Wings Over Houston was held Oct 23 and 24, 2010 at Ellington Field. This was my first WOH and I sure don't think it will be my last. Things were very well planned and the hospitality was first class. There was plenty for everyone.

The static displays were really great. One of 2 Boeing 747 space shuttle carriers was there. They won't be flying much longer. As the shuttles retire to museums, there are several museums bidding for the two 747s also. The Super Guppy was next to the 747. The Navy Top Gun school at Fallon, NV brought an F-16B Viper and a F/A-18F Super Hornet. Two Louisiana ANG F-15C Eagles were there along with an F/A-18E Super Hornet. The Collings Foundation has their flyable TA-4J Skyhawk and F-4D Phantom II on the flightline. Helicopters included an AH-64A Apache and Coast Guard HH-65C. Two A-10C Warthogs were on the ramp plus a C-17 Globemaster III. Warbirds included the SB2C Helldiver, A-1H Skyraider, several T-6 Teaxans, B-17 Texas Raider, the CAF B-24, B-25, F-4U Corsair, P-40 Kittyhawk, P-51 Mustang B25 Mitchell and venerable -26 Invader and C-47 Gooney

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There was plenty of flying! Strong winds cancelled all the scheduled parachute drops, however. John Klatt and Debby Rihn Harvey showed their great stuff! Debhy was also the 2010 Lloyd P Nolen Lifetime Achivemant in Aviation Award Recipient. She is also a captain with Southwest Airlines. Sean Tucker and Team Oracle showed why Sean is to airshows what Joe Montana is to football: he works to stay great! That great American Julie Clark and her T-34 showed the boys how good flying is done. Of course, the CAF performed the oustanding Tora! Tora! Tora! reenactment of the Pearl Harbor attack as the P-40s and P-51s rose to the mock battle challenge. Another outstanding routine is the Vietnam aircrew rescue demo that shows history not too long ago. Let's not forget Smoke and Thuder as a rocket powered vehicle blasts down the runway! The C-17 and C-47 did a formation flyby and the Navy F/A-18 Hornet from NAS Lemoore and Air Force F-16 Viper from Shaw AFB reminded folks what fine noise jet engines can make . One of my favorite scenes was an interaction between one of the Hornet pilots and a former F-2H Banshee pilot from the Koean war as they swapped war stories. There were plenty of heros out there.

The final act was the USAF Thunderbirdsin their Block 52 F-16C Fighting Falcons. They never get old and their excellent standards should be something any of us can admaire and emulate.

Thank you so much to Lauren Martin and Jennifer Friedmann of The Point Group for their great hospitality and help. They really went out of their way to help the media. A Plus from this teacher, ladies!