"Trains to Planes" would be a completely new assignment for me, mainly because of the Depot Inn & Suites' involvement in the Kirksville Regional Air Festival as a Title Sponsor.  As the involvement of the Silver Rails Resort expands in La Plata, MO, so do my reporting duties.  I don't think I could ever have predicted that I would be photographing and reporting on an Air Festival, but it is very exciting for this old  guy.

When I began getting my credentials together for this event, I found out that I would be permitted, as a member of the Press, to ride in the plane that takes the paratroopers up for their jumps! (Plane's photo above)  This actually created a logistics problem - I couldn't shoot the jump from the ground and be in the jump plane.  Therefore, I invited Award Winning, Photo-Buddy, Bob Williams, to attend the Festival.

Bob has helped me with photography in La Plata before.   He takes the Southwest Chief from Naperville, IL, to La Plata, from his home in Huntley, IL, near Chicago.  Look for photos in this report credited to him - he really is a great photographer.  His usual subject matter is Wildlife, including birds, so how do you think he did photographing flying human beings?  Bob is in the photo at the right.  Click his photo for a double-sized copy, click BACK in your browser to return to this page.

When in La Plata, we always stay at the Depot Inn & Suites, just a few miles south of the Kirksville Regional Airport.  We get a room with two very comfortable queen beds.  The Golden Knights stayed at the Depot Inn & Suites as well, so we had many opportunities Fri., Sat., and Sun. to chat with them.

U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team to perform during air show

KIRKSVILLE, MO. -- This weekend you may want to keep your eye to the sky in the direction of the Kirksville Regional Airport.  The Laplata Depot Inn will present the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team as part of this year's air festival.

Staff-Sergeant Howie Sanborn says this will be a demonstration that you don't want to miss.

“It’s just a small demonstration of the skills that the military has.  It just shows one aspect of the training we receive and how precise we are trained.  Everything we do in the military is precision and safety first.  So we're going to go out there and jump out of a plane from two and a half miles up, which seems like the most unsafe thing you can do, but because of the training we get and the equipment we use it's you know...our safety record is amazing," says Sanborn.

Staff-Sergeant Sanborn went on to say there is one special demonstration the whole team is excited about performing.

"The biggest thing that we do...and we pride ourselves on, we're going to shoot accuracy.  When you guys go out to the show you'll be able to come up and see our target.  You'll be about one-hundred feet from it.  Our target is ten-by-ten.  We're going to come in and we're going to fly our parachutes from 2,000 feet when we open, down to a target that is 10-feet by 10 feet and the dead center of that target is the size of a medium pizza and that's what we're going to land on."

Staff-Sergeant Sanborn added that every person on the team is a member of the U.S. Army and most have served the country in combat.  Staff-Sergeant Sanborn told KTVO why being a member of this team is a unique opportunity for the soldiers.

"Almost everybody on the team has been deployed to either Iraq or Afghanistan.  We have some people that have deployed to other places.  So, when we're over there and get the support, it's nice to have this job now and kind of give back for all the support we received,” said Sanborn.

You will be able to meet Staff-Sergeant Sanborn and his other team mates while they sign autographs for free after each demonstration. Click on the community tab of our website, then the Kirksville Air Fest link in the green bar for more information.

As I alluded to earlier on this page, I had the privilege of riding in the Fokker jump plane that takes the Golden Knights up for their jumps.  I had spoken to Staff-Sergeant Sanborn earlier and he warned me that it got very cold (50 degrees) as they reach their 12,500 ft. jump height and that I should dress warmly.  He said 50 degrees doesn't sound very cold, but it is 30 degrees colder than ground temperature and that is considerable if you are not dressed for it.

My plane-side instructions included the normal safety information, except that the two rear doors were off the plane and open during the flight so there was not much question where one would exit in case of emergency, but one unusual thing about the emergency exit procedure was the reminder to steer clear of the propellers!  I was issued an air sickness bag in an envelope and Sanborn mentioned that the envelope itself was not the air sickness bag, but rather the plastic bag inside!  I was then escorted to my seat next to C. E. Huffman, a KTVO TV cameraman, writer, and announcer.  C. E. was seated next to the open door, so that was fine with me to be next to him, farther inside the plane.  Across from me were two local radio personalities:  ShaRae Sears and Dan Comstock (who looked like Kenny Rogers to me when I first boarded).

We were soon up, up, and away into the wild blue yonder.  We made a circular climb over the airport, going as far south on the circle to a point over the BNSF line through La Plata where I spotted a stack train on terra firma on one circle.  Evidently the crew was assigned to check with us civilians to answer any of our questions we had during ascent, and to make sure we were feeling well.  It was loud, but with ear plugs, it was no problem.  Since the jumpers dive from 12,500 ft. at 120 mph until they open their chutes at about 3,000 meet, they wear tight leather helmets and earplugs, so talking was more a yelling match into each other's ears.  Brandie Phillips was assigned to sit next to me and I was able to ask her a few questions.  I asked if this was still fun (she has made over 800 jumps), and she responded that it was her job and she enjoyed it.  She had never jumped before she joined the service.  She wore an altimeter and she mentioned the 12,500 ft. jump height.

The team leader, Tom, kept watch out the open door as they first dropped weighted streamers to see the drift of the wind.  At a higher altitude, one of the team jumps, dives, and parachutes to the target, carrying the colors.  That person, on the ground, then takes off their parachute, puts on their baret, takes the microphone, and becomes the announcer for the show as the other 5 jumpers and a cameraman do their acrobatics.

The following photos outside the plane were taken by my good friend Bob Williams, those inside the plane were taken by me.  As you can imagine, one cannot be in two places at the same time.  The team jumped once Friday evening, and twice Saturday afternoon.  Land-based photos below, are the best photos of all three of those jumps.

Safely back on the ground!	Saying Good-bye to ShaRae Sears
Saying Good-bye to C. E. Huffman	Thank you, Golden Knights!

Meanwhile, Back on the Ground

Since I had gone up in the jump plane, Bob Williams stayed on the ground to photograph the jump.  Most of the following photos are by Bob, with his By Line.  Other unmarked photos are mine.  Remember to double-click any photo to see a double-sized copy.