Pilots in their planes doing aerobatic stunts could be seen in the sky at Warsaw Municipal Airport Saturday. Thousands of spectators turned out for the Air Show of Warsaw and Experimental Aircraft Association Fly-In at the airport. Primary sponsors were Dr. Dane and Mary Louise Miller Foundation Inc., Biomet and DePuy Synthes. Those who attended had the opportunity to see a skydiver drop in with an American flag, an hour-long aerobatic air show and fly in. Attendees also had the opportunity to ride a Cessna, P-26 and T-6 Texan planes for a fee. Helicopter rides also were available, and hot air balloons also could be seen. The barbershop quartet 4 O’Clock Shadow sang the National Anthem to start the air show. Alan Hoover, event organizer and certified aerobatic pilot, was one of six pilots to fly in Saturday’s air show. He flew his 1943 Stearman and 1996 Staadecker 6300. He, along with other pilots, did barnstorming aerobatics, loops, rolls, hammerhead turns and low passes where spectators could see the profile of the airplane. “I have been flying for 43 years, and been dreaming about flying since I was born. My wife says I have little airplanes in my blood,” Hoover joked. Hoover said Stearman planes were used in World War II in the Army Air Corp. and Navy to train fighter pilots. Hoover came up with the idea of having the air show in Warsaw as a way to teach children about aviation. There is an Adopt-A-Pilot program where pilots visit the fifth-grade class at Jefferson Elementary School in Winona Lake to talk to students about aviation. This year the class was unable to make a field trip out to the airport due to funding. “We decided to have an air show where parents could bring their kids and help the kids be inspired and reach for the sky. This is all about inspiration and kids,” Hoover said. Nick King, Warsaw Airport manager, said it has been more than 15 years since Warsaw has had an air show. “We wanted to get the community out and increase awareness about the airport, and tell people what we do out here and to show kids how much fun aviation is,” King said. Johanna Long, ML Motorsports No. 70 NASCAR driver, signed autographs and did laps on the runway. It was Long’s first time for attending an air show. “My profession is in race cars so it’s great to get the opportunity to see what others do,” Long said. Alissa Worsham, Tippecanoe, rode in a Cessna plane with her son, Tucker, 7, and nephew, Maclain Middaugh, 9, Bourbon. It was Tucker’s first plane ride, but Alissa and Middaugh have been on planes the similar size of the Cessna. Tucker sat in the back of the plane with his mother, Middaugh sat in the cockpit next to the pilot and got to help the pilot fly the plane. “I got to push levers to make the plane go up and down,” Middaugh said. Tucker said he saw a farm, playground and his Nana’s house from the plane. Alissa said she enjoyed the plane ride with her son and nephew. “It was fun to see their faces and hear them talk about what they saw, and they want to be pilots now,” Alissa said. Jan and Jerry Nelson, Winona Lake, attended the air show with their grandsons, Brighan and Bishop Hudson. It was their grandsons’ first time for attending an air show. Brighan marked his sixth birthday Sunday and celebrated by going on a plane ride with his brother at the air show. “I’m excited because I have never been on a little plane,” Brighan said. Bishop, 7, said he enjoyed the ride and the air show, seeing the pilots do tricks in the air. Bob Sanders, Warsaw pilot, attended the air show with his great-grandsons, Nathan Trusty, 3, and Alex Trusty, 8, both of Silver Lake. Saturday was Alex’s birthday and he celebrated by going on his grandfather’s Cessna plane with his grandfather and brother. Sander said he hopes to pass his love of airplanes on to his great-grandsons. “At their age, if I can get them to enjoy flying, maybe they will want to do it when they get older,” Sanders said.
