KCID to ORD on American Eagle

Today was humid, hot and windy. Cedar Rapids conditions remained pleasant for most of the afternoon. This American Eagle flight to Chicago was delayed at Cedar Rapids due to a developing front moving through the Chicagoland area.

Once cleared, the American Eagle took off to the west and turned to the northeast. With a strong tail wind this flight reached O'Hare airport in just 35 minutes. Conditions at O'Hare later developed into a 100 minute delay for departures as the front grew in intensity. Summer is just two weeks away but storm delay season in the upper Midwest is already here.

A Canada Bookin' in Flight

Sounds of geese honking turned my head. I saw two Canadas flying over the creek bed at a fast clip. My camera was set up for an f/22 exposure and 200 ISO, so it wasn't going to freeze the action. Since the light level was fading, I didn't have much hope for sharpness too. As I panned with the bird I hoped the photo would turn out well. I think the bird in flight image turned out rather interesting.

Marion Fly-In 2014 Part 2

Watching small planes land and take-off never gets old at the Marion Fly-in in Marion, Iowa.

To get the full look at the Marion airport you can ride the hayrack around the grounds.

Nothing like a hayrack ride and a thumb to calm the nerves.

Always a crowd pleaser - a local hospital patient copter.

One of the hospital copter's healthcare professionals explains the medical features of the mobile unit.

Marion Fly-In 2013 Part 1

[Getting back to blogging.] On Sunday June 30, 2013, the Marion, Iowa airport stages a fly-in for pilots and the general public. Each year the event grows with more participating aircraft, some for static display and some to give rides for $10 a person. The short flights circle the Marion-Cedar Rapids area and typically last for about 15 minutes. This year the weather was prefect as people enjoyed the lead up to the Independance Day celebrations in the area known as Freedomfest.

Airplane rides are offered in a variety of private aircraft. The Iowa corn crop looked pretty darn good in the background. It would be nearly two months later when substantial rains returned.

This girl wanted her photo taken as she peered out of a Humvee. I suspect that her dad was the driver.

The local Civil Air Patrol manages the flight line and parking for aircraft and cars. The older kids help the younger ones learn what to do while the adult members oversee the entire event. The commander (with his back turned to the camera) generally signaled the planes to park nearby while maintaining high levels of safety. He made sure his troop knew exactly what to do, when to do it and where to do it.

A line of planes wait for passengers to load and unload. As you can imagine the need for safety around these fast moving propellers and taxiing planes are major priorities.

Marion Fly-in photos can be seen here: Part 2, Part 3.