Week of Midwest Aviation: Navy Week St. Louis Leap Frogs Launch

By Carmelo Turdo

An exciting week of Midwest Aviation public events began on Monday and Tuesday with Navy Week St. Louis.  The Navy's Office of Community Outreach had arranged for demonstration and recruiting activities throughout the land-locked Midwest, and the St. Louis event centered around the Leap Frogs Parachute Team jumps early in the week and the Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron performances the following weekend.  The Leap Frogs had to work around the stormy weather to get a jump mission on Tuesday afternoon, launching from St. Louis Downtown Airport in a Missouri ANG C-130 Hercules.  The Aero Experience was there for the launch from Jet Aviation St. Louis, and we bring these views of the launch and return of the transport aircraft Tuesday afternoon.  The C-130 is actually backing out from the apron to the taxiway:

      











This video, provided by the Leap Frogs, illustrates what it looks like from the jump aircraft over St. Louis from Navy Week St. Louis 2009:



Special thanks to The U.S. Navy Leap Frogs, Missouri ANG C-130 crew and Jet Aviation St. Louis for their hospitality.