Immokalee Jet Rally

November 29-30, 2003

Holiday Food and Flying

This jet together has become a Thanksgiving weekend tradition for a few dozen Florida flyers. We have the use of an off-duty runway at the Immokale airport, the hospitality of Vern and Larry Kramer and the cuisine of Francis Pischner's restaurant and on-field catering service.
High winds following an atypical cold front passage limited flying on Saturday to a few bold pilots with KingCat's and Bandit's. Sunday was perfect though, so we engaged in some intense flying and good times from sunrise to sunset. The event drew a total of 30 pilots over the weekend.
Francis brings his kitchen crew and equipment from one of his two "Grouper and Chips" restaurants to the field on Sunday for a noontime feast.
Should your travels take you to the Naples, Florida area and you like really fresh and expertly prepared fish and veggies, you will enjoy your "Gulf Coast Grouper and Chips" dining experience.

Naples location - 239-643-4577Bonita Springs location - 239-390-2348

Photo Gallery
click to enlarge photo's

Fine food and jet flying are family ventures for the Pischner family. Francis, Natalie, Pam and Lacy pose with the now 395 flight Bandit with AMT Mercury power.
	Plywood panels were provided for engine start-up adjacent to the runway. Here the Kramers prepare one of their Bandits with AMT USA power.
David Gaspari and Brandon Ulmer come from Tequesta, Florida for some holiday feasting and flying. David flys a very old, but still good Bandit and Brandon logged early flights on a Maverick with a PST Turbine conversion.
	This KingCat was so new that Barry West has yet to apply the vinyl lettering but the first flights went well as signaled by Jan's smiling approval.
Tom Dodgen and BV flew KingCats, the bomb dropping Sabre, F-100, F-4 and the balsa Super Bandit on Sunday.
	This is the original F-100D prototype that is now 4 years old and has about 160 flights. It has worked well and is the best windy weather model in our stable. Power is an AMT USA Pegasus SP.
Now powered with JetCat P-120 power, the Blue Angel Phantom is a real crowd pleaser especially with the smoke on during huge vertical maneuvers and low, long slow rolls.