Just got back from Salinas a few hours ago - a 17 hour drive from Abbotsford but worth every minute of it. Congratulations to the entire team at Salinas for an outstanding airshow and a special thanks to Gail Rawitz for helping organize our stay!
Here's just a few of my highlights...
1. The line-up was stellar - two jet teams, two demo teams and an outstanding stable of civilian performers. It was great seeing Sean Tucker again... and Bill Stein is definitely one to keep an eye out for.
2. This was my first time seeing the Snowbirds outside of Canada - it was truly a thrill to hear the crowds ooh and awe during the performance and to see the team so well received. We're definitely proud of our Snowbirds!
3. I was really impressed with the announcing - a personal area of interest for me ...Jim Vanderzwaan did an expert job of keeping us informed through-out the day with insightful, no-nonsense narration that was entertaining and educational. Airshows are definitely about entertainment but they're also about educating the public about the wonders of flight. The announcer plays an important role in achieving that end and I give my kudos to Jim and to Dan McLaren of Mach 1 productions for a top notch job!
4. Good to meet up with Tyson Rininger for a very brief chat - Tyson, the program looks great!
5. I also had to the chance to hang out with some folks (Donna, Darlene and April) I know through Abbotsford...almost felt like I was back home if it weren't for the beautful blue California skies...
All in all, Salinas was a great experience and if you have a chance to catch the show sometime in the future, be sure to go. It's definitely worth it. Not only is it a great airshow, it's also a great community partner - one of its main objectives is to raise funds for local charities.
What a great end to my airshow season. Ho hum....now comes the long, dreary winter...........