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September: A Big Month for Aviation

In 10 days, I'll be attending the Reno Air Races. Considering the fact that half my wardrobe is t-shirts with pictures of airplanes on them, I'm sort of required to go to replenish my annual stock. Althought I foolishly didn't bring a digital camera with me to the Chino Air Show this year and didnt have a blog at the time, I won't miss the opportunity this time to post the pictures of the event. I will also be springing for a 'pit pass' for the "up close and personal" effect. This year like last year, there will be Jets racing! Although nothing beats the sound of a bunch of V-12 Merlins going past you at 400+ miles per hour, the sight of 6 or 7 jets in close formation going around the pylons isn't bad either.

When I was a kid, I lived in a trailer park on the other side of the valley from what was then "Stead Air Force Base", where the Air Races are held today. We lived in a real live single wide aluminum "trailer", with myself and my 3 sisters and a big German Shepard named "Buck'. One summer day, my Dad brought home a Comet model airplane - A piper cub. I dont think I was more than 4 or 5, but the process of taking a pile of balsa out of a box and making an airplane that really flew is something I will never forget. The day he and I first ran down the dirt road in front of the trailer and launched that little plane into the air is the day my love of aviation and engineering started.

I've been going to the Reno Air Races every year since 1987. For me, it marks the formal start of the year. I go not just to see the air races, but as sort of a memorial to a day a very long time ago, where a boy and his dad ran down a little dirt road and sparked the imagination thats lasted for over 40 years.

Thanks Dad. I'm sure it was just an afternoon of fun for you, but it was a lifetime of love for me and I've never forgotten it.

I will also be uncharacteristically taking a day off of work in midweek to go to the X-Prize Launch in Mojave on September 29th. Go Scaled! I still dont know if the Scaled team has decided to launch with three astronauts or to use "dead wieght". I Guess since Im not blogging about Kerry, it might give me time to go find out.

I wonder how many kids will have their imagination sparked by the Burt and his team and what things might they build in their future?

If an ignorant kid like me can go from a trailer in Lemon Valley, Nevada to building "high availability fault tolerant grid based stateless servers", what will the future be?

UPDATE:Show your support of Free Space, Free Enterprise and SpaceShipOne by visiting Rocket Boosters

Posted @ September 05, 2004 02:48 PM | Aviation

Comments

Have fun in Reno. I was in the National Guard at Stead, was in the red crossed helicopter on standby in front of the crowd. Like you, I loved aviation from before I can remember. Went into the army right out of High School in '68, learned to fly helicopters, 13 months in Vietnam flying Dustoff (Medevac for those unfamiliar with the jargon). Now just an A&P mechanic, civilian working on Navy planes at NAF El Centro, Ca. Flying or maintaining, love airplanes. Haven't Been to the air races in several years. Met Gary Levitz, my brother new family members of his pit crew. Did not see him crash, but I lost something there. But I agree, the roar of the merlins, and the big round motors, nothing can touch it. I feel it soon will pass, as all the WW2 hardware finally wears out and all these new ultra designs start comming out. It will not be the same without that sound, that history, that vibration deep in your chest when a dozen two thousand plus horsepower aircraft go down past the first pylon. I can not wait to see your pic's.

(As an aside, did you make Kittyhawk for the centenial of the first flight? if so would love your impressions.

Jim

Posted by: Jim at September 6, 2004 11:06 AM