Unfortunately my camera battery died and I had to take this picture on my phone. If I could have zoomed in I would have gotten some shots of her in the air. Still, the Thunderbirds' F-16s behind the biplane look nice.
The other amazing thing was the Red Bull Aerobatic Team. Their pilot, Kirby Chambliss, is a madman, doing things in a plane that don't even seem possible. They also have an aerobatic helicopter. That's right. Aerobatic. Helicopter.
It's not the only helicopter that can do a barrel roll though. We were walking around the ground displays on Saturday in the rain, and there was an Apache.
Me: Ooh look an Apache. That can do a barrel roll.
Laurel (my aunt): Yeah right.
Approaches an airman.
Laurel: She tells me this can do a barrel roll.
Airman: It can.
Me: (smack) I told you!
Airman: (laughs)
I don't think an Apache can do all those tricks as close together as the Red Bull Helicopter, and maybe it can't do what on a plane would be an aileron roll, which is different from a barrel roll... Then again, the Apache was built to kill things, and the Red Bull Helicopter was built to do tricks.
Red Bull invests a lot of money in these machines and pilots, seeking out the best people to keep improving their show, and the state of the art of the aerobatic craft. They also promote science and math education. It's pretty awesome.
Rockstar, on the other hand, pays girls to take their shirts off. I remember when I was in film school, I drank a lot of energy drinks. One day on campus there was a big foamy hose sprayer thing soaking down girls on a Rockstar stage. It was pretty stupid. I stopped drinking Rockstar drinks. Monster coffee is better anyway. Red Bull is OK tasting.
Consider if Rockstar put money into something awesome too. The epic rivalry between these energy drink companies could fuel a revolution in American science education. But, no. Boobs.
