Wing shows off C-5 at Dayton Air Show

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Charlie Miller
  • 445th Airlift Wing
DAYTON, Ohio --  The young and the old and everyone in between were amazed at the size of the 445th C-5 Galaxy on display at the Vectren Dayton Air Show, July 28-29, 2007 at the Dayton International Airport. They stood outside and inside the huge cargo plane craning their necks to take it all in. With a length of 247 feet, a width of 222 feet and standing 65 feet tall, there's a lot of plane to take in.

"It's really, really big and I wish I could drive this plane," said Amber Haynes, 6, of Owensboro, Ky.

WW II Army veteran Zeno Sutter of Tipp City, Ohio, described the C-5 as massive. "It's a wonder that it gets off the ground." Sutter, 85, served as an ordinance sergeant in the European theater. "Can you imagine the hydraulics?"

This was the second time the 445th brought one of its C-5's to the annual show which draws close to 100,000 people every year. The wing has been part of the air show for many years having displayed the now retired C-141 virtually every year before 2006. The C-5 on display had flown directly from the nations largest air show in Oshkosh, Wis. Thousands of people toured the 445th plane during its stop in Wisconsin. Over 2600 aircraft were displayed at the week-long show there.

"I've been to a few air shows before but this is the biggest plane I've seen," said Daniel Shoemaker, 16, of Hanover, Pa. He's seen some big planes before; his father works at the Baltimore/Washington D.C. International Airport.

Air show visitors were able to walk through the C-5; aircrew members of the 89th Airlift Squadron, part of the 445th, opened up the nose and the tail of the plane so the public could do an easy "walk-thru."

"I like all the equipment on it," said Erica Parka, 10, of Trotwood, Ohio. When told that the 445th has several female pilots Parka said "I'd love to fly it someday, but I'm to young right now."

On board the plane were members of another part of the wing; the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron brought a full medical set up to show people how they care for the sick and wounded during a medivac flight.

Master Sgt. Tom Geoghegan of the AES said that "It's always a pleasure explaining to folks what we do and what kind of aircraft we fly." The C-5 is not currently used by the Air Force for medivac missions, but the AES members fly on other strategic airlift aircraft helping care for patients all over the world.

Chief Master Sgt. Teresa Kennedy, also of the AES, spent hours with youngsters. The chief first took the pulse of the kids, and then had them help "save" an ill patient which was actually a training mannequin. The patient would have his heart checked with a stethoscope, then have breathing problems and need manual oxygen. Next the chief would tell the kids that the patient had gone into cardiac arrest. The young medical "trainee" would then, under the chief's guidance, use the disarmed defibrillator and save the patient.

To add to the experience, a heart monitor was up and running and the chief could show a regular heartbeat, an irregular heartbeat or none at all.
 
"In order to do my job, someone has to get hurt or become ill and I don't like that," Chief Kennedy carefully explained to Alyssa Buongiorto, 5, of Tolland, Conn., after the young girl had "saved" the patient.

"This air show is good public relations," said Senior Airman Emily Kennedy, Chief Kennedy's daughter. "In regards to the current situation, this lets people see the personal side of the military. It let's them see how we treat the injured and how we get them home."

At the shows, it was estimated that over 300 per hour walked through the plane and over 5,000 had toured the C-5 over the two-day event.

"Most of the people are real inquisitive about the C-5," said Senior Airman Travis Egger of the 89th Airlift Squadron. "A lot of people I talked with had actually worked on the plane and they had some interesting stories."

Throughout the aircraft pilots, engineers and loadmaster were available to speak with the people.

"One of the main benefits of the show is that people can see what we actually do and then ask questions as opposed to what they see on television," said First Lt. Andrew Pierce, a pilot with the 89th. "Obviously, you can't talk to the TV."

"I've been talking to kids still in school and I ask them if they want to fly. If they say yes, I say, ok, you have got to do well in school. I think it's a good motivator for them to do well in school. I came here to the Dayton Air Show every year when I was young and it motivated me. I'd go to the static displays and ask the pilots tons of questions," said the lieutenant who grew up about 20 miles from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in nearby Yellow Springs.

"I love it when the kids have questions for me; I can just see their young minds turning." Lieutenant Pierce said. "For those interested in flying I explain how you get to these positions."