Randolph AFB Air Show

This past weekend Meghan, our friend Laura, and I got to go to the air show at Randolph Air Force Base. It happens once every year. The pilots do demonstrations of the airplanes' flying capabilities. They also showcase the different helicopters of today and the retired models. There were also planes that have been retired, like the Bulldog and the Texan I. The latter has just been replaced by the Texan II. The directions these machines can turn at the speed they travel is absolutely astounding. Even more impressive is the pilots' ability to control them and withstand the G Forces they are subjected to during the movements. It was a very proud day in a way. It really showcased our country's financial, military, and human resources. Here are a few pics. One is a bomb simulation, one is the Bulldog doing AMAZING tricks that actually defy gravity given the speed at which it dives toward the ground, and then the ability with which it uses its momentum to avoid nose-diving into the ground. In the picture the pilot has done an inverted dive and is heading stright toward the ground. The other shot is of the Texan I and II flying (skillfully) close together. The Texan II is the newest flight training plane the Airforce has made. It just came out within the last year or so.

More pictures below

Closer look at the jet that simulated bomb dropping.

Closer look at the trick/show jets.



A closer look at the T-38

Laura's Visit From West Palm Beach

Our dear friend Laura visited us this weekend from West Palm Beach, FL. We went to graduate school with her and she is on her internship there. Unfortunately, Hurricane Wilma devastated the area, so she hasn't been in work for a few weeks. The area is still a mess! So she was excited to be in a more stable city for 3 days. We took her to the Alamo - as we do everyone who visits. We also went to Pat O'Brien's for the famous drink: The Hurricane. We've mentioned these before on the blog. It's one of our favorite places to get a drink. We also saw the Red Hat Society on the side of the street - we snapped a quick shot of them from the car.