"Glen in Orlando >>" > wrote in message
g.com...

Cool.

As long as I live, I will never forget the pilot of the An-124 Ruslan at the
Australian Bicentennial Air Show in 1988 - after he threw (not just flew,
but THREW) the aircraft around the sky, he landed and as he taxied passed
the stand, he waved with all the enthusiasm of someone who had just had an
absolute ball!

"Alan Erskine" > wrote in message
...
> "Glen in Orlando >>" > wrote in message
> g.com...
>
> Cool.
>
> As long as I live, I will never forget the pilot of the An-124 Ruslan at
> the Australian Bicentennial Air Show in 1988 - after he threw (not just
> flew, but THREW) the aircraft around the sky, he landed and as he taxied
> passed the stand, he waved with all the enthusiasm of someone who had just
> had an absolute ball!


Didn't he get into a little bit of strife that day with the airshow
organisers for being a little too enthusiastic with his flying display. I
though for a moment that he was going to do a barrel roll the that big
beast. I seem the remember that next day the Russians weren't flying and the
announcer mentioned something about the Russians taking the day off to go to
the beach. I heard later that they were protesting about the attitude of the
organisers. But they might have been grounded by the organisers too? It was
some time ago now and my memory might be a little out.

Chris