After one of the youngest Commemorative Air Force members and volunteers flew in an SNB-5 Twin Beech aircraft, the young Midlander stepped out of the plane, ran to her father -- High Sky Wing member Jay Burns -- and gave him a huge hug.
“Daddy, we just did a left-hand break over the numbers for an in-file landing, and it was fun!" exclaimed Piper Burns, now 5, who attended her first AirSho at just 3 weeks old.
Past experiences like this forged Piper’s love for flight. But during the CAF’s 50th annual AirSho on Saturday, “Piper Cub” -- nicknamed by High Sky Wing members after the aircraft -- traded the cockpit for a seat on the flight line with her dad to watch the vintage military aircraft perform air manuevers and flight aerobics.
The little girl in a colorful skirt, pink shoes and red curly hair covered her ears as the planes performed pyrotechnics, but Jay Burns said she loves the aircraft -- and she can name them all.
As a warbird taxied by the tent, Piper correctly called it -- a P-40 Warhawk -- one of her favorites.
Still, Piper's first love is the B-29 Superfortress, “FiFi.” Burns remembers when he gave her money to buy a toy at the American Airpower Heritage Museum. Instead, Piper donated it to the world’s only flying B-29. S
“FiFi -- she’s my plane,” said Piper, who loves to polish the planes, sweep out the hangars and help the High Sky Wing wherever she can.
Burns, a Midlander who teaches history to sophomores, juniors and seniors at Permian High School in Odessa, calls the CAF living history. He started attending AirSho with his father when he was Piper’s age.
“It was only right for me to bring her along,” he said.
The AirSho started Saturday afternoon with a milestone lineup featuring the CAF’s fleet of about 159 warbirds -- including FiFi and B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil -- and performances by the Texas Flying Legends, the world’s smallest microjet and a jet-propelled Shockwave truck.
The day before the AirSho, colonels voted on whether to relocate CAF headquarters to one of six airports in the Houston, San Antonio or Dallas metropolitan areas. Members can vote this month by absentee ballot.
The organization announced in May its intention to elevate its national presence by relocating just the CAF’s administrative offices and establishing a new air base. As spectators kept their eyes to the skies, some voiced concerns about the possible move, but others weren’t aware of the upcoming changes to the CAF, which moved to Midland in 1991.
Jimmy Myers, a cotton farmer in the Lubbock area, waited patiently for the next aerial act after the FLS Microjet -- weighing in at only 400 pounds -- soared through the air making twists and turns.
The jet’s pilot, Justin Lewis, flew a F-14 Tomcat in the Tom Cruise movie, “Top Gun.” The jet also appeared in the James Bond movie, “Octopussy.”
“He pretty much wears this little airplane,” the announcer told a large crowd of spectators.
Myers was impressed by the little plane, but like Piper, he comes for FiFi, which moved its home to Cavanaugh Air Base in Addison in 2008.
“I’m disappointed the B-29 moved away,” said the 67-year-old, who used to enjoy visiting her in the winter.
As for the possible relocation, Myers isn’t sure much will change.
“Would (the move) affect me? If the AirSho and museum stayed here?” he asked. “I like it the closer the better, but probably not.”
Farther down the flight line, near a row of trucks selling food, drink and accessories, Odessan Kathy Brown stood with her niece and young granddaughter as Jan Collmer performed loops, half loops, rolls and a rare feat -- the “Triple Immelmann,” named after aviator Max Immelmann -- in a blue and white Extra 300L.
Brown said her father was a World War II Army veteran and that she’s always excited to visit the AirSho with her kids. But her favorite part of the CAF is the museum.
“I love to go see if they put anything new,” she said.
CAF President and CEO Stephan Brown said the annual AirSho and museum will stay in Midland -- even if headquarters relocates to a larger metropolitan area -- but the Odessa mom said “a move is a move.”
“I would rather see it stay here,” she said. “It’s a big deal to keep it in Midland.”
Just then, a series of booms spooked spectators as they traveled around the CAF complex, which includes the Airpower Museum, Main Hangar and Bush Commemorative Center. That’s when pilot Collmer challenged the Shockwave Jet Truck, a triple jet-engine truck that can drive up to 376 miles per hour, to a race down the runway.
High Sky Wing member H.A. Tuck, who gave thumbs up to pilots after they performed all day, said the truck could knock someone back in their chair, and its power proved to be enough for Collmer’s speed.
Spectators went back to their business as the race ended. Some stayed for upcoming performers, while others observed historical re-enactments and booths set up by organizations and CAF units from around the country.
That’s where Bob Bates, a colonel and officer with the Mississippi Wing, sold planes, calendars and other products to raise money.
Bates said he’s been to every CAF AirSho, which started in Harlingen’s Rebel Field with just nine aircraft, and can see the pros and cons of a possible CAF headquarters relocation.
Bates understands why Midlanders would want to keep the headquarters here, but the biggest change would be the creation of regional air bases.
Local High Sky Wing member Bill Coombes previously said the opportunities of having “Air Base West Texas,” a regional hub for all of the wings and squadrons in the area, are infinite.
“The regional air base concept is designed to try to give those members who aren’t right next to a unit -- who don’t live in Midland or Odessa or Dallas or wherever there is a CAF unit -- some sense of ownership,” Coombes said.
Bates said the concept could benefit areas of the county -- like his -- that have units of different sizes scattered across states. It also means more air shows if CAF fleets can move from base to base on the weekends, he said.
Back in the Main Hangar, where XCOR set up Lynx full-scale model, Susan Tercero and her family watched warbirds create a “wall of fire” by performing pyrotechnics down a runway.
This is the Andrews family’s first AirSho. Tercero's 9-year-old son, Marius, loves the museum because of the history and airplanes. Even though both the AirSho and Airpower Museum are staying, the Andrews mom worries about Midland losing the title -- and identity -- of the headquarters being based here.
“I think that this is one of things that attracts people to Midland,” Tercero said. “I think they should keep it.”
Story and Photo Gallery: http://www.mywesttexas.com
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