Published: October 05, 2008 06:46 pm         

Hangar 195 is center point of base air show

It was fun. It was really fun. It was so much fun, in fact, kids were being pulled away in tears from the Kids’ Station, bawling because the kids did not want to end all the fun they were having Saturday at Vance Air Force Base.

An older child, about 11 years old or so, was crying about 1:45 p.m., pleading with his mother for just a few minutes at the “Home Base” at Hangar 195, as she was pulling him by his arm away from the Thunderbird and Blue Angel flight simulators. It was not to be, however, as the irritated mother left not just the Home Base at Hangar 195, but the entrance into the VAFB flight line — the venue of Saturday’s 2008 Vance Air Force Base Partners in the Sky Air Show and Open House.

“The Home Base is the central point for the families to give and receive information and a place for families to play,” said Paul A. Johnson, the officer in charge of Hangar 195 for the air show.

“We’ve had 40,000 people or more come through the Home Base area of the open house, and it’s been a great experience for the families of Enid as well as for the base, and we look forward to doing this again in the future,” Johnson said.

To the immediate north of Hangar 195 was a wide, temporarily fenced-in “runway” with about 20 little pedal planes, in which tots could pilot around the area by pedaling with parents in tow, holding onto the tail rudders, guiding their young, possible future airmen.

Inside the hangar was the Kids’ Base, replete with face painting — kids could get the design of an F-15 painted in red on their cheek, one of many possibilities — and both a moon bounce and a moon walk, aviation videos and gaming stations, Army National Guard’s rock wall, bungee run and spider tent. And just in case, there also was an American Red Cross first aid and water station inside the hangar.

One Enid mother, Kim Phares, brought her 13-year-old son to the air show and to the Home Base for a Saturday of fun, and had so much fun, they wore themselves out.

“We have had a really fun time, but he is so tired, we’re going to go home. We’re actually going to leave before the Thunderbirds demonstration,” Phares said.

The Thunderbird and Blue Angel flight simulators were particularly crowded with kids and their parents as were the Kids’ Base and the counter-balance moon bounce and walk.

Right at the center of the central point for families was the rest and relaxation station. With a base of carpet laid down, there were multiple sofas and cushy chairs set about almost like a living room, which by 2 in the afternoon, was being well-used.

There were several corporate sponsors, most of which had information booths set up on the periphery of the Home Base. They included Continental Resources, Hawker Beech-craft, Tinker Federal Credit Union, Pratt & Whitney Canada, American Red Cross, St. Mary’s Regional Medical Center, Spartan College, StarTek, OG&E, Woodring Wall of Honor, Midwest Music, Integris Bass Baptist Health Center, Rent-A-Center, Reddick Guttering and Carpet Plus.

By the time the main act —Thunderbirds — began, a tad past schedule at about 3:15 p.m., there were a couple of young, possible future airmen approaching the runway of Sleepy Town at the rest and relaxation station.