Small Town Air Show

[wingman]

My little town in Southeastern British Columbia had an air show last Wednesday evening. As can be seen from the clothing and the disappearing mountain background the weather gods did not cooperate -- it was distinctly chilly and damp. The rain fell in the distance all evening but the airport was mostly spared, and the crowd loved the show...

We had Snowbirds -- obviously doing their "low show" which I'd never seen.

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

There was also a nice heritage flight -- good to have some USAF presence up here in the land of snow and taxes...

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

The Warthog did a great demo...

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

And hopefully some new airshow fans were hooked on airplanes...

[T. Adams]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Now that is a low show. I just spent the last three days watching the Snowbirds in Wisconsin. Pics hopefully up soon.

[RCoulter]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Great stuff Neil! The A-10 shots are great

[AirDOGGe]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Looks like fun!

Looking at your photos reminds me of the long-gone TRUCKEE Air Show (Truckee, Calif.). The terrain and scenery looked very simlilar. I sure miss that event.

[Reever]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Great shots Neal!

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Actually I miss Truckee too -- I always enjoyed the shows there.

Thanks for the comments -- I'll try to post a couple more when I get some time...

Neal

[dineega]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Nice to see some Canadian content - is that Cranbrook??
Rachel

[RCoulter]

Re: Small Town Air Show

For some reason I can't edit my post, but I meant "Neal" not "Neil"

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Good eye, Rachel!

It had been ten years since the last show here -- at 20,000 or so people in the whole area there just isn't the population base to support something as expensive to put on as a major air show. A local businessman --- Hans "Dutch" Dekkers -- who was in a former life an F-16 pilot in the Dutch Air Force, decided to do it himself (with the help of his wife and daughter, I understand). He called in contacts in the aviation world, got support from the airport and local business and government, and made it happen. He also assembled a wonderful team of volunteers, which as we all know is an absolute necessity in doing something like this.

We had Kent Pietsch who we know from Reno, Bud Granley in his Fouga (very nice performance by the way), a couple of F-18s on display etc.

So even with the weather it was all a great success from a fan's perspective.. I have no idea whether the finances worked out for Dutch, but I sure do hope this can happen again next year -- it was really great fun...

[dineega]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Kent Pietsch is great for turning up at local airshows. He has done Chilliwack, and even showed up at my municipal airport here in Langley for Canada Day a couple of years ago. I think Bud Granley came for that one as well.
They are both regulars at Abbotsford and we are grateful...
I hope there's another show in Cranbrook next year - I have friends there, maybe we could sneak away....

[T.F.]

Re: Small Town Air Show

Is that the color changing Fouga from Reno last year? The man I spoke to about it said it changes with the sunlight. He also said he planned to race it that year with Skip Holm at the stick. Apparently Holm backed out at the last minute.

[wingman]

Re: Small Town Air Show

No, as far as I know this is Bud's airplane, and he has owned it for some years. He never has raced his own airplanes, and certainly would not ever let anyone else race an airplane he had a chance to race!

Bud was also supposed to do a routine in his Harvard at the Cranbrook show, but the guy who was ferrying it in got weathered in somewhere. This prompted considerable muttering from Bud about why this other pilot could not make it in to Cranbrook when Bud made it in just fine in the jet.

Bud Granley mutters quite impressively...

A bit of Air Race news -- Bud says he understands that Lickety Split is being unretired and that Skeets plans to have it (and Bud) at Reno this year. Good news for the many fans (I'm one!) of this airplane and pilot.

Neal