My 2018 Memories
Aviation is alive and well, as I witnessed during my travels in 2018. Innovations are still forthcoming, history is still revered, and air shows and other presentations still draw large crowds. I traveled outside the U.S. for a pair of air shows this year, and attended 6 other trade, convention and air show events within America.
For single day events, I caught some early springtime sunshine at Portsmouth NH’s Pease airport, seeing the world’s first delivered Pilatus PC-24 jet operated by PlaneSense, plus a group of Italian Air Force aircraft en route to a Red Flag exercise.
I spent a few hours at the Rhode Island National Guard Open House and Air Show in the springtime, witnessing some great flying displays from National Guard, civilian and warbird operators.
Summer’s events began with a day at Westover Air Force Reserve Base’s air show, with a wide assortment of warbirds and active military aircraft, plus some very friendly Reservists!
I was lucky to be able to travel to Poland for the 100th Anniversary of that country’s Air Force, as well as to photograph some great airliners in Boston, Warsaw and Copenhagen.
I caught the Collings Foundation’s Wings of Freedom Tour stop in Worcester MA during late summer, near their Stow MA headquarters. Some of their rarer fighters were on static display, a rare treat.
Finally, I spent a few hours at the big NBAA Convention in Orlando, both on the baking static ramp and inside the cavernous Convention Center on the other side of town. It was good to see long-time aviation historian Scott Wonderly for supper too!
I’m very fortunate to be able to record aviation history from both “behind the scenes” and at the actual events… it’ll be 29 years this year since my first article was accepted in the Atlantic Flyer… and if I’m lucky, I’ll be involved for a few decades more here at Photorecon.net, ClassicWarbirds.net, and CivilAviationWorld.com too.
Cheers!
