Tag Archives: airplanes

Fly In – Dowagiac Airport (Mi) – C91

Todays biggest challenge was where to go and what to see because there were so many choices. But since it was a nice fly day, the decision on where to go was simplified.

Starting out in the morning it was off to the Dowagiac Municipal Airport (C91), in Dowagiac, MI where the Dowagiac Fire Department hosted a Fly In, drive in, walk in pancake breakfast fundraiser beginning at 7 a.m. After a great breakfast You could then spend your time looking at the aircraft based on the field, at pilots flying in for breakfast and to show off their planes. Heck, today you could even go flying yourself in an open cockpit bi-plane for a nominal fee.  Included a few pictures of what there was to see at the airport.

Flight Line View
 
North American T-28B
Ultra light aircraft based at C91
This “craft” could provide you with an interesting “experience”
Standard D-25 Waldo-Wrights Biplane Open cockpit rides off a grass strip – a favorite for most anyone!
Sort of Star Trek looking

 

 

America’s Freedom Fest 2019 – Goshen, Indiana

July 6 –  Well today was a planned road trip down to my old jumping grounds at the Goshen Municipal Airport in Indiana. I started on my trip in the late morning and while driving down drove thru two heavy duty rain squalls which in my mind did not bode well for attending an airshow.  With that said there can be a lot of different weather patterns in a straight line drive of 65 miles.

I arrived as the grounds were filling up with cars, trucks, horse drawn wagons and bicycles. The line of cars backed up to enter was starting to get long but I got in just before the major surge.  It was a bit of a hike  from the parking area to the event entry gate.

The clouds  were getting dark and heavy but I had done a quick run through of the area to get my bearing  before the rain squall hit. I had an umbrella with me but it was not going to be  much help in this downpour but I was able to enter the airport terminal just as the rain and wind struck the airfield.  It rained hard and fast for at least 20 minutes before letting up and the crowds returning from hiding under about a dozen very large tents.

They had lots of military aircraft coming in from World War II, from the Vietnam era there were the Sky Soldiers and their helicopters, and a good number of static aircraft displays to keep you occupied until the airshow started and many food vendors to keep you fed.

A highlight of the air show was the appearance of the United States Air Force F-22 Raptor which did a full 20-minute military combat demo.

It was estimated that  over 30,000 of people watched the planes in action, cars and jet trucks  racing to beat airplanes and helicopters, and skydivers floating in the skies above at this, the  third annual America’s Freedom Fest.

I left right after the airshow and before the fireworks began in order to avoid the traffic going home.   Here is a small sample of what you missed 🙂

Just before the rain!
In the FBO looking at people sheltering under the C54
Kids and Puddles
Darcy taking off
Darcy putting Big Red thru the hoops
Sky Demon
The Sky Demon using every one of its 450 horses.
Sky Demon going thru its paces.
SkyDivers
Sky Divers
PT-17’s Buttoned up before the rain
Sky Soldiers Huey’s & Cobra
Cobra – Mean Machine – Rides a bit salty at $400 – BUT what a ride!
Jet Truck vs Sky Demon
Yep- you really wanted ear plugs around this one
Fire fighting Helio taking on a load
Water drop – by this time the crowd would have appreciated the shower from a higher drop.
Raptor fly by- belly shot
Raptor just hanging in the sky on pure thrust.
Food Court
Some of the crowds
Leaving the Parking Area