Thursday (7/30)  We worked in the Internet Cafe in the morning and we busy handing out Volunteer T-shirts (that was not in our job description.)  It was a fun job since we got to speak to people from all over including South Africa, England, Holland and Russia. 

In the afternoon we got on a very long line to get to go inside the Airbus 380A (see picture.) This air plane is a test laboratory and is not fully equipped for passenger travel.  They use this plane to test new equipment and other changes to the aircraft before making them on the planes that are carrying passengers (good thing!!!)  

We walked around Aeroshell Square (the main area where the great big planes are parked) and also looked at parked personal planes (see pictures.)  The White Knight II was there.   This is a plane that is really two planes joined together at the end of the wings.  It is designed to take passengers into sub-orbital space (see picture.)  

In the evening, we went to Theater in the Woods.   This is a performance area where panel discussions and shows are held.  This evenings program included a performance by one of the South African pilots singing and playing his guitar.   (There is a tent city in the camping area where the South African's have about 75 tents set up for all of the South African's who attend the air show - see picture.  They communally cook and socialize in a central area - it is really a big party - what fun.)  Then two gentlemen who were members of the Tuskegee Airmen spoke about their experiences as members of the first black flying unit.  It was their job to escort the bombers during a raid.  At first no bombing units wanted to be escorted by them - in the end - they were highly sought after as escorts.   They proved to be excellent pilots.  The next group to perform re-created a World War II USO Show.   They sang songs from the 1940's and were very entertaining.  

Wednesday (7/29)  This morning we volunteered to work in the Internet Cafe.  They don't sell coffee there but they do have computer terminals for people to use to get on the internet.  All we had to do was make sure everyone got a chance to use a terminal.  A great idea but the wifi service just could not support the use.   There were a lot of frustrated people coming and complaining thinking that WE were computer technical people - what a joke.   The best we could do was sympathize with them and tell them to try again later.

We went to the air show again in the afternoon (see pictures.)   Each day there are more and more incredible pilots performing with their planes.

In the evening, we went to the Fly-In Theater.   This is an eleven story blow-up movie screen.  It is like a drive-in movie theater with no cars.  The movie was Six Days and Seven Nights with Harrison Ford and Ann Heche.   Harrison Ford was there to introduce the movie and talk about the flying scenes.  He flew the planes himself and explained about all the liability insurance issues they had to surmount so that he could do that.  

Tuesday (7/28) I bet you all thought we were not going to blog anymore.   Well, we have not been able to get wifi signal at the air show now that thousands of people are trying to use the free wifi. This is my first chance to post to the blog in a week - so we will be playing catch up.

 

We stood in line to get a free ride on the "Breezy" for two and 3/4 hours..   This is an experimental air craft that at best can be described as a go cart that can fly (see picture.)  We were fortunate in that while we were on line, the designer of the plane, Carl Unger, can by.  He told us a few interesting stories about experiences he had with the plane.   The ride lasts about 15 minutes and is a bit "un-nerving."  While Sue was riding a strong head wind came up and the plane literally stopped all forward movement and just hovered in the air - what a weird felling. We both thought it was great and were glad we hung in there for the long wait.

In the afternoon, the Airbus A380 arrived (see picture.)   The only way to describe this plane is to HUGH!!!!  It is almost 80 feet tall and can carry 853 passengers.  The engine looks like you could put our T@B right inside of it.  That big red dot in the picture is the engine.

Later in the afternoon we watched the air show.   All of the air shows have skydivers, acrobatic planes, warbirds, vintage planes and helicopters.  The skill that the pilots of these air crafts display is amazing.  

Monday (7/27)  Spent the day at the air show with Monica and Paul.   There are many booths and activities to see at the air show.  We spent some time looking at the Warbirds and the Vintage planes.

The air show was to start around 3:30 pm but it rained so hard they had to cancel it.   There was to be a concert with the Doobie Brothers at 6 pm but we did not feel like sitting in the rain for an hour and a half waiting so we headed out and had dinner in a Bavarian restaurant.

We went swimming at the hotel that Monica and Paul are staying at.  It was a very nice evening with great friends.  

Sunday (7/25) More time spend just relaxing.  After months of days that were long and full of new experiences, it feels very good to just relax.  

Later in the day, we met up with Monica and Paul, friends of our from Albany, NY.   They were out here on vacation and we met them for dinner.  

Saturday (7/25)   We had a very relaxing day again.   We volunteered to help set up chairs in one of the pavilions.   The air show does not start until Monday, so there is not a whole lot going on other than setting up for the various booths. 

We are just chilling and getting the layout for the event under our belt so that we can find our way around.  Including the campground, the event covers an area that is about 2 miles long and about a mile wide.  

Friday (7/24)  We were awoke early as Cece, Bunny (Sue's brother), Rick, Mary and Austin (friends) arrived at about 7 am.   They proceeded to get set up and went for breakfast as they had been awake and on the road from 8 am Thursday morning.

We spent the day just hanging around and relaxing.  It was the first full day that we just did nothing but relaxed - boy did that feel good.   The three of us girls did go out and hit the Goodwill Store and Hobby Lobby - we got some good buy.  I did get some southwestern fabric to make curtains in our motor home.