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History, airshow on tap for State Fly In June 16-18
Aviation pioneers -- one who overcame diabetes and another who proved women could fly high-performance aircraft in the service of their country -- will be spotlighted at the State Fly-In, set for the McCook Regional Airport next weekend, June 16-18.
A champion aerobatic pilot, formation flying and hot-air balloon launches also will highlight the weekend of activities.
'Sharpie'
After the Friday opening event, a barbecue open to pilots and State Fly-In volunteers, a program, "Sharpie: The Life Story of Evelyn Sharp, Nebraska's Aviatrix Program," is set for 7:45 p.m., open to the public, at the airport.
It will be presented by Diane R. Bartels, fly-in coordinator and author.
Born Oct. 20, 1919, to parents who married only long enough to give their baby a name, Evelyn Genevieve Sharp was given up for adoption when she was only two months old.
A move to the Nebraska Sandhills and an itinerant flight instructor's overdue room and board bill at her parents' business in Ord put her in the front seat of an Alexander Flyabout during the Depression.
A "natural" pilot, she earns her private, commercial and instructor's ratings by age 20. The only woman to fly the U.S. Air Mail in Nebraska, and the first woman to be inducted into the prestigious Nebraska Aviation Hall of Fame, the early Nebraska barnstorming pilot was selected as one of the original 28 women to fly the Army's airplanes during World War II. Ultimately, Evelyn Sharp gave her life for our country while ferrying a P-38 near Harrisburg, Pa. She was 24 years old, and is buried in Ord near the airport which bears her name.
Speaker Diane Ruth Armour Bartels does not remember a time when she did not want to fly. Growing up on a farm in northeast Nebraska, she watched the Iowa Air National Guard P-51s make their approaches into the Sioux City Air Base and earned her private pilot license in 1966.
Her biography of Evelyn Sharp served as a basis for the Nebraska Educational Telecommunications film, "Sharpie: Born to Fly," released in September 2000.
Diabetes World Flight
The public also is invited to attend a presentation by Diabetes World Flight speaker, Douglas Cairns, at 2 p.m. Saturday in one of the airport hangars (signs will be posted).
Community Hospital Health Foundation is sponsoring the presentation.
Cairns, 40, is a former Royal Air Force jet pilot from Scotland. After graduating from Edinburgh University in 1985 he spent four years in the Royal Air Force where he completed his fast-jet flying training on Hawks and instructor qualification on Jet Provosts. After five months instructing, Cairns was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes in 1989 and was unable to fly in the RAF.
He subsequently left the RAF in 1989 and changed his career to fund management. He moved to Thailand in 1996 where he was the Chief Investment Officer and latterly the Chief Executive Officer of Schroder Asset Management Limited, a joint venture in Bangkok.
In 1997, Douglas began flying again in Thailand at the Thai Flying Club, with a qualified flying instructor on board. In 1999, he discovered that it was possible to obtain a U.S. Medical license to fly solo privately in the USA by meeting certain medical requirements.
He obtained his US Private Pilot License (PPL) in December 2000. He also gained a "Special Pilot License" in Australia in February 2001 and validated his USA license to fly in Thailand.
In 2003, Cairns completed a flight around the world to show that clinical conditions such as Type 1 Diabetes should not limit the scope of people's dreams and ambitions and to raise awareness of diabetes.
During the presentation at the McCook airport, Cairns will share his story and encourage others with chronic illness or medical limitations to pursue their dreams. His recently published book, Dare to Dream -- Flying Solo With Diabetes, will also be available to purchase.
There is no charge to attend, but to assist with seating arrangements, please RSVP to Monica Wacker, RN, Certified Diabetic Educator at Community Hospital at (308) 345-8539.
The Schedule
Friday, June 16 -- 6-7:30 p.m., barbecue, open to pilots and State Fly-In volunteers. 7:45-8:45 p.m., "Sharpie, The Life Story of Evelyn Sharp -- Nebraska's Aviatrix Program," Diane R. Bartels, author; open to public. 8 p.m., "Thunder on the Plains," stock car races, Red Willow County Fairgrounds.
Saturday, June 17 -- 7 a.m., balloon launch. 7-10 a.m., breakfast, free to fly-in pilots. 9 a.m.-6 p.m., aviation and aviation history vendors, aviation school representatives, etc. 10 a.m. opening ceremony; veterans recognition, Civil Air Patrol color guard. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., food vendors. 11 a.m.-noon, aerobatic air show, Rob Ator, first place, 2005 Rocky Mountain Invitational, Lamar, Colo., 2005. Formation flying, Colorado Yak Pak. 2 p.m., Pilot Doug Cairns program, "Around the World Diabetes Flight," sponsored by McCook Community Health Foundation. 4 p.m., awards presentation. 7 p.m., Thunder on the Plains stock car race, Red Willow County Fairgrounds.
Sunday, June 18, 7 a.m., balloon launch. 7-10 a.m., breakfast.