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Indeed, were it not for the noise, relentless hurricane-force wind sometimes mixed with bullets of rain in the face, occasional bug in the mouth, near impossibility of communication, danger of hypothermia, unshielded exposure to the sun's deadly gamma rays, nonexistent baggage space, low-pressure airflow over the cockpits that can suck out cigarettes and charts, dismal forward visibility and it's otherwise shameless impracticality, an open-cockpit biplane might just be the most ideal aircraft ever concieved -- surely, the most wonderous of all man's wonderous machines.
(Pete Fusco)
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Event Report
Event Reports - Sun 'N Fun 2006
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Friday, April 7 - Pitts Tribute and Night Airshow
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Sun 'N Fun 2006
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Created:
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04/03/2006
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Updated:
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04/19/2006
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Link(s):
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N/A
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Article by Mike Whaley
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Friday night, there was a nice Curtis Pitts Tribute dinner in the IAC tent. Many fond memories of Curtis were recalled, and we all enjoyed hearing stories about the man that did so much for aviation... not only for his plane designs, but for his kindness and friendship towards so many people. After sunset, the night airshow began. Unlike the cold and windy conditions last year, the temperature this time was in the upper-70s, and it was dry with a gentle breeze, clear skies, and a quarter moon above... in other words, it was absolutely perfect! After the flying, we were treated to an outstanding fireworks display. The only disappointment was that they didn't do the "wall of fire" like last year, but the intensity of the fireworks show made up for that. Afterwards, we all enjoyed a good time as many friends and co-workers had come over to Lakeland to enjoy the night. (One nice change this year is that after 5:00 PM, you can get in to the site for only $5.)
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Friday evening, there was a Curtis Pitts Tribute dinner gathering for his many friends.
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Jim Taylor was the MC for the tribute.
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Quite a few folks got up to tell stories about Curtis. Bubba is Curtis' nephew and told a really fun story about Curtis taking him fishing when he was a kid, trying to catch "Ol' Joe" at Shark River... sounds as if Ol' Joe might be the largest Jewfish in the history of the world.
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One particularly touching moment came when Francois (of Curtis Pitts poster fame) presented the family with original wood cuttings of the poster artwork.
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Many stories were shared... Curtis was the kind of guy that you couldn't help but like, for many reasons. It would be tough to find someone who has had as much positive impact on aerobatics as Pa Pitts.
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Aeroshell's performances are spectacular in the daytime, and even moreso at twilight.
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The calmer winds of evening kept the smoke from dispersing as quickly as during the daytime, which added to the effect.
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The Aeroshell Team performs some aerobatics in the fading light of sunset. Great show, as usual!
LARGE FILE WARNING: 1.8 MB movie file (Quicktime .MOV format) - not recommended on dial-up Internet connections.
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Few events are as beautiful as a night airshow.
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Steve Oliver performs in the Oregon Aero Sky Dancer.
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Steve Oliver puts the Sky Dancer Chipmunkthrough it's paces.
LARGE FILE WARNING: 6.6 MB movie file (Quicktime .MOV format) - not recommended on dial-up Internet connections.
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It was interesting to see some of the displays at night.
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Manfred Radius performs graceful, smooth aerobatics in his Salto sailplane.
LARGE FILE WARNING: 18 MB movie file (Quicktime .MOV format) - not recommended on dial-up Internet connections.
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After the flying portion of the show was done, we were treated to an excellent fireworks display.
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They really went all-out on this... it was bigger than many town's Independence Day shows.
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There was a bit of a crowd at the Steen campsite after the night airshow.
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Other entries in this series:
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Sun 'N Fun 2006 - Much Excitement Awaits!
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March
31,
2006
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Monday, April 3 - Part 1 (Pre-Show)
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April
3,
2006
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Monday, April 3 - Part 2 (Pre-Show)
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April
3,
2006
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Tuesday, April 4
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April
4,
2006
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Wednesday, April 5 - Part 1
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April
5,
2006
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Wednesday, April 5 - Part 2
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April
5,
2006
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Thursday, April 6
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April
6,
2006
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Friday, April 7 - Daytime Activities - Part 1
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April
7,
2006
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Friday, April 7 - Daytime Activities - Part 2
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April
7,
2006
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» Friday, April 7 - Pitts Tribute and Night Airshow
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April
7,
2006
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Saturday, April 8 - Part 1
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April
8,
2006
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Saturday, April 8 - Part 2
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April
8,
2006
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Sunday, April 9
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April
9,
2006
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If you have any additions or corrections to this item, please let us know.
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