Weather Throws a Chill Into Air Expo

More than 1,000 people entered gates of the Florida Aviation Expo 2007 Saturday at the Charlotte County Airport in Punta Gorda, and about 40 children got to take part in demonstration flights.

Sunday was a different story.

Because of high winds, the plane rides had to be canceled and, of the 240 planes present on Saturday for the expo, more than half did not return.

Despite the weather, Lou Kirk and J.C. Gertsh went to the Expo to check out the new planes on display and to "do some dreaming."

"They are out of our reach, but we can still dream," said Kirk as she descended the steps of a D Jet from Diamond Aircraft, priced at $1.5 million.

The older planes on display brought up a lot of war stories.

Standing next to his own plane, a light sport aircraft Baby Ace, Donald Adams talked shop with Norman Thornhill. Looking across the parking lot at a couple of World War II fighter planes, the two men exchanged stories from both the American and British viewpoints.

"I was a sign writer for those old planes in England during World War II," Thornhill said.

Viewing a Navy SNJ plane, Sabine Busch and Claude Giraud of Venice listened to Capt. Ed Davidson talk about his flying experiences.

"I flew over 200 combat missions in the F4 Phantom jet fighter in Vietnam, and I was a top gun flight instructor," Davidson said.

And the stories continued at each plane, where representatives or owners reminisced about their time in the skies.

Ernie Hill, lead mechanic for the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office, was busy throughout the day explaining the OH58C and the UH1H helicopters.

Wearing a blue wig topped by a while halo, Suzanne Pelcha -- as "Blue Angel" -- had lots to say about Angel Flight Southeast.

Angel Flights, through donations, vendor sales, volunteers and events such as the Florida Aviation Expo, provides children and adults with air transportation when needed for medical reasons and helps out in case of a disaster.

The Florida Aviation Expo also helps support the Charlotte County Composite Squadron stationed at the airport, which includes the Civil Air Patrol Cadets.

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