Dreaming of Gelato

Prose: Richard Souza
Photography: Richard Souza, Ryan Kelly, Ryan Tykosh, Chris Rose

I look out my window and I notice the leaves on the trees show signs of autumn. I look forward to this time of year. It is the calling card for winter. The anticipation of crisper air and popping colors just jazzes me up. It is also the time the “season” comes to an end. The final airshows in the northeast have wrapped up and except for a few major shows in the fair-weather states, all I can look forward to is an end of season fly-in. 

This is a time of year when most of us look back at all the photos we took and have yet to process. It is a time of year that we reflect on all the events we attended and those we missed. For an airshow enthusiast, missing an event can be traumatic. It’s that once in a lifetime or final appearance of an airshow act we miss, that will haunt us forever. As we get older, we realize that there is more to life than… airshows. I know, it seems sacrilegious to say, but the reality is that airshows are low on the priorities of life. It’s the new home, the new child, the new job and taking care of ourselves and our loved ones that are the good reasons why we sit the “big one” out. We then resort to living vicariously through someone with a lens on the ground. Of course, it isn’t the same, but, it gives a sense of satisfaction knowing that a friend will bring it home or knock it out of the park.  

There is, however, the “come hell or high-water rule”. This is a rule that is invoked when there is a show that we absolutely, positively cannot miss. This is the one event that will make up for all the missed events and we will cash in all the goodwill and bonus points we have amassed over the year with our better halves, even if that means serving breakfast in bed for the next decade. As I look back at the season past, there was one act that caused a major cashing of chips and completion of “honey do lists”. Earlier this year, the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) announced that their flight demonstration team, the Frecce Tricolori, would embark on a North American Tour. This tour was to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force.  Everyone in the U.S. knew this meant the Italians would eventually cross south of the 49th parallel. I know there are those who may not understand why this is a big deal, so allow me to explain. 

When it comes to military flight demonstration teams. North America has the three principal options. We have the USAF Thunderbirds, the USN Blue Angels and the RCAF Snowbirds. Yes there are the squadron demo teams, like the Viper, Growler and Raptor, but when it comes to the principal ones, we have only those options. Each one of these teams are as good as the next. They are spectacular and awesome. The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels pack the power punch that feels like Lee Greenwood is bursting out of your chest singing “Proud to be an American”. While the Snowbirds show the world that their home built 1960’s era aircraft can win over the crowds. No matter how much you enjoy watching them year after year, there comes a time when you just need a breath of fresh air.  

European airshow fans have over half a dozen military flight demonstration teams within a few hour’s hop. Since not everyone has the ability to make their way across the pond, many sit and wait until one of the European air forces graces us with their presence. In recent years, we have been lucky and fresh air has traveled west. In 2017 the Patrouille de France staged a 15 show North American tour and 2 years later, The Royal Air Force shot their Red Arrows on a North American excursion. The Frecce Tricolori have been here before but to say it was a generation ago would not be an exaggeration. The Tricolori was the one team many of us needed to see in order to complete the European demo trifecta. 

When the airshow schedules are released, enthusiasts build their calendars. Most start off ambitious and overly optimistic but eventually get scaled down due to reality, priorities and personal finances. My personal airshow goal was to catch the Frecce Tricolori. I didn’t care about anything else. The strategy was to schedule any event with the Italians without breaking the bank. I believe in redundancy and since the east coast was blessed with stops at least four shows and several flyovers, I knew if I threw a dart, I was going to hit a target. I really wanted to go to the Quinte International Air Show in Canada. Besides the Frecce Tricolori, the line up included, one of two airworthy Avro Lancasters, a Hurricane and the Fairey Firefly. This was one I didn't want to miss. The back up show was Rochester International Airshow and the backup to the backup was the New York Airshow. I scheduled Maryland’s Ocean City airshow as my “If all else fails” event. Others took the EAA’s Airventure in Oshkosh approach. The event where everything and the kitchen sink shows up. From Ft. Wayne, to Milwaukee, from Rochester to Orange County and from Ocean City to Virginia Beach many of us at Full Disc Aviation got to see and photograph the Italian built Aermacchi MB-339s in their distinctive livery..

When Quinte (Canada) slipped through my fingers, I shifted my efforts to the back up. Despite Mother Nature playing her wicked games over Rochester NY the airshow Gods cleared the weather just enough to permit the Tricolori to perform their low show. I was fortunate enough to see them again in Orange County at the New York Airshow. This time, in the company of Ryan Tykosh and Ryan Kelly, who both would get a second look-see in Ocean City, Maryland. By the time the back to school specials were advertised, the tour ended as did any opportunity to catch this European team in North America. When the Ryans and I watched the Italians head off to land at Stewart airport, we lowered our cameras, looked at each other, looked back up at the departing team and looked back at each other. There was a moment of silence. Since I had seen the display in Rochester, I asked the question, “so what did you think?” The response was just a huge smile. 

As is my usual, I am not quick to publish my photos or write a post detailing my thoughts on any event. I slowly stew and digest my thoughts and emotions. A couple of months have passed and I feel the words can come out. Ryan Kelly used the word brilliant, adding that “it was refreshing to see a new team perfecting formation flying.” Ryan Tykosh said “They fly with a personality and characteristic all their own, with elegant and exciting elements combining to create a beautiful work of art in the sky.”

When Chris Rose heard the Frecce Tricolori were going to make a stop in Virginia, he immediately put them on top of his priority list for the season. Chris said “as I love the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, I really wanted to see a foreign team that flew not only trainers, but ten at a time. These conditions present a completely different dynamic to the performance. I enjoy seeing how the team works with, and around, the performance characteristics of the aircraft they fly. The demonstrations have a slower cadence, and an almost balletic beauty that's enjoyable to experience.”

For me, it was a profound experience and downright moving. Years of wait, years of anticipation had built such an expectation that finally seeing them, brought on a wave of emotions. Their routine is unadulterated and unequivocal… STYLE. Everything about them is STYLE. It is beyond smooth, elegant or cool, it is just STYLE. The blend of the flying with the operatic soundtrack is not just divine, it is exquisite. But it was the show's closing, non-aerobatic gear-down flyby “Alona” that took my breath away. Describing the maneuver will never do it justice. Seeing Pony (as each element is called) 1 through 9 activate the smoke, creating a ribbon in the colors of the Italian flag to the sound of Luciano Pavaroti singing “Nessun Dorma”, had tears knocking on my eyelids. As the crowds made their way out the gates, I just sat in my lawn chair shaking my head in amazement over what I had just witnessed. The only words I could utter were “Holy Shit.”

Many of us can now say we have this trifecta under our camera straps. Who knows when the Italians will return to this neck of the woods. It was probably the last time we will see them fly the M-339 as the Aeronautica Militare has announced the Tricolori’s new steed, the Aermacchi M-346. If I save my milk money, I just might be able to catch them somewhere in Europe. Maybe they will return to this continent before the Full Disc Aviation children are Grandparents. But for now, I am complete knowing we dreamt of gelato… and ate it.