Camarillo hosts air show
By Daniel Wolowicz camarillo@theacorn.com

Red Bull MiG-17

Bill Reesman's fire-engine red MiG-17 shoots off the tarmac and into the sky with a jet-engine scream that's more felt than heard.

His blunt-nosed jet, known as the Red Bull MiG, will be one of four planes performing above Camarillo Airport this weekend as part of the 26th annual Camarillo Air Show.

Reesman, a 65-year-old Westlake Village resident, has been flying planes for more than half a century. It's a career that's included 320 combat missions over Vietnam in an F-100 Super Sabre.

After selling his marketing firm in 1991, Reesman bought his first MiG-17 and began performing in air shows across the nation.

"I've been flying 52 years now," Reesman said. "And I've flown over 50 airplanes, and I love the MiG-17 better than any airplane that I've ever flown. The aircraft is superbly constructed. It's built like a tank with a couple wings on it."

During parts of his show, Reesman said he can reach speeds of 600 mph and pulls 8 Gs.

"At that speed, my 200-pound body feels like it weighs 1,600 pounds," he said. In order to control the plane under the stress of those intense maneuvers, Reesman maintains a workout regime that includes constant weight training.

Before he was sponsored by Red Bull energy drink, Reesman said he and his wife personally financed their nationwide tour- a commitment that came with quite a price tag.

To be sure, Reesman said that with rising fuel prices, a cross-country round trip now costs around $20,000. Reesman even bought another MiG-17 after his first plane was destroyed--it caught fire when a gas line broke during takeoff in Oregon about 12 years ago.

"The day after the incident, we were already on our way to Phoenix to buy another airplane," Reesman said.

Although Red Bull's sponsorship has taken much of the financial burden off Reesman, he continues to spend his own money to enter public air shows.

The cost hasn't deterred Reesman, who said his love for aircraft propels him to bring his plane to air shows to introduce youngsters to the world of flight.

"This is not a hobby," Reesman said. "It's a love. It's a passion for kids."

Reesman said his passion for planes was sparked at the age of 7 when he attended an air show in Ohio. That air show motivated him to learn to fly by 13 and to solo by 16. He went on to become a fighter pilot.

"Now, I'm giving back," Reesman said, explaining why he's spent millions on his plane. "We want to find another 7-yearold who's going to get excited and follow that career in aviation because of what he saw me do."

That passion to share the world of aeronautics with youngsters is the very reason why the Experimental Aircraft Association's Camarillo-based Chapter 723 puts on the annual show.

Proceeds from the air show will go to the Young Eagles flying program. The program gives aspiring pilots and aircraft mechanics between the ages of 8 and 18 the opportunity to take their first flight.

According to Ken Coolidge, an EAA member and the air show chair, more than 1.2 million youngsters throughout the U.S. took their first flight thanks to the Wisconsin-based EAA.

"Basically, we're a bunch of guys with a love for aviation, who are trying to share our love of it with the public," Coolidge said.

The Camarillo resident and retired U.S. Air Force lieutenant colonel said it takes 200 of his fellow EAA members to put on the annual event, which takes all year to plan.

"It's a tremendous amount of work," Coolidge said. The most challenging part, he said, is finding members who already have experience putting on the show.

"This show would cost many, many thousands of dollars . . . if we had to pay people to do it, but we have all volunteers doing this," Coolidge said.

As it is, the local chapter of the EAA fronts the $60,000 needed for the show, recouping the money in ticket sales and vendor and concession stand fees.

Not only will the weekend feature four acrobatic air shows, but there will be nearly 100 different airplanes-from vintage WWII models to homemade experimental aircraft-on display.

This year's grand marshal is retired Lt. Col. Dick Rutan, whose 20-year career in the Air Force included 325 combat missions in Vietnam.

Rutan is best known for his nonstop flight around the world in 1986 aboard the Voyager aircraft. Rutan made the 26,366mile flight with Jeana Yeager in a little over nine days without refueling the one-of-a-kind craft, which was designed by his brother Burt Rutan.

This year, organizers expect nearly 10,000 aeronautical buffs to come out for the two-day event. Attendance may be high due to the loss of both the Van Nuys and Point Mugu air shows, which are no longer held.

For information about the Camarillo Air Show, go to www.camarilloairshow.com.