Brownski
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 19, 2020
When I was a teenager, I went to the Schenectady County Airshow a bunch of times and got a real kick out of it. There were always lots of cool airplanes to look at- all shapes and sizes- big transports, fighters, general aviation, helicopters... Always lots of cool stuff flying overhead too, including either the Blue Angels or the Thunderbirds. I realized a couple months ago that I’d never brought my kids to an air show so I did some research. Turns out the Schenectady Airshow is defunct but I came up with a list of alternatives.
This weekend at the Orange County Airport was a good candidate- nearby and the Blue Angels would be there. So I made plans. Junior bailed at the last second but DangerBoy was game for it.
Driving up, I was worried the ceiling might be too low for flying
We got there pretty early, not first in line or anything. This one doesn’t look like it’s been up in a while.
There weren’t as many static displays as Schenectady used to have. A couple cool helicopters though.
They filled some space with recruiting booths and Civil Air Patrol and stuff.
The weather cleared up and the temps climbed. By the time the show started it was pretty hot. The Golden Kinights Army parachute team kicked it off.
They jumped out of this UH-72- maybe not the least sexy aircraft in the US military but probably close.
Then the show started in Ernest. Of course there’s an hour or so of general aviation type folks do aerobatics or sky diving. Can’t be all supersonic jet fighter beginning to end. Lots of cheesy commentary over the loud speakers.
We got an A-10 and an F-15- both pretty cool but I feel like the demonstrations were a little more riveting when I was a kid. I kept waiting for the F-15 to point the nose up and light em up but she never did. Lots of rolls and tight turns though.
Some more civilian stuff. All cool but some of it I had to explain to my son why it is cool that one dude pretty much came to a stop midair and hung on the propeller and another guy shut his engine down at about a thousand feet and was still able to swoop around like a glider for a couple minutes before landing it dead stick.
It was somewhat fun. Then the Blue Angels. They’re as amazing as ever.
All good. I got my kid to an air show. He enjoyed most of it eventually I think. Mission accomplished.
This weekend at the Orange County Airport was a good candidate- nearby and the Blue Angels would be there. So I made plans. Junior bailed at the last second but DangerBoy was game for it.
Driving up, I was worried the ceiling might be too low for flying
We got there pretty early, not first in line or anything. This one doesn’t look like it’s been up in a while.
There weren’t as many static displays as Schenectady used to have. A couple cool helicopters though.
They filled some space with recruiting booths and Civil Air Patrol and stuff.
The weather cleared up and the temps climbed. By the time the show started it was pretty hot. The Golden Kinights Army parachute team kicked it off.
They jumped out of this UH-72- maybe not the least sexy aircraft in the US military but probably close.
Then the show started in Ernest. Of course there’s an hour or so of general aviation type folks do aerobatics or sky diving. Can’t be all supersonic jet fighter beginning to end. Lots of cheesy commentary over the loud speakers.
We got an A-10 and an F-15- both pretty cool but I feel like the demonstrations were a little more riveting when I was a kid. I kept waiting for the F-15 to point the nose up and light em up but she never did. Lots of rolls and tight turns though.
Some more civilian stuff. All cool but some of it I had to explain to my son why it is cool that one dude pretty much came to a stop midair and hung on the propeller and another guy shut his engine down at about a thousand feet and was still able to swoop around like a glider for a couple minutes before landing it dead stick.
It was somewhat fun. Then the Blue Angels. They’re as amazing as ever.
All good. I got my kid to an air show. He enjoyed most of it eventually I think. Mission accomplished.
