Bike ride to the Air show

[RWright]

I got the lawn mowed and most of the yard work I needed to do today early so I could get in an afternoon ride to the county airport...I mean Executive Jet Port for the fourth annual family day. It was not a huge airshow and I was not expecting much. They were offering free airplane rides for kids 8 to 17 years old. I just barely missed the age requirement by about 37 years. Now I dont know about everyone else around my age but I was sort of wondering where was something as cool as that when I was that age.

After sitting around watching tv, playing on the computer and basicly wasting a few hours I decided was going to ride anyway so I might as well ride the 9 or so miles to the airport and check out the planes.

I decided to take a backpack and carry a towel and some shoes to wear while I was there, as well as my phone in case I wanted to snap a few pictures.

I knew i was getting a late start and would miss most of the flying but knew I could still check out the planes. I took off into a head wind (no pun intended) and was there in like 34 minutes and 18 seconds for an average speed of 15.39 mph, very good for me . It was a great day sunshine and warm, but it is going to be raining and about 30 degrees less Sunday...when I am going to a NFL football game..

Below are a few pictures of my bike and the planes. I made them smaller and hope you can see them ok and hope that I did not post too many without a bike in them. I hope the admins will delete them if there are rules against it. I did read the rules, but quickly. lol

Arriving at the event the first thing I saw were some trainer planes they use for students who take the pilot training course they offer at the airport. (At least that is what I think they are) My 18 year old neice just took the course a few months ago and they looked like the planes she was flying.

I got tired of pushing my bike around but don't have a lock so I tried to hide it behind some shrubs.

I was sort of worried about leaving it but after I took a few steps back and thought about it I figured I would chance it.

I like airplanes but don't really know them by sight unless they are some of the newer military jets and such, but I do think this first one is a P51 Mustang, the others are just a few of thevarious planes at the show. Sorry about the quality of the pictures but my phone has been rooted and rommed more times than I care to think about and this last one obviously didn't have a good camera setup. Plus the sun was bright behind me and my phone was like looking in a mirror at the sun.

And last but not least in the foreground is my Boeing 787 Intercontinental Dreamliner Trek 2.3 with blue wall tires (they were in the returned items bin at performance bike at a great price) and very dirty white bar tape (not recommeded if you do your own service and wrenching and sometimes do test rides before you remember to wash your hands). I did not think about it until I got home and saw the pictures that I realized I forgot the rules about having the drive side in the picture and I DID NOT intentionally adjust the writing on the wheels to line up close like that even though I could not have got it much closer if I did try.

I got in over 18 miles today and had a good day with a smooth ride with no problems and a little out of the ordinary here in central North Carolina.

 

[Joey Shabadoo]

Like the pic of the B26 Marauder - don't see many of those. What's the one below it? An F5?

ETA - No, it's a Czech trainer, an Aero l-39

 

[Cycleops]

Thanks for the story and photos. I too am interested in aviation as well as cycling. We have a very good airshow here in the UK featuring historic aircraft at Duxford in Cambrideshire. I particularly like the pic of the Mustang, arguably the best fighter to come out of WW2. Didn't reach it's true potential until we brits gave you the Rolls Royce Merlin power plant!

 

[RWright]

I had heard that the Rolls engine gave it good altitude, range and more speed. The sound of that P-51 engine is one of my favorites. I was at the show late and hadn't heard it fly so I was hanging around waiting for it to take off and go home. I saw the pilot go out to the plane and asked him if he was getting ready to fire it up. Having never heard one live I was a little excited. He said no, we are not going home until tomorrow.

I just read that the P-51 was first flown operationally by the RAF too.

 

[Cycleops]

Yes, that Merlin engine throtling up is something else. The RAF did fly the P 51 operationally first but it looked rather different with it's 'razor back' fuselage and Allison engine which gave it poor high altitude performance. It was of course the same engine that powered the Spitfire but the Mustang was faster due to it's aerodynamically cleaner airframe.

If you like old planes check out a guy called Kermit Weeks. He inherited a oil fortune from his father and basically poured it all into restoring and flying vintage place. I think he down in Florida. Go to www.flightofantsy.com He's an interesting guy.

 

[Bromptonaut]

At first glance I thought the aircraft behind your bike was the ubiquitous DC3. Closer examination of the cockpit and tail suggests the Curtis C46 Commando, bigger and reportedly a s*d to fly.

 

[RWright]

I wish I would have made some notes but was just snapping pictures. I am not sure what it is but here is another shot.