Family, Fun, Flight
Family, Fun and Flight draws upwards of 6,000 visitors for day of history and wonder
A little red bi-plane soared high in the sky, leaving a trail of smoke, and then suddenly faced the ground and spiraled down. There were squeals of delight from young and old alike at the Family Fun and Flight event Monday at the Medicine Hat Regional Airport.
Thousands showed within the first two hours, and an estimated 6,000 was expected for the day based on past attendance, said Dave Rozdeba, one of the organizers. There was a sea of vehicles parked from the municipal building along Gershaw Drive to the turn off for the airport. Volunteers had vehicles carefully parked in all open grassland next to the airport terminal as well.
“We are blown away by the support in Medicine Hat. It makes our show bigger and better,” said Rozdeba.
The first Family Fun and Flight took place in 2009. It was an annual event until 2013 when the decision was made to hold it every other year because of the amount of organization involved for the volunteers.
The Pitts Special red bi-plane was clearly a crowd pleaser. It roared through the air and kept the attention of spectators. It evoked memories of barnstorming events you read about. Pilots in their aircraft across the Prairies would entertain those in small communities that would not normally see aircraft and aerobatics performed.
A Harvard, owned and piloted by Jimmy Hyrmack of Bassano, may have reminded some people of the Second World War and the British Commonwealth Air Training program here in Medicine Hat, said Rozdeba. Many Second World War pilots came here to train and were trained on Harvards.
Hyrmack has been flying for 37 years and 22 of those with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He has just returned from doing 55 shows north of the 60 parallel in an Arctic Aviation Tour throughout the month of June.
“I flew 100 hours in June,” said Hyrmack, who was getting ready to perform in Medicine Hat with what he called a “looping, rolling show.”
Hyrmack’s aspirations, when it comes to owning special aircraft, does not stop with a Harvard though. His goal is to own a Mustang, Spitfire and/or a Hurricane.
Hyrmack’s desire to fly began when he read books about Second World War pilots and attended air shows with his father.
There were plenty of children at the event on Monday. Markus Friesen, 5, and Lucretia Friesen, 8, made for the A-10 Warthog almost as soon as they arrived. After a short wait they climbed the ladder that gave them a view of the cockpit. That was thrilling but Markus really got excited when the Pitts Special entertained the crowd.
“The idea is for kids and families to have fun,” said Rozedeba.