The Airshow of the Cascades kicked off in Madras on Friday.
“We turned up here, and a B-17 had just taken off, and a P-51 was landing as we were coming in on the other side,” said pilot James Good from California. “I mean to be in the air with these legends. Amazing!”
For Good, owner of a 1948 Erco Ercoupe plane, he became interested in aircrafts because of the enjoyment it gave him and his dad back in England.
“It’s freedom,” he said. “It really is. Coming from England, you can do these American road trips, but you’re in the air. It is a whole other dimension. It’s awesome.”
This may have been Good’s first time at the airshow, but for some local youngsters they look forward to it every year.
“My favorite plane is the Airbus A380 and the C-17 Globemaster,” said 9-year-olds from Redmond Kao and Mark.
“Going in the B-17 rides, train, I like everything,” said youngsters Talon and Drew about their favorite things at the air show.
At Friday’s event, there was live music, motocross stunts, a car show, and many aircrafts on the ground and in the sky.
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But the feature event is Saturday, as several small planes will showcase an air racing demonstration.
“He will release us, and basically, from there on, we are going all out, racing around the pylon, and trying to pass the planes ahead of us and not get passed by the ones behind us,” said race pilot for Sports Class Air Racing Council Skylor Piper.
These races can reach up to speeds of 250 miles per hour. Leaving no room for error.
“You know there is just nothing else like it,” Piper said. “There is a lot going on. We are flying close to the ground and close to other planes. So, you know, you are in the game, you know, in that zone, trying to do everything right.”
The air show opens at 10 a.m. with the air racing demonstration at 3 p.m.
