August 22, 2015 - Lancaster Airport Community Day
The day arrived and what a day! You couldn't ask for better weather. Clear blue skies with exceptional visibility, light winds.
The city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
I really didn't know what to expect at this event. It turns out they had invited a wide variety of interesting planes. It was very similar to what National Air and Space Museum Udvar-Hazy does each year at their "Be A Pilot" day.
Here is a brightly polished P-51 Mustang.
Now here is something you don't see every day: a MiG-17.
From the side.
This neat little airplane is a 1966 Thorp T-211 Sky Skooter.
The sun was pretty brutal by mid-day. You know it's bad when people are using a low-wing RV for shade! I had brought a folding chair and ended up spending most of my time sitting in it next to my plane answering questions about the plane. There were so many people -- including lots of kids -- that I had to keep a close eye on my plane. Hey, it's my ride home!
I'd estimate over a hundred people had their picture taken next to my RV. Must be the polish job.
An L-39 lighting the fires, preparing to taxi out for a mini-airshow routine.
The MiG-17 airshow was probably the highlight. The crowd instinctively knew this was special. I myself had never seen a MiG-17 fly.
Everyone has probably seen a P-51 Mustang fly. It's always good.
Lancaster Airport is home to the Sensenich propeller shop. But they can work other props beside Sensenich. I know this because they worked on mine awhile back.
An F-18E SuperHornet from VF-143 the famous Pukin' Dogs.
Man, to be jet fighter pilot like this guy ... Top of the world.
Other than five flights as a backseater in a Navy T-2C Buckeye trainer jet a million years ago, I've never really flown a jet. But this is what I think it must be like -- written by Lauren Paine in Pilot Getaways magazine: "I'll tell you what you feel when you're flying them [jet fighters]: exhilaration. They're smooth, powerful, and have few limits. Strap one on and the world is your oyster. Straight up, straight down, lightening quick, roll at the flick of your fingertips. They do have limits, but they're way out there. Climb to 30,000 feet in 90 seconds? Yup, they can do that. Just lay your head back and watch the Earth fall away ... way away .. and then rollout on top of the world. You feel the soul of the power and agility. Got it? You don't just feel it in your hands; you feel it in your whole body."
The crowd broke up fairly quickly after the airshow. I departed around 4PM or so. Here is a good shot of Lancaster Airport as I climb out after takeoff. It was a good event. I enjoyed it. The Coordinator sent me a nice thank you note afterwards. They had over 13,000 people attend the two-day event.
Here is a neat video of the event taken from a drone: Link. Here is some video of the airshow. Link
