If you saw some historic airplanes doing some formation flying around the Vermilion Regional Airport this past weekend, it was not your imagination. It was actually a dry run for possible future air show attractions in the area. Local pilot and member of the airport commission Craig Davidson explained to us what these planes are, and their place in history.
AUDIO: These are all Stearmans. They were the primary trainer during World War II for the Navy, and also the Army Air Force. This was the first step for any aviator in World War II; is that you had to get through this program, then you world progress to Basic Training; which was a little bit bigger airplane, more complex. And then you’d end of being fighters, or bombers, or transport; something like that. This is where it all started.
Davidson says the pilots who came out for a weekend of flying at Vermilion Regional Airport loved what they saw.
AUDIO: What we wanted to do was show what is available here in Danville, it’s going to promote the airport. We had people from Mississippi, from Tennessee, Bloomington, and St. Louis; to get us all here. And they loved the area; plenty of places with the flat cornfields as for as emergency landings. The venue with the flight line is fantastic.
Davidson also says other pilots saw what was going on and just showed up to get involved. He says next time around there likely will be more promotion, hoping this can grow into something special
