The late-July unlimited hydroplane races were in session on the Columbia River in the Tri-cities, Washington, several years ago. The airshows between races were flown by my brother, Bruce, and by Bob Hoover, a renown aviator.
The FAA approved the airshows but forbid flying under the Blue Bridge seen in the lower photo, and Bruce didn’t. They said nothing about touching wheels to the water and throwing up a rooster tail; he did at 140 mph. The FAA then said: Don’t do it again; he didn’t the next show.
But the deed had been done, and it made the papers and burned its indelible image into the minds of all who witnessed it. A day later a business associate remarked about seeing quite an airshow the day before. Bruce replied: “You should have seen it from where I was sitting.”
He flew a limited number of airshows and then decided to give it up, preferring to do the aerobatic maneuvers a much safer altitude. I’m glad he did.
#airplane #airshow #hydroplanes #columbiariver
Eskildoodle Photos and Feelings 