Bye Bye Dubai, Bye Bye. And thanks for the air show...

Ok, I snuck into the air-show. Ok, I didn' sneak, I was credentialed. Ok, I wasn't credentialed, I bought my way in. Ok, I didn't really buy my way in. I filled out the credentials, paid a fee and, son-of-a-gun, if they didn't let me in. I figured that I would be found out. They said I needed a passport and business card. I have a passport and a business card. So, what the hell, what could happen? They could ask me to leave. Or throw me in jail. Worth a try. You actually make an ID card on line, which gets printed at the event. Took a snapshot with my trusty MacBook Pro, put on a collared shirt and jumped on the shuttle bus. They let me right in. Passed a background check and everything.

A boy and his ID air-show pass

This was defiantly the playground of the rich. And the military. I can hablo aviation if I have to. Only denied access to one aircraft. Screw you Airbus and Qatar airlines. I was denied access to the new 787, but I conned my way on. Truly an amazing aircraft. Went on lots of multimillion dollar business jets. As one of the Captains who was on to me said,"this is how the other half lives." It turns out that there is a shortage of business jet pilots. Hmmm is 52 too old to start? Probably. Oh well.

It was free, damn it

Had one advantage of being a medical person. I got a free umbrella from the Dubai Dept. of Health. It's a nice one too.  What I'm going to do with it, I don't know. But it was free, I'm a Caplin and it's coming to Afghanistan.  Watched the aircraft going through their maneuvers. The UAE has a new acrobatic team. There was an Airbus version of the C-130 that did some amazing stuff.  Better than "Fat Albert," sorry Blue Angels.
I have a 0400 show time for my flight back to KAF.  Me and my new umbrella will be there...