FLYING IN AN ACROBATIC PLANE - IT WAS A SUMMER TO REMEMBER!

I took this photo out of the cock pit of the Red Barron plane - Media Rides 1999, Chicago Air and Water Show.

Flying in an acrobatic plane was similar to riding in a high speed roller coaster at Great America...yep, terrifyingly awesome!

One of the more memorable assignments for my internship at MOSE was to coordinate Media Rides, a promotion for the Chicago Air and Water Show. The planes the flew in the Air Show practice, the Thursday before the event, were filled with local and national journalists. I was in charge of this promotion, with my mentor's guidance, and will never forget the morning when I made 30 journalists VERY happy.

MOSE provided these media outlets an opportunity to fly as a passenger in the acrobatic planes in return for coverage to lure visitors to the event. The planes made all of the same moves they make in the show: flying in formation, spins, twirls, nose dives, high speed flying - all across Chicago's magnificent skyline.

The weather was a little suspect that morning and I was praying it wouldn't be washed out! I took a train in from the suburbs, as I was staying with my folks in the suburbs that summer. I got into a cab and headed to Meigs Field from Union Station.

The cab driver I had that morning was a total rookie - only his second day in Chicago - and didn't know how to get to Meigs Field. He told me this was not a place covered in his training the day before. IRG!

I eventually got there - like 10 minutes late - and we had a great turnout of reporters. I had a few close coworkers and fellow interns show up to join us, as I had a few spots open and we wanted to make sure there wasn't an empty seat! We each had the opportunity to take two rides on two different planes - with five different planes to choose from.

The Red Barron plane required wearing a leather helmet and goggles - old school flight, totally awesome experience because your head was completely exposed to the elements. I took some cool photos from the cockpit of the plane to help me remember this momentous day!

The coverage was awesome, we had all of the major TV stations out there and both major newspapers - among others. My boss took me out for pizza in Little Italy after the successful event and I felt a great sense of accomplishment that morning - another great "Chicago Moment" to add to my list from the amazing summer of 1999.