[simpits-tech] My lucky day...

[Ed Henderson]

This was airshow weekend in South West Florida at the Punta Gorda 
Airport.  Every year our aviation unit receives complimentary passes 
from the Sheriff's Aviation Unit based at the airport and I try to make 
it to the airshow at least one of the two days.  We usually park at the 
Sheriff's Hangar and share war stories for a little while then watch the 
show.  This year I had a mission... which was to get some detail cockpit 
pics of the F/A-18 and any other military jets I could get a peek into. 
 I pulled into the hangar parking area, got out of my truck and turned 
to see Blue Angel #6 INSIDE the Sheriff's Hangar.  Seems that as they 
were flying in for the show on Friday, BA#6 sucked large bird into the 
#1 engine.  They had the engine out in an hour but the lower leading 
edge of the intake was damaged and get this....   they have to get the 
repair part off a mothballed F-18 out at Davis Monthon.  Talked for a 
while with the maintenance personnel, very nice!  Did I say cockpit 
pics??? :-)    I almost missed the show.  I did find it interesting 
though that when the Blue's took to the runway this afternoon I had to 
do a double take...  'cause out taxied the opposing solo pilot in Blue 
Angel #6.  HuH?  Vinyl lettering is great isn't it.  All in all a great 
day.  I've seen the Blue Angels perform about 10 shows and the T-bird's 
maybe 6, but I have never had the opportunity to get up close to the 
demo aircraft.  For you Viper drivers the F-16 demo was awesome as usual 
and so was the A-10 demo.  It was really humid and the vapor trails just 
made the show that much better.  The only bad news is that I set up my 
camera wrong and all my airborne pics came out BAD! :-(  Oh well... 
 next year.

http://www.simpits.org/fileproc/files/Dsc01431a.jpg
http://www.simpits.org/fileproc/files/Dsc01570a.jpg

BTW Gene...  can you add F/A-18 to the drop down list in the upload 
section.  Kinda feeling left out... ;-)

Ed