High-flying action closes Cape air show

Historic warbirds, high-tech fighters and jet-powered porta-potty thrill visitors.

Fans catching the last day of the Cape Girardeau Regional Air Festival on Sunday saw some unusual things. They caught glimpse of a jet-powered porta-potty scooting down the runway, flames bursting from its, well, rear. They were visited by giant inflatable Air Force recruiter, who smiled and, with some difficulty, waved an oversized arm. But the crowd couldn't be more captivated watching the F-18 Hornet from California zoom by.

"It's really not so much of a landing as a controlled crash," the announcer quips as the jet prepares to hit the runway. Minutes ago, it had been whizzing past at nearly the speed of sound, silent until it was right in front of the crowd, noise following it like a trail of smoke.

When Lt. Geoff Bowman is safely on the ground, he immediately escorts a young girl to his plane so she can take a picture of him. "It's fun to meet people at these airshows," he says. "We get a chance to promote the Navy in the Midwest, where we don't have much of a presence."

Bowman will do six total shows this year with the F-18 fighter jet, always a crowd favorite for its speed and agility. He has been flying that type of plane for seven years, logging about 1,200 hours in the cockpit. "I like the Hornet because there's only one seat," Bowman smiles. "You get to be up there by yourself."

Bowman takes his aerial performances in stride. "Landing on a boat at night is scary. Getting shot at is no fun. But this is playing."

The theme of this year's festival, "Heroes and Legends: A Salute To Those Who Serve," is embodied in "everything we do," according to Bruce Loy, director of the Cape Girardeau Regional Airport, and for the time, the air show.

"Our opening ceremonies honored the veterans. We have a special 'vet tent' where we've invited veterans to attend for free. We pay tribute to select veterans with plaques of appreciation."

Loy said directing the airshow, even with some 200 volunteers, is challenging at times, but he enjoys it. "This is a great way to promote aviation and the airport. This may be some people's first visit, and it allows us to educate about how aviation supports recreation, business, and the military."

Education was a point brought up by Air Force Capt. Jeff Yost. He flew an A-10 Thunderbolt II, popularly known as the Warthog, and displayed the toothy plane's power by strafing the field with his 30 mm Gatling gun.

"People see what's going on in Iraq in the news, but this is a good way for the military to get out and talk to them, show them what we can do with this equipment."

Attendance at the festival was up from last year, said Loy, with numbers on Friday doubled. He owed the big turnout on Sunday to the cool breeze. Yost, of all people, couldn't feel it in his plane.

"Sometimes the air conditioning doesn't work," the pilot admitted, glancing at the hulking Thunderbolt II. "I get hot up there."

nstanfield@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127