Just got back from the Phoenix Flight Fest!

[Passenger Mark]

And we had a great time....

We arrived upstairs for the meet and greet. Good conversation while we waited for our table. Once everyone had arrived, we presented Captain Ray with a plaque expressing our appreciation for his support, Mrs. Captain Ray with a photo of Ray's landing at Ontario, and a plaque to Debbie expressing our appreciation for her hard work in organizing Phoenix Flight Fest 05!

Before leaving Ontario I was able to barrow a couple of Southwest Airline's wands. What is a wand? A wand is used by the ground crew to direct an aircraft to/from the gate. I am sure you have seen them when you were at the airport.

Anyways... While doing the presentations... I pulled these wands out and put them on the table... Ray obviously was curious to find out what I had brought these along for!

But we will get to that later. :D

Good Group of folks that turned out, and a fun spot! Good times, and good conversation! I suggest that anyone that is considering going to one of the upcoming Flightfests... that you jump on it! Well worth it!

First up is the group at the feed table....

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0189.JPG

In the above photo, please make note of the prankster behind Mark! Thanks Ray... You know what they say about paybacks!

Remember those wands I was telling you about??? Well here is Mark aka Passenger Mark using the wands to guide Captain Ray down the slide! :rolling:

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0182.JPG

AND....

Here comes Captain Ray DOWN THE SLIDE!!!!

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0185.JPG

I wonder what that kid on the stairs is thinking???

Back to the fun...

Here are the early arrivals getting to know each other... EVEN TWO FROM FLORIDA!

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0168.JPG


Presenting Captain Ray with an Appreciation Plaque...

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0174.JPG

Mrs. Captain Ray with a photo of Ray's landing in ONT...

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0176.JPG

Presenting a Plaque of Appreciation to Debbie for all her hard work in organizing the Phoenix Flight Fest 05!

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10002/normal_DSCF0178.JPG

More photos are over on the gallery... so head over there and take a look!

We all had a lot of fun, and I want to thank everyone that came out!

Next one on the schedule is FLIGHT FEST SAN FRANCISCO! April 2, 2005

See ya there!

Happy Flying,

Mark

[LeslieDEN]

It was really fun. It was so good to see Mark and Debbie and Nick again, and to meet California Jeff and Andrea, StPete Mark and Susan, Nick's Dawn, and Capt. Ray and Louann. The out-of-towners flying in outnumbered the hometowners at the PhoenixFest!

Also got to talk to Kelley on Mark's cell phone but I couldn't hear her. She asked like three times, "Did you ride the slide?" but I kept thinking she was saying, "Did you fly to Flag?" (Flagstaff) so I kept saying back, "No, why would I fly to Flag?" Hee hee. We will have to talk sometime in less noisy circumstances.

Sorry we got there too late for the awards! Wish I could've seen that. Thanks, Mark and Debbie, I know you put a lot of work into the fest.

Hope everybody has great flights home! Thanks for coming so far for this!
Leslie

[Passenger Mark]

Leslie,

It was really great seeing yall as well!

[CaptainStark]

It WAS a fun night!

After a 3:45 wake-up that morning I wasn't sure if my batteries would last but they did. Kuddos to Deb and Mark for the work in putting this together. :tiphat:

The slide was lame because I forgot my waxpaper but one trip was enough anyway. The line of kids for that thing was a mile long! Had I waxed it we'd have had kids flying off the patio into southern Phoenix.:shocked:

Great to meet you all, especially those who traveled from out of town. Thanks for coming! See you on the boards!

:ray:

[CaptainStark]

That plaque is AWESOME!:thumbsup:

It's going right behind my desk!

:ray:

[Passenger Mark]

Kuddos to Deb and Mark for the work in putting this together. :tiphat:


:ray:

Thanks Ray... but IT WAS ALL DEB! I just showed up!

Good job Deb... especially from 2500 miles away!

Now I am looking forward to meeting you guys, and even more Taking Flight folks at future Flight Fests!

As I wrote before... next up is the San Francisco Flight Fest... April 2, 2005!


P.S. I just got up! :eek: After getting back and settled in, and bunch of limos showed up with a travelling bachelors party that went on all night in the room across from me! :happyguy: :happyguy: :happyguy: NO THEY DID NOT INVITE ME! :fuming:

[LeslieDEN]

Ray explained something I never realized -- when you first become captain-qualified, sometimes you fly as captain but sometimes it's back to the right seat for you. You literally wear two hats ($80 each!). Leads to a little bit of a split personality.

But I forgot to ask Ray the burning question I'd been planning: "What was the real deal with those two naked pilots?"

Darn it, missed my chance. Now I will never know.:cry:

Les
He prolly wouldn't have tole anyway (<-- sour grapes :) )

[StPeteMark]

... Congrats to Mark, Jeff and StPeteMark for their flights yesterday. Of course to Dawn too, as another fearful. And congrats and thanks to Andrea and Susan for their support of their hubby's "recovery". ... Debbie

We made it back "calmly", safe and sound...and just in time for the Super Bowl Half Time show. Many THANKS to you and PMark for planning such a wonderful event!!! Great meeting everyone for the first time! :cheers: ... and look forward to more flight fests!!! Zonked out quickly last night and now I have to get ready for work...will (promise Deb) post more later and upload photos.

Have to fly tomorrow (SWA) to Jacksonville for business...wow, who would guess I would be doing this - FLYING! For something I feared for 15 years, now it's something I look forward to thanks to education and support from this board!!!

Thanks again!!! Mark and Susan :) :)

PS: Our most unusual find:

http://www.takingflight.us/gallery/albums/userpics/10013/IMG_0842.JPG

[CaptainStark]

Les,

You know as much as I about that story. The papers had all the info on it and no one here knows what really happened, though the "rumor" is the story was "larger" than reality. Big surprise there.

StPeteMark,

Really enjoyed meeting you. Sorry we didn't have a chance to converse more. Next time we'll have it out in the middle of I-10 where it's quieter and easier to talk:eek: . My ears were ringing when I got home.

Nice meteorite! I almost got hit by one of those one night while flying over Pocatello Idaho. That would hurt!:shocked:


:ray:

[Free2Fly]

Hi All,

Looked like great fun! Can't wait for Orlando Flight Fest! I will be laughing at Capt. Ray going down that slide all the way to Ohio tomarrow!

Nich

[spleisher]

I must admit, looking at the pictures, I really wish I was able to attend. Looks like a good time was had by all. Hey Ray, do you do Roller Coasters??? I mean, the slide is cool and all. But I'm thinking we could all have some real fun with photos at the Orlando FLight Fest. I'm picturing all of us in the photo going down the Splash Mountain hill.

Fun Stuff!!!!!!!!

Scott

[Jeff California]

mark slid as well:D http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v733/boingonut1/flightfestPHX021.jpg

[StPeteMark]

...StPeteMark, Really enjoyed meeting you. Sorry we didn't have a chance to converse more. Next time we'll have it out in the middle of I-10 where it's quieter and easier to talk:eek: . My ears were ringing when I got home. Nice meteorite! I almost got hit by one of those one night while flying over Pocatello Idaho. That would hurt!:shocked:

Ditto, Ray! Call us if they ever send you to Tampa...I'll make meal reservations for I-275 - hope there will be no steers grazing nearby (p-u!) :)

What would have happened if that meteorite didn't miss??? :eek:

[Lynda]

Wonderful pics, looks like you all had a wonderful time!

Lynda