More than 50,000 bake, crane necks at FairchildTransport's huge wings

There's no denying it was hot Saturday at Fairchild Air Force Base, where 52,000 people gathered at the Inland Northwest Skyfest 2004 to watch captivating aerial maneuvers by some of the country's top pilots.

The temperature at Fairchild reached 93, and with the concrete runways, it seemed even hotter.

Four-year-old Kyle Collins whined to his mother that he wanted a Popsicle.

Eleven-year-old Brett Fleming and 13-year-old Robert Holloway took off their baseball caps and drenched them with water, returning the sopping garments to their heads.

But considering that people were wearing shorts, T-shirts and flip- flops, and that they had nearby water and shade, one military official plainly put the weather in perspective.

"We've got men and women overseas in Iraq, and they're bearing 120- degree weather and humidity, and they're wearing body armor and getting shot at," said Lt. Matt Hasson, chief of public affairs for Fairchild.

That said, "It was an incredible turnout, absolutely incredible. We blew last year's number out of the water and we expect more of the same" today, Hasson said.

Skyfest is the only opportunity most Inland Northwest residents have to visit the base, which had a strong security presence Saturday. Visitors were subject to search as they entered the base to see top-flight military aviators such as the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and civilian daredevils.

For military personnel, the event served as an opportunity to socialize with the public and to take a break from various assignments.

"I think it lets everybody from the surrounding area see what we're doing," said Adam Rock, an airman first-class who is stationed at Fairchild. It "instills some pride in the community towards military in general."

"I'd take this any day over flying into Baghdad," said Master Sgt. Michael Harris, who's with the 3rd Air Squadron in Dover, Del. "It's fun. It lets people know what they're paying their tax dollars for."

Harris is part of the team for the C-5A Galaxy that was on display. The mammoth transporter - it's the Department of Defense's largest plane - opened its nose cone Saturday so people could enter it the same way tanks do.

Others marveled at the 110-foot wings it displayed, which served to provide some much-needed relief. With the sun high about 3 p.m., the plane's wings cast huge shadows on people looking to beat the heat.

As the sun and the shadow moved, so too did Spokane resident Annie Kelly and her daughter, Krystal. In the hour they sat underneath the wing, Kelly said they moved about 15 feet.

"I really like it, except the fact that it's hot," 10-year-old Krystal said.

At the base's first aid center, military personnel passed out sunscreen and offered water. Sgt. Skylar Turner, an Eastern Washington University nursing student who is in the reserves after almost 10 years of active duty, said a few people came to the hangar on the verge of passing out.

"Heat is a big factor today," he said.

Dehydration and blisters - mostly on children who ran around in sandals - were the most frequent problems seen by medical squad members, Turner said. For those planning to attend today, Turner suggested wearing sunscreen, drinking lots of fluids, wearing a hat and bringing a chair.

Of course, one way to avoid the heat is to attend the event early and head out before midday. Doing that would mean missing the Thunderbirds, however, and it was clear that most who attended Saturday came to see their theatrics.

While aerial shows were in session for most of the afternoon, people dropped what they were doing and gathered along the runway's edge for a good half-mile to watch the Thunderbirds, who at times flew only 18 inches apart.

The pilots, whom Thunderbirds Public Affairs Officer Capt. Steve Rolenc called the "cream of the crop," flew upside down and in formation. The six planes went in loops and twisted.

Frankly, they stole the show.

"They've got really hard formations," said Liam Lyons, 15, of Spokane. "Every year they've got new stuff, and it's just awesome to see."

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