On A Wing And A Prayer...
I thought I'd take to the (rather overcast) "skies" today and pursue an "all-aviation" theme...with good reason, I might add.
And boy, does that bring back a ton of GOOD memories
And, as always, we're callin' em as we see 'em.
So stow your gear in the overhead compartment, fasten your seatbelts, observe the NO SMOKING sign, and please return your stewardess to her upright position.
--Fort Wayne taxpayers can expect a HIKE in taxes next year.
Now WTF does THIS have to do with aviation?
Glad you asked.
Remember those THIRTY "entities" that can LEVY tax hikes (posted on many occasions right here)? Well, ONE of those minions of mayhem is at it AGAIN. The FORT WAYNE AIRPORT AUTHORITY is looking for $2.8 MILLION bucks...and it's looking in YOUR POCKETS for it, friends.
Seems the Kitty Hawk bankruptcy and subsequent pullout from the airport left a bit of a GAP in the old budget, and guess who has been selected to FILL it? That's right, people...it's YOU, the HOMEOWNER. Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the financial waters (thanks to our Governor halting this runaway freight train of property taxation), along comes ANOTHER "shark" (cue the JAWS theme music)...all set to take a bite out of YOUR bank account, paycheck, nest egg, whatever.
I told everyone ages ago that the FWIA had this "master plan" over the next 25 years, and that it as going to cost some serious $$$. They already have a new tower (that still brings aircraft dangerously low over my house periodically), and good old Tory Richardson wants to build another runway to parallel the N/S runway 2-3.
And we NEED this....why?
We're a REGIONAL airport that is trying it's damnedest to want to be a NATIONAL airport...and we just can't do it. We will never become anything close to Atlanta, or O'Hare, or LAX (and be thankful for that). Be happy that we DO have an ANG unit stationed here, and that THEY are thriving (and paying money into the airport as well.)
Of course it would be NICE is we could (talk about a great plan to actually revitalize the SE side of town) renovate all the houses down here, and make them AVAILABLE to MILITARY PERSONNEL (and their families). I'd bet the farm that crime would HAVE to go elsewhere. Who wants to screw with the military anyway, right?
But alas, it's such a GREAT idea that it will never see the light of day...unfortunately.
And while we're on the subject of aircraft...
--Meanwhile...up in AUBURN, the regional airport THERE managed to have a WW2 era B-17 (Flying Fortress) and a B-24 (Liberator) fly in for a few days so people could view them and EVEN take rides. How cool is that?
Here's the link to the Collings Foundation page (owner of both planes):

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/tour_b-17g_hist.htm

http://www.collingsfoundation.org/tour_b-24j.htm

I've been fortunate enough to tour each of these type of bombers (when I was in Chino, CA - Planes of Fame), and I can say that the men who flew in them had something many lack today...CAST IRON BALLS.
There's not much room to do anything but sit, stand or shoot. And the skin of these plans is thin enough that it sure as hell will NOT stop an enemy bullet "passing through". The only heat at 30,000 feet was the electric flying suit you wore (unless you like frostbite coupled with the lack of oxygen).
Now, when was the LAST time you can recall an aircraft display or airshow HERE in Fort Wayne?
If you set your "Way Back" machine properly and said 1999, you'd win the Cupie Doll.
The last airshow was held at OUR airport back in the last millennium. How pitiful is THAT for the SECOND LARGEST CITY in the state of Indiana?
And the weather back on that weekend was bad enough that the Blue Angels couldn't even do their "low" show.
Still, the static display aircraft were worth a gander, and the souvenir stands were nothing short of fantastic.
The turnout for the event was pretty damn good as well.
The 122nd ANG (Blacksnakes) even had their hangars open to the public with officers and flight crew available to discuss a future in the ANG or even to ask questions about their duties and equipment.
Ever since Tory Richardson took over the helm at FWIA, we haven't had a BONE FIDE airshow at the airport. We had one or two "fly-ins" for a day or so (stopovers for WW2 bombers on their way to REAL airshows), but that was it.
You can't even view the BAER FIELD air museum UNLESS you are a ticket-holding passenger (they moved the museum UPSTAIRS from it's former location on the first floor), and that is a treasure that many will not see until they change it back.
It was nice to view the history of Baer Field, and the man it was named after.
But facts are facts...we're a municipal airport...a regional airport...NOT an "International" airport, no matter HOW much money we throw at it. I will confess that every flight FROM FWIA will take you to a TRUE "international airport", so you can leave the country, but we do not qualify for that "title".

--Lastly, Margaret Ringerberg will be laid to rest today in Harlan...or will she?
This local pioneering aviatrix, racer, medal winner, and all around lover of anything and everything pertaining to aircraft and aviation may have her body laid to rest, but I'd wager her SPIRIT will STILL be soaring for quite some time.
Like I said, she's earned her wings TWICE.
Keep 'Em Flying, Maggie!