Family Day at JBER (Joint Base Elmendorf Air Base and Fort Richardson) Annual Air Show. We had the Thunderbirds,
lots of parachutes
of course, most importantly, a helicopter refueling demo
featuring our very own Major Jesse Ashmore from the Alaska Air National Guard as the helicopter pilot.
The helicopter is not allowed to actually connect the probe to the refilling tube at the air show for safety reasons so that final bit of drama is left to the imagination, but chasing a flexible tube with rotors spinning was enough for me. Especially when I added the idea of doing it at night in nasty weather when rescue operations are most likely to occur.
All in all it was a great day of flag waving, red, white, and blue smoke, roaring engines, deliciously daring flight behavior - and friendship.