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—_. ~JrEESmow -2+ -

Thousands attend

HOW ABOUT doing il all over
again in two years?

‘That*s what the Terrace-Kitimat
Airshow Society is thinking after
estimating mere than 6,000
people allended its May 3. air-

‘show at the Terrace-Kitimat air-

port.

“Ts way over what we
predicted: We've got money to
keep the society viable and seed
money to help organize the next
ane,” society member Andrew
‘Webber said last week.

From the precision jumping of
three Northwest Skydiving Club
jumpers to open the show lo the
antics of the unique Long E-Z air-
craft al the conclusion, the huge

. @rowd was treated to five hours of
‘aerial displays.

All the. worries about ‘the
weather. went ‘away with the
clouds early in the morning of the
show as blue skies and sunshine
provided a perfect backdrap.

‘**What can I say? The weather
just. got better as the day went
on,”’ noled Webber.

Society: chairman Dave Parker
was. equally as__ enthusiastic,

_ THERE ARE only
three of them left in
the world and all
three are here In
Terrace. They are
Bristel — freighters,
built In Britain and
veterans of many

. years in the air.
Two of the Bristols,
owned by Hawkair
Aviation Services,
were on display at
the airshow.

saying the airshow relied upon a
key core of volunicers and the ef-
forts of countless others.

“Tf it had been a success, we
were thinking of a triennial event.
Now we're thinking of a biennial
event,’” sald Parker, ——

The attendance figure had long
time residents searching
memories for any other event
which drew so many people to-
gether.

“I think that relatively speak-
ing, the Quecn’s visit in 1959, I
think it was, drew all that and
more,”’ said Parker.

“We were really surprised. It
Started as a bit of a whim, Airport
manager Darryl Laurent said now

that the new..terminal was fin-.

ished, we should do something
and this is what happened,” he
added.

Parker was most pleased with
the Canadian Forces Snowbirds
squadron, saying the pilols and
ground crew were jusl as graceful
on the ground-as were the aircraft
in the air, ;

Precision flying and tight

formations on the part of the
Snowbirds had the crowd stretch-
ing its collective neck.

In honour of May 8, Mother’s
Day, two Snowbirds used smoke
to cteh a huge heart in the sky.’ _

Parker also noted the airshow
offered significant events on the
ground. . :

A plaque was unveiled in a
ceremony by the Kitimat and Ter-
race Royal Canadian Legions to
mark the airport’s start as a mili-
tary airfield during the Sccond
World War.

The covering on the plaque was
taken away by three local
velerans — Bill and Norman

Bennett and Les Bryant. Bryant: -

was briefly stationed at the Ter-
race aixport during the war.

As one indication of the crowd,
the Centennial Lions club sold
nearly 1,300 hamburgers ans! hot-
dogs and 80 dozen soft drinks and
Juices.

Vehicles were parked along the
airport road and down the high-
way.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 11, 1994- AS

fighter aircraft is a mainstay of the airforce. Aircraft of this type saw action during the Gulf War.
They are stationed In western Canada at Comox on Vancouver Island and at Cold Lake in Alberta.

FLYING |. TIGHT
“and ~ true, above
left, Canada’s
Snowbirds carved
.. graceful paths
through the air at
- the airshow, Above
-nght, the Snow-
birds sit parked on
the. airport's: apron.
While a lot of
people. were im-
pressed with the
Jets, equally. as in-
triguing was the
Long E-Z, right, a
light aircratt from
Washington State
flown by Tom
- Staggs. Meanwhile
this’ young fellow,
left, gats up close
and personal.