Cameron, MO Airshow, Part Two: Friday Arrivals, Practice and Beautiful Night Show

By Leo Cachat

The Aero Experience arrived at Cameron Memorial Airport at around 8 a.m. to scope out the airport for the best photo opportunities and wait for the arriving aircraft that would be in shortly. Upon entering the parking lot, we noticed a blue and white Bonanza, which we found out later belonged to our good friend Doug Gardner who had flown in for the show. It's always a nice surprise to run into friends at an airshow. Doug gave us the tour of the airplane while we waited for arriving aircraft.

The scanner came alive and the skies became cloudy as Jeff Shetterly arrived in his yellow North American SNJ. The skies throughout the weekend were changeable before showtime, but were perfect during practice and the evening show.  That weather trend continued, with conditions right for making dramatic images.  Bob Richards, Sam Graves, and Brian Correll with Jake Landis then taxied in to park.  Two members of the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team who did not make the trip over from the Midwest National Air Center on Thursday, flew in Friday. Adam Baker had made the trip over from MNAC Thursday and Kyle Franklin arrived late Thursday evening. Greg Colyer's T-33 Ace Maker was based at MNAC for the weekend, and he would arrive for the flight briefing at 2 p.m.

We spent the morning photographing and speaking with pilots and various members of the airshow production team as a shower rolled in and out of the area. I would like to take this time to thank Lee Crouch, Gordon Evans and the entire Heartland Airshows team, the FAA, airshow boss Wayne and all the great volunteers who were on site and made this show and our stay one of the best experiences we've had in recent years.  True professionalism was displayed by all involved.

Airshow practice started at 4 p.m. and led into the evening airshow.  The regular airshow participants were flying with the exception of the KC Flight team that arrived early Saturday morning. The evening show had one of the best sunsets you could ever hope for as the backdrop for the participating aircraft, and everyone in attendance was awestruck by the sunset airborne spectacle.  The day could not have been better, and the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team's twilight show was a perfect way to cap off the day.