the few that was open to climb into ... and climb into it, they did! It seemed a very popular "photo-op" for parents. It was really fun to see the kids face light up with a big smile when they were sitting in the chopper (which just seemed to be a great size for kids) working the controls and imagined lifting off and flying away. If I could have charged twenty-five cents for every photo taken over the two days, I could have easily paid to fill my thirty gallon fuel tank with aviation fuel!

The Spokane newspaper reported 70,000 SkyFest visitors on Saturday and 55,000 on Sunday. It was a very busy two days.


"Big and Little"
The little RJ Ranch Chopper (1,300 lbs.) next to a B-52 (700,000 lbs.)

"Fast Movers" flying past a "Slow Mover."



"Okay Mom, snap the photo now, before we lift off."


"Hang On, let me show you what this thing will do!"
(Hmmm ... I'm not too sure about this!)


"Quick, Mom, put another quarter in the slot ... I want to go again."
(This buckle is Very interesting!)



"Oh Lord! I want one of theses!"


"Bandits at six-oclock!"


"I need to go potty."

And that was pretty much it ...

The only thing needed upon returning home was to replace the landing light switch, which was broken off. (No big deal ... it was worth it.)

1 Comments:

At August 01, 2006, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It looks like checking out your chopper was quite habit forming...

get it, anyone?
you know I'm just kidding around.
:-)

 

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