Saturday morning the skies were alive with old and new planes. It was the day of the fourth annual Princeton Air Show and a day many who attended will remember for more than a little while.
Old restored war planes roared through the air, majestic and resilient. New models showed off their sleek strength. The fast were amazing, the big and old were miraculous and all were something bigger together than apart.
The day was like a history lesson and a lesson on gravity. The war planes brought back memories for some and made the rest remember the brave.
B.C. pilot John Mrazek showed off just why old planes such as the Harvard were used in combat and afterwards. He did aerobatics that amazed the crowd. His smoke and tricks were as impressive as the sound of the powerful old Harvard as it climbed and dropped fearlessly through the sky. John and his son Richard gave Princeton a show that had them holding their breath and cheering at the same time.
Pilot Ron Andrew likes smoke and showed it off in his maneuvers to an appreciative crowd.
Team Rocket had some newer aircrafts. Their F1 Rocket and Harmon Rocket were impressive. Ken Fowler and Eric Hansen flew fast and close together. They had the crowd gasping.
Pilot Bud Granley goes by these rules: “Make the difficult look easy. The easy look spectacular and never attempt the impossible.” He put those rules to work Saturday. Granley’s hours of flying experience were obvious as he took his T-6 through a routine that would make the weak of stomach lose their lunch and possibly their minds.
The Princeton Airport Select Committee did it again. Their Air Show was worthy, exciting and fun. The personal interaction between the pilots and the crowd after their flights was appreciated as was the on the tarmac walk-about. The Canadian Museum of Flight was welcomed back.