By Morgan Kilgo | Broadcast Reporter
The Heart of Texas Airshow showcased different military aircrafts on Saturday and Sunday at the Texas State Technical College campus airport.
The airshow attracted adults, children and students as they grabbed their lawn chairs and watched the show on the airport’s tarmac, which is where aircrafts are parked when being loaded, unloaded or refueled. It was an extremely hot and sunny day as attendees sat under the wings of different airplanes, enjoying shade, food, shopping booths, helicopter rides and many activities.
The sound of toy whistles could be heard as kids whipped by a lawnmower-driven train. There was also a rock wall, a bungee trampoline and plenty of toy planes being flown around. The event’s main component was the acrobatic flying show featuring aircraft from the Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard flying in loops.
The U.S Air Force featured the F-16 Fighting Falcon, a multi-functioning combat aircraft that can be flown in all types of weather. This was the F-16’s first performance in Waco. The F-16’s acrobatic flight abilities were demonstrated by the Air Force’s Viper demonstration team.
“I grew up around a military family,” said Capt. Kent North of the F-16 Viper demonstration team. “I grew up around F-16s flying, so it’s always been a dream to become a pilot.”
The Heart of Texas Airshow showcased military aircrafts such as the F-16 in hopes of encouraging people to enlist and inspiring children to become pilots.
“It’s a huge impact for a child or even an adult to come out, see an air show and see the aircraft go up, and meet the people who work on it and fly them, and see up close what any sort of aviation does,” North said.
The impact of the show was seen through the children who came out to the event. Sammie Spurlock from Midlothian was there helping her dad with the airshow and said she is training to become a pilot through a program called Young Eagles. The program takes children on their first airplane ride and gives them flight lessons.
“I want to do acrobatics and fly a plane. I’ve wanted to do that since 2009,” Spurlock said.
Other aircraft featured at the show included the U.S Navy’s F-18 Super Hornet, another all-weather multi-functioning fighter jet and the Air Force’s P-47 Thunderbolt, a World War II aircraft.
