All eyes will be on the sky Saturday and Sunday as Wings Over Columbus 2010 takes to the air.
The gates will open at 9 a.m. both days at Columbus Air Force Base so spectators can get comfortable before the aerial displays begin at 12 p.m.
The shows are free, but feature world-renowned military and civilian flying teams. And not everyone will be flying a plane.
“I fly a parachute,” said Staff Sgt. Aaron Figel, a member of the Golden Knights U.S. Army Parachute Team.
Figel, 36, and the members of the Gold demonstration team, will intentionally jump out of a perfectly good airplane to perform freefall and parachute maneuvers.
One maneuver, the Cut Away, will see a lone jumper simulate a parachute failure that will send him tumbling and spinning through the air for 10 seconds.
The Diamond Track involves two men, each trailing red smoke, who will glide 1.5 miles apart before turning and tracking one another until they pass within inches in mid air.
“They”ve got a whole bag of tricks,” said Figel.
The weather will dictate which maneuvers the Golden Knights will perform, but as long as wind gusts are below 20 mph, the show will go on.
Figel, a native of Pinole, Calif., was inspired to skydive after watching the skydiving scenes in the Patrick Swayze movie “Point Break” shortly after graduating from high school. He logged several hundred jumps before becoming an Army Ranger.
After serving three deployments in Iraq and three deployments in Afghanistan, Figel tried out for the Golden Knights. He describes the sensation of jumping out of an airplane as similar to sticking your arm out the window of a fast-moving car combined with the first drop on a roller coaster.
“It”s a big ”wow” factor,” he said.
The Golden Knights will be joined in the air by the world-famous U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and a civilian demonstration known as Tora, Tora, Tora, which will reenact the bombing of Pearl Harbor, complete with pyrotechnics.
Additional aerial acts include a MiG-21 demonstration, the gigantic C-17 Globemaster, vintage Thunderbirds and a fly by from CAFB”s own 14th Flight Training Wing.
Eight aerial acts will be joined by 24 static displays on the ground, where visitors can walk up to aircraft and get a good look. Ground displays open at 10 a.m.
The Virtual Army Experience, an Army simulator featuring 35 flat screen displays in a huge inflatable tent, will also be on hand. The VAE allows 75 visitors per hour to engage in Army missions such as engaging enemies in ground combat from a Hummer.
A kid zone will be set up for the children and multiple food and drink vendors will be on hand. Gates close at 5 p.m.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
READER FAVORITES
Related Photos
The Thunderbirds' jets stand ready for this weekend's air show. Photo by: Kelly Tippett/Dispatch Staff
