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"Become a Pilot" Family Day a Mix of Rain and Shine
By Ryan Lytle
Monday, June 22, 2009
Scattered thunderstorms early Saturday morning did not dismay people from attending the fifth annual "Become a Pilot" Family Day at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly.
At one point, the Center predicted a total of 109 planes would take part in the event, but fell short of that number due to the inclement weather that kept many pilots from making the trip.
Bill and Rhonda Kline of Inglis, Fla. said they flew into the area earlier in the week.
"We flew in on Thursday, so we are very happy," Rhonda Kline said. "We're from Florida, though, so we're used to the rain."
Photo Gallery
Families Flock to "Become a Pilot" Day
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The Terrafugia Transition is a rotable aircraft, which means it can act as a plane and a car. (Ryan Lytle)
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The Terrafugia Transition can fold its wings in 20 seconds. It is a rotable aircraft, which is unlike a flying car. (Ryan Lytle)
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Grace Derby, 7, of Warrington, Va. sits in the cockpit of a Lancair 320. (Ryan Lytle)
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Scattered thunderstorms were the norm at this years "Become a Pilot" Family Day. (Ryan Lytle)
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Justin Blau, 22, of Fairfax flies the Cessna 172 flight simulator with ease. Blau, a licensed pilot, said he hasn't flown a plane in three years. (Ryan Lytle)
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Luke Coelho, 2, gets ready for flight as his mom, Julia, looks on. (Ryan Lytle)
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U.S. Air Force's vocal band, Max Impact, rock out during their indoor performance at the 2009 "Become a Pilot" Family Day. (Ryan Lytle)
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The Space Shuttle Enterprise was the first Space Shuttle orbiter. It is 122 feet long and weighs more than 150,000 pounds. (Ryan Lytle)
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Michael King (left) and Paul Werbin dry off their plane after the rain. (Ryan Lytle)
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Rhonda Kline of Inglis, Fla. shows off the spacious front seat of her Moony 201. (Ryan Lytle)
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Fiona, 6, smiles for the camera from a U.S. Army Helicopter as her mother, Tracy, snaps a picture. (Ryan Lytle)
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The Spirit of Freedom was part of the Berlin Airlift. (Ryan Lytle)
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The weather improved considerably as the day progressed at the 2009 "Become a Pilot" Family Day. (Ryan Lytle)
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Although weather kept some planes away, the flow of people attending this year's event patterned its previous years.
"It's really hard to predict how many will come out today," said Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center's Public Affairs Specialist Frank McNally. "We've had anywhere between 15,000 and 18,000 people in the previous four years, but we've had really good weather."
The Center's "rain or shine" policy was prepared to cater to its guests in case of poor conditions.
The indoor portion of the event provided activities for all ages, from a kids version of pilot training school to virtual flight simulators to guest speakers.
"The event really epitomizes what we are intending to do," McNally said. "And that is to educate, commemorate and inspire. Educate the current generation, commemorate the heroes of the past and inspire future generations to become a part of math, science, aviation and space."
Along with these activities was the U.S. Air Force's vocal band, Max Impact, which provided an uptempo style of music to an already energetic crowd.
As the day progressed, the conditions outside began to improve considerably, allowing people to take full advantage of the outdoor activities. This improvement in weather gave the Center reason to be positive about the day.
"Even though there was a little rain, people were happy with the events inside and when it cleared up outside people rushed back out," McNally said. "It was terrific."
Copyright 2009 The Washington Post Company
