Warbird Information Exchange

The CAF Midland show came and went with nary a post on WIX. It was not that long ago that this was the probably the biggest warbird-only show in the country. Did anybody go this year?

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Rob C

Historically, the claim of consensus has been the first refuge of scoundrels; it is a way to avoid debate by claiming that the matter is already settled. “

– Michael Crichton

I was there. I spent Saturday in one of the maint. team trucks waiting for something to break. Sunday was spent gas passing on the fighter ramp. Smaller show this year. Weather on the west coast didn't help. The turbine powered bus was pretty cool. The turbine powered outhouse even better. The King Cobra was there, but had a problem on sunday. FIFI landed with No.2 shutdown. Rumor was a prop governor problem. They're still investigating. All in all a good show 'cause no one was hurt and no airplanes crashed.

Rick

Check your inbox.

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Tom N

I'm not longer Airsho chairman, but I can say that high fuel prices really caught up with us this year, along with some airplanes breaking down at the last minute (the P-40 being a prime example). Eleven Tora airplanes made that part of the show a highlight. Aeroshell was spectacular (especially to those who have flown a T-6!) and Julie Clark and Matt Younkin helped make the night show special. The crowd on Saturday was good, the weather was good, and it was safe. I would expect next year's show to have more airplanes.

Bill,
Glad everything went well at MAF The Aeroshell and Tora guys are truly impressive! Hopefully next year brings more aircraft and we could all use lower gas prices! Sorry I couldn't be there... I'd love to see some photos.
Take care,
T

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Taylor Stevenson

A Jet powered outhouse, and a Jet School Bus all at one warbird show................can't beleive I missed that!!! Saving money on fuel for paid acts is what its' all about.

The initial info indicates a very strong turn out for AIRSHO 2012, which will go a long way towards making up for the poor turn out due to weather last year. We spent all day yesterday cleaning up the site and moving aircraft back to the CAF ramp and hangars, so we could turn the taxiways and ramps back to the airport. When I went home, I stopped to pick up the mail and my neighbor was outside with his kids and came over and said they had gone out for the night show and really enjoyed that. When I asked the kids what act they liked the best - guess what - the Jet School Bus. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the CAF AIRSHO, and I think you can count on it featuring the aircraft of the Ghost Squadron in good numbers.

Personally, as part of the AIRSHO operations team, I'd like to complement all the pilots and crews who flew the show, especially on Saturday with winds gusting as high as 31 knots, often not down a runway. The maintenance team also did great work taking care of various issues. On Sunday we had the B-29 have to shut down an engine and return from a photo shoot, plus a couple of other planes that needed to get on the ground quickly as a precaution, and all of those were handled very professionally by the aircrews, AirBoss and all involved. I also want to thank the Marshallers, oil and fuel crews, Pyro gang, Public Safety team and the many CAF Colonels who volunteered in all types of ways to make the show work. It was a good, safe show. Thanks to all who helped make it so.

Randy

Thanks for the run-down Randy...
We had a front in between Midland and us so I spent Saturday with a case of the sniffles waxing Moosejaw Belle in anticipation of Wings Over Houston.

Fuel prices are starting to make me blink and think before I go hop in the plane.

As far as the novelty acts go Ober- It is a concession to keeping the kids entertained while we try and ed-u-ma-cate 'em! Sort of the Loud Shiny Thngs-syndrome.

Looking forward to the 50th...

SPANNER

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Support Your Local Warbirds! KBO!
The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

On the one hand there are complaints about the cost of fuel. On the other hand there are compliments to the "Tora" team for setting a few hundred gallons of fuel on fire for "fun". Just sayin'.....

Mudge the frugal

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Land of the free because of the brave

Tora usually is burning up reclaimed fuel that can't be used in airplanes. I've been lead to believe that the dirtier the fuel is, the better it is for pyro. I guess it burns darker.

The pyro gas is unsuitable for anything other than burning....it is contaminentated with different junk so is ideal for the pyro guys, and it costs much less.

I Nevah knew that Old Shep!!!

In that case- BURN BABY BURN!

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Support Your Local Warbirds! KBO!
The only reasons the airplanes matter is what the veterans did with them... and why.

Does the Tora team truck this dirty gas around the country rather than use what is locally available at the shows? Not criticizing, just curious how it works.

August

It is generally acquired locally. Way cheaper and easier to do that rather than ship it. Old fuel bowsers were a favorite source in the past because they were full of all sorts of contaminated gas. When the military went away from avgas then the bowsers dried up for the most part. I have seen fresh gasoline used before by other pyro groups and it doesn't have the black boiling look to it as it will with dirty gas. I've seen oil mixed into it to make it burn really black.

Just posted some photos of Centex plane activity. The P-63 problem on Sunday was an apparently stuck manifold pressure gauge needle. We got it cleared up and had an uneventful, but fast, flight back to San Marcos. We had a great time at the show. We'd all like to say "Good Job!" to all those who put the show together and those who participated in it!

Thanks!

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Ray Clausen
Maintenance Officer
Centex Wing of the CAF