One of my highlights this year is the College Park Aviation Museum AirFair 100. It was a once in a lifetime celebration of 100 years of aviation history at College Park Airport, as well as an unprecedented waiver of the restricted airspace regulations for takeoffs, landings, and passengers in the area. I signed up to volunteer as soon as I heard of the opportunity.
The morning started with my arrival at the volunteer tent. I was issued an orange t-shirt, an AirFair 100! Visor and a meal wristband.
After eating a purple bagel at the volunteer trailer, I reported to my post at the front gate as a greeter and a baby counter. At about noon time, a police officer's horse left a line of material that would be unpleasant to step in, so I watched the foot traffic and tried to guide folks away from the manure. When Greg Koontz started his act, I was granted permission to take my break. The show was fabulous and I had a pretty good view. Afterward, I got to say hi briefly. He kind of remembered me from the Sun 'n Fun Fly-In. I returned to my post where I remained until 4:30. Then the magic began!
One of the last people I greeted at the gate was an older gentlemen wearing a polo shirt with a personalized DC-3 embroidered on it and a particular N-number. I knew from the shirt that this man had some kind of tie to that DC-3 and asked. He said his DC-3 had a green and yellow Air North livery and was based at Hagerstown. I couldn't believe one was based so close!
I got to walk around the exhibits for the last half hour. I found Al who was trying to sell some old model airplanes. He offered the rest for $10. I was crazy excited for these airplane gifts! He packed them carefully in a large box which I hugged close to me as I wandered among the airplanes and booths in the static display area. When I came to an EAA tent, some of the guys jokingly asked if I had puppies in there. I let them know that I'm at an airport and I get excited about airplanes.
One of the guys, Dan, took a look at my collection and went gaga over one of the seven planes- just the same way I did when I was offered the collection. He was a pilot and was in the process of building a seaplane called a Challenger II. I told him I would give him the airplane in exchange for the promise of an airplane ride. I asked him to sign my Pilot log and put his phone number. He was flattered to sign next to the likes of Patty Wagstaff, Corkey Fornof, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team. Then he said there was someone I should meet and get his signature. He called his friend, Brian, over. Out of respect for his privacy, I won't post his last name on the internet.
Brian was a Formula Vee air race pilot who flew races and set records in the 1980's and 1990's. He brought one of his airplanes, a Monnett Sonerai called Miss Annapolis to the Air Fair. He was wearing a red flight suit with a variety of air race and record setting patches and a red beret. He seemed happy to talk about his experiences, and when I told both Dan and Brian my situation, I became an immediate hero and inspiration to them. Brian said my enthusiasm for aviation was a breath of fresh air. The clouds circled around us growing darker and grayer, threatening to rain. I helped Brian and Dan clean up and then remove Miss Annapolis' wings and push the fuselage into the trailer. Dan gave me a ride to Metro and I was invited by both Dan and Ron (Designer of the Minicoupe, and EAA Chapter 4 president) to the chapter's picnic being held at Suburban Airport (W18) next Saturday, the 5th. Today was a truly magical day!
Showing posts with label Corkey Fornof. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Corkey Fornof. Show all posts
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Saturday, April 12, 2008
This Is Basically My Facebook History April 2008
April 1
1:42am Julie Sang karaoke at the Rising Star at CityWalk!
4:28am Julie has her fingers crossed for Jennifer today!
4:30pm Julie was going to watch the airplanes at OIA after work but since a suspicious man and his baggage were detained, she thinks now may not be such a good time.
5:40pm Julie is going to luxuriate in a nice warm bubble bath.
9:20pm Julie is excited that it's April and that Sun 'n Fun is one week away!!!
April 2
9:27am Julie is going to work.
11:06am Julie forgot how much she loves Dharma and Greg. And she wonders why men and women pair up.
1:30pm Julie really doesn't want to impress anyone today.
7:48pm Julie is at CityWalk.
8:56pm Julie has a hot body.
April 3
12:00am Julie is having the time of her life with her new friends from Long Island at Rising Star!
2:02am Julie is at Wal Mart, but I'm not going to fold myself into a suitcase.
1:32pm Julie needs a Miracle Drug to help her forget this day ever happened.
5:46pm Julie made a chart of all of Trans States Airlines' destinations and which code share partner serves each city!
9:00pm Julie is pondering over the grim reality of high fuel costs and their impact on the airline industry after hearing the news that ATA has shut down.
April 4
9:36pm Julie is hitting up CityWalk.
April 5
8:48pm Julie is packing for the Sun'n Fun Fly-in! She can't wait to meet up with Jennifer!
1:45am Julie danced with the Wasted at Margaritaville and had a blast!!!!!!!
April 6
9:55pm Julie is writing notes. Please read and/or comment on any of them.
9:51am Julie is going to work.
7:02am Julie is frustrated.
April 7
1:06am Julie has to stay awake until 4:30am, walk to bus stop, catch 5am bus, sleep on bus, then sleep in break room til 9am, then work til 5pm. Then Sun'n Fun for a week!
6:14am Julie is EXTREMELY AFRAID of being ambushed by a gator as she walks the rain-soaked dirt road in near pitch blackness, and she's done packing for Sun 'n Fun.
9:32pm Julie is spending the night in Lake Lowery with the Stebbins' at their cabin.
April 8
7:31am Julie IS AT SUN'N FUN ! ! ! ! ! !
12:02pm Julie has set up her tent/museum, registered sea plane pilots, and is now in heaven!
April 10
6:38am Julie is riding a SeaBee to the Splash In! She hopes Her friends going to the Fly In will call her!
April 11
3:00pm Julie has carved a propeller, watched the Thunderbirds, and is hoping to meet Patty Wagstaff.
April 12
3:02pm Julie is watching the airshow from under Corky Fornoff's wing.... Yippee!
3:20pm Julie is watching the airshow and eating pudding from under Corky Fornof's wing.... YIPPEE!
9:09pm Julie would make a great wife for a pilot. Any takers?
April 13
5:00pm Julie should have ran when she saw the smoke...
8:44pm Julie would much rather read SkyWest's Annual Report than unpack from Sun 'n Fun.
10:06pm Julie prays everybody else will have a safe return home from Sun 'n Fun, and her heart goes out to the loved ones and friends of those who didn't make it....
April 14
2:08pm Julie is feeling a lot more rational now.
April 15
6:50am Julie is wowed that the major airline mergers are beginning.
7:12pm Julie is sad to hear Rose's supervisor passed away. :,(.
9:22pm Julie has fallen in love once more with a voice from her childhood. John Denver lives in her heart.
April 16
8:56am Julie is on her way to work.
10:55am Julie is at work.
6:39pm Julie is done with work for the day.
8:33pm Julie is home from work and eating an overflowing bowl of buttered linguine noodles.
9:29pm Julie is watching The Terminal. LOL!
April 17
8:38am Julie wants to know if anyone wants to go to CityWalk with her tonight.
6:44pm Julie likes getting poked.
8:59pm Julie is going to CityWalk tonight.
April 18
1:10am Julie is chillin at Margaritaville.
12:16pm Julie is at work.
7:52pm Julie is hanging out with her friends'....................photos.
April 19
8:26am Julie is going to her last day of work at Universal Studios.
8:37am Julie is going to her last day of work at Universal Studios.
10:04am Julie doesn't like bus connections on the weekend. Good thing she left for work an hour before she really needed to...
2:45pm Julie is wondering how people can be so rude and not feel ashamed.
7:06pm Julie IS MORTIFIED! It was her last day working at Universal Studios and she literally went out with a bang. How embarrassing!
April 20
4:57am Julie is invigorated and soon to be tired! ;)
9:09pm Julie enjoys simultaneously interacting with Facebook friends online and over the phone.
11:52pm Julie just watched a raccoon help itself to the cat food on her front porch for ten minutes.
April 21
8:03am Julie is going to a job interview.
6:09pm Julie is going to her Civil Air Patrol meeting.
11:19pm Julie is watching a lizard explore her bedroom. Yesterday it was a raccoon on the front porch, today a lizard. Please no giant spiders tomorrow!
April 22
5:38pm Julie is riding the bus.
10:27pm Julie needs more minutes on her phone!
April 23, 2008
9:17am Julie Going to get groceries with Kellie.
12:20pm Julie is having lunch with Kellie at Long John Silver's.
8:11pm Julie as trying to access Facebook with her phone with her cell phone withu a bruised quarters me her phone screen broken.
1:42am Julie Sang karaoke at the Rising Star at CityWalk!
4:28am Julie has her fingers crossed for Jennifer today!
4:30pm Julie was going to watch the airplanes at OIA after work but since a suspicious man and his baggage were detained, she thinks now may not be such a good time.
5:40pm Julie is going to luxuriate in a nice warm bubble bath.
9:20pm Julie is excited that it's April and that Sun 'n Fun is one week away!!!
April 2
9:27am Julie is going to work.
11:06am Julie forgot how much she loves Dharma and Greg. And she wonders why men and women pair up.
1:30pm Julie really doesn't want to impress anyone today.
7:48pm Julie is at CityWalk.
8:56pm Julie has a hot body.
April 3
12:00am Julie is having the time of her life with her new friends from Long Island at Rising Star!
2:02am Julie is at Wal Mart, but I'm not going to fold myself into a suitcase.
1:32pm Julie needs a Miracle Drug to help her forget this day ever happened.
5:46pm Julie made a chart of all of Trans States Airlines' destinations and which code share partner serves each city!
9:00pm Julie is pondering over the grim reality of high fuel costs and their impact on the airline industry after hearing the news that ATA has shut down.
April 4
9:36pm Julie is hitting up CityWalk.
April 5
8:48pm Julie is packing for the Sun'n Fun Fly-in! She can't wait to meet up with Jennifer!
1:45am Julie danced with the Wasted at Margaritaville and had a blast!!!!!!!
April 6
9:55pm Julie is writing notes. Please read and/or comment on any of them.
9:51am Julie is going to work.
7:02am Julie is frustrated.
April 7
1:06am Julie has to stay awake until 4:30am, walk to bus stop, catch 5am bus, sleep on bus, then sleep in break room til 9am, then work til 5pm. Then Sun'n Fun for a week!
6:14am Julie is EXTREMELY AFRAID of being ambushed by a gator as she walks the rain-soaked dirt road in near pitch blackness, and she's done packing for Sun 'n Fun.
9:32pm Julie is spending the night in Lake Lowery with the Stebbins' at their cabin.
April 8
7:31am Julie IS AT SUN'N FUN ! ! ! ! ! !
12:02pm Julie has set up her tent/museum, registered sea plane pilots, and is now in heaven!
April 10
6:38am Julie is riding a SeaBee to the Splash In! She hopes Her friends going to the Fly In will call her!
April 11
3:00pm Julie has carved a propeller, watched the Thunderbirds, and is hoping to meet Patty Wagstaff.
April 12
3:02pm Julie is watching the airshow from under Corky Fornoff's wing.... Yippee!
3:20pm Julie is watching the airshow and eating pudding from under Corky Fornof's wing.... YIPPEE!
9:09pm Julie would make a great wife for a pilot. Any takers?
April 13
5:00pm Julie should have ran when she saw the smoke...
8:44pm Julie would much rather read SkyWest's Annual Report than unpack from Sun 'n Fun.
10:06pm Julie prays everybody else will have a safe return home from Sun 'n Fun, and her heart goes out to the loved ones and friends of those who didn't make it....
April 14
2:08pm Julie is feeling a lot more rational now.
April 15
6:50am Julie is wowed that the major airline mergers are beginning.
7:12pm Julie is sad to hear Rose's supervisor passed away. :,(.
9:22pm Julie has fallen in love once more with a voice from her childhood. John Denver lives in her heart.
April 16
8:56am Julie is on her way to work.
10:55am Julie is at work.
6:39pm Julie is done with work for the day.
8:33pm Julie is home from work and eating an overflowing bowl of buttered linguine noodles.
9:29pm Julie is watching The Terminal. LOL!
April 17
8:38am Julie wants to know if anyone wants to go to CityWalk with her tonight.
6:44pm Julie likes getting poked.
8:59pm Julie is going to CityWalk tonight.
April 18
1:10am Julie is chillin at Margaritaville.
12:16pm Julie is at work.
7:52pm Julie is hanging out with her friends'....................photos.
April 19
8:26am Julie is going to her last day of work at Universal Studios.
8:37am Julie is going to her last day of work at Universal Studios.
10:04am Julie doesn't like bus connections on the weekend. Good thing she left for work an hour before she really needed to...
2:45pm Julie is wondering how people can be so rude and not feel ashamed.
7:06pm Julie IS MORTIFIED! It was her last day working at Universal Studios and she literally went out with a bang. How embarrassing!
April 20
4:57am Julie is invigorated and soon to be tired! ;)
9:09pm Julie enjoys simultaneously interacting with Facebook friends online and over the phone.
11:52pm Julie just watched a raccoon help itself to the cat food on her front porch for ten minutes.
April 21
8:03am Julie is going to a job interview.
6:09pm Julie is going to her Civil Air Patrol meeting.
11:19pm Julie is watching a lizard explore her bedroom. Yesterday it was a raccoon on the front porch, today a lizard. Please no giant spiders tomorrow!
April 22
5:38pm Julie is riding the bus.
10:27pm Julie needs more minutes on her phone!
April 23, 2008
9:17am Julie Going to get groceries with Kellie.
12:20pm Julie is having lunch with Kellie at Long John Silver's.
8:11pm Julie as trying to access Facebook with her phone with her cell phone withu a bruised quarters me her phone screen broken.
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