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The 2016 air show at Davis Monthan in Tucson Arizona is now in the
history books. We debated about only having half of the family
attend it this year - leaving Terra, Janelle, Landen & Rachel home,
but everyone ended up making the trip. Most were glad they did -
and after it was over all couldn't remember being tired, cranky,
grumpy, hungry, and overall hating it. |
| Above is a B-25 that was on static display. I cant even begin to guess what it costs to own, operate, and maintain these aircraft such that they not only fly, but are in show condition. All of these old WWII planes are privately owned and operated. I am not sure why, but I still like them as much or more than the new stuff. |
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The kids seems to really enjoy being able to get up close to these
planes and see them both on the ground and when they flew. It is
really hard to beat the noise of a P-51 roaring at full spread some 50
feet off the runway as it flies by. The rolls Royce engine has a
unique sound and it just sounds like a fighter plane. |
| On display
this year were two F-35s (both seen here). Like the Harrier, this
plane can take off and land either normal or vertical similar to a
helicopter. This year a Harrier was demonstrated by the Marines
and it did a vertical take off and landing. It was quite
impressive to watch it stop flying forward, back up a bit, then do a
360 degree circle before setting down on the runway. It seems to
me that these"airplanes" are less and less air planes and more and more are steerable rockets. |
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On
static display (as well as dynamic display) was this CJ-6. The C
J stands for Chuji Jiaolianji = Primary Trainer in English. This
is a Chinese built trainer. The first flight of these planes was
in 1958 just after WWII. These planes are now used by the US and
Europe as pilot trainers. |
| Here are a
group these trainers flying in different formations. There is a
group of retired military (and civilian) pilots that started up a group
called the deseret rats - based in Phoenix. They flew and
demonstrated different formations. |
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This
year the heritage flight was done with two planes, a P-51 and a
F-22. Both the F-22 and the P-51 did their solo demonstrations
and I will admit, the F-22 was very impressive, but I really liked the
noise and look of the P-51. I used to think how fun it would be
to fly a jet (like a F-16) but I almost think it would be more
enjoyable to fly something like the CJ-6 or the P-51. Something
with lots of horsepower and a propeller out there in front. Maybe
it is just that I am really an older soul than my body and I have
always liked old things (much to Terra's dismay). |
| This was an
impressive stunt. This plane landed on top of this truck as the
truck was driving down the runway at 55 mph. It took the pilot 4
attempts, but given the cross breeze, impressive nonetheless.
After landing on the truck they paraded around and then the pilot took
off and left the suspension of the truck much happier. |
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We all seemed to enjoy the show. I don't really
understand how this happens, but when we were in the car, we talked
about applying sunscreen prior to getting out in the sun. Several
people applied it, and we carried it with us into the event.
Throughout the day several people applied second and third
applications. When we arrived back at the car, some members of
our group expressed the idea of brining sunscreen to this next time
because they were sun burned. I just don't understand how these
events happen. It seems like we talk about it and talk about it
and even practice it, but still some people are just oblivious to what
is going on around them. I keep thinking that eventually
everything will click and they will be up to speed with the world they
live in, but then these types of things happen and I am left wondering
about the future... |
| This was a
V-22 Osprey (I am not sure whether to call it a helicopter or
airplane). It is obviously a transport craft, but has two
propellers that rotate from vertical to horizontal. This gives
this craft the ability to land like a helicopter and fly like a
plane. There have been many different crashes of this
plane. The two blades are counter rotating to offset the motor
torque. I am not sure, but believe these are powered by
turboprops rather than an internal combustion engine. |
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Janelle
(true to form with the rest of our kids) is independent. She
likes to do what she wants to do. We continue to bring strollers
to events like these just to push around empty strollers while the kid
walks around. We keep ending up having to go and take her by the
hand to keep her walking in the correct direction. Sometimes she
wants to be held, and sometimes she wants to walk but never does she
want to ride. So Landen or Rachel will weasel in and ride while
she walks. It just seems like logic is something that is
developed much later in life. |
| Dad showed
up at this event and after some missed communication we ended up
meeting through the marvel of a cell phone. Dad was dressed for
the cooler temperatures, but even he had to loose the hat on the way
out to the parking lot. I am not sure how much he enjoyed the
event. It seemed from my point of view that he arrived late and
left early, but I guess if you have seen it all before then that makes
some sense. |
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