This year Dyess AFB and Big Country Airshow combined efforts to put on a single airshow at Abilene Regional Airport (ABI). Falcon Flight, as usual, performed at the airshow. Well, 6 of us (Falcon, Gunnbody, Pfantom, Jarhead, Checker, and
Lizard) made it throught the weather to ABI. Falcon and Pfantom
departed 1345 Friday headed to a 1430 rendezvous with Jarhead and
Lizard over Cisco (3F2). It required a few adjustments left and
right using the 496 and up and down using eyeballs. Radio calls on
company revealed that all 4 would be at Cisco EXACTLY on time, but
Jarhead and Lizard were on the North side of a mass of storms and
Falcon and Pfantom were on South side. The 496 revealed a slot in
the East/West line of storms, so we all paralleled the line toward
the West, then Falcon and Pfantom turned North through the slot and
Lizard called Tally Ho (or can you use that word anymore these
days??) and we were joined up. A call to ABI Tower got an approval
for and overhead Diamond Pitchup arrival, and all 4 were soon
greeting old friends and rolling planes into the Hangar #1.
A call from Checker and Rooster indicated they would soon be
airborne. Then the skies at ABI then turned black, a heavy downpour
lasted about 30 minutes while we wondered how far Checker and Rooster
had gotten, and then we were looking at openings in the weather to
the East and through one of them comes Checker to land. Gunnbody
calls to say his TX DoT trip is running late and he will come up Sat
morning.
We get cars, and get ready to go to motel, then depart for Perini's
Steak Ranch in Buffalo Gap when my cell rings. It is Perini's saying
the back patio is closed due to heavy rains. Reservations canceled
and we stop at Sharon's Land and Cattle Company on the way to the
motel. While eating great steaks we hear lots of thunder and heavy
rain on the roof, and while trying to leave after dinnner we have to
stand around in the entryway while it POURS. Finally off to the
motel and it rains all night.
Next morning the computer reveals we are on the Eastern edge of the
storm system which is gradually headed Northwest. We stand around at
the airport watching it rain, then stop, then rain again, but
Gunnbody arrives on time. The rain stops by the Pilots Meeting and
the airshow goes as scheduled. Lots of USAF presense with B-1, B-52,
C-130, and F-117, along with an F-18, and lots of aerobatic acts
including Debbie Rhin Harvey. Falcon Flight performs in gusting
conditions with a 25kt wind at 1000', but we land to the applause of
thousands (well dozens) of adoring fans. Checker, Gunnbody and
Pfantom RTB leaving Falcon, Jarhead, and Lizard to soak up the wildly
enthusiasic compliments at the steak fry, especially from the T-34
formation team performing earlier.
The evening news reveals major flooding from streams in west Abilene
and to the west where towns and I-20 are evacuated and closed.
Sunday morning the fearsome threesome are airborne by 0830 doing a
departure flyby in very choppy winds.
Good job Falcons in less then perfect weather conditions. They want
us back next year.
Falcon
