| 16 August 2010
At mid season we are most pleased to report we just had our best attended weekend in three years.
Our Fokker D.VII, under restoration for two years, is now back on the line flying regularly with its most photogenic and authentic period paint scheme depicting the famous Grimm Brother's Seven Swabians.The D-VII was considered by many to be the finest flying airplane in its era.
The Curtiss Jr. is always a crowd pleaser, with appealing lines and the interesting sound of its three-cylinder engine. Pilots love it because of its pleasant handling characteristics and excellent visibility. While a robust airplane structurally, the engine was never its strong point. Ours is no exception, so the Szekely engine was sent out for a rebuild. It is now back in service and is flown regularly in our shows.
Bill King (pictured below) is our longest tenured pilot. He has understandably reduced his flying schedule to something more manageable, is still current in our 1910 Hanriot, and flies it when his schedule permits. On his "vacation" days we have four other pilots checked out in the Hanriot, so wind permitting you should always see it fly.
Finally, after many years of airshow flying, our Albatross has been withdrawn from service for restoration. This will take at least a year, so expect it back for the 2012 season. For the remainder of this year you can see it in our museum..