Sunday, September 25, 2005
Joy of Flight
I don't know what about this letter irritated me so. Especially when I agree with some of her points. I admit, I've been looking forward to the air show as an event to take Parker too, but in the back of my mind, I have been thinking of all the fuel that will be used in such an event. Perhaps it makes me a hypocrite, but I decided in the end this is worth that fuel expenditure.
However, I reject the idea that the "show" is militaristic. Are the majority of planes involved in the show former military planes. Yes. Are they armed now? No. The Blue Angels squadron are training planes never meant to carry ordnance at all. Like it or not, most of aviation history and design is based on the military-industrial complex. A lot of innovation and technology we have come to take for granted came from this sector - microwave ovens, cell-phones, even some of the Internet.
An airshow is not about celebrating the history of the military throughout the ages. It's a celebration of the ingenuity of man and its ability to create and to fly. I'm going to take my son and let his imagination soar.
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1 Cents Added:
And as they asked us at the airshow at Randolph AFB in 1985,"How many ping pong balls can the C5A Gallaxy hold?" I don't remember how many, but I do remember the AF Thunderbirds streaking in low level from behind us and scaring the bejesus out of us.
By , at 12:36 PM