ALLENTOWN, Pa.— Dozens of aircraft superfans, some from hours away, stood outside the gates of Lehigh Valley International Airport on Saturday for a glimpse of the military helicopters that are in town.
The informal group of aviation enthusiasts ranged in age; some were as young as 17 and some old enough to have grandchildren. Some had impressive photo equipment, long lenses to capture high-quality photos of the helicopters, and CB radios to listen in on the pilots, hoping they mention when they'll land.
"I just think it's more interesting than watching any train or any race car, or motorcycle or whatever. I just just grew up going to air shows and and love it."Joseph Smith, aircraft enthusiast
When the first round of Apache helicopters landed, there were gasps of amazement from the crowd, but mostly focused looks into their cameras, snapping hundreds of photos while standing on high surfaces, such as their cars.
Sixty-nine military aircraft are set to touch down in the Allentown area over the weekend as part of a military training exercise involving the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, which has its home in Jefferson County, New York. The aircraft are scheduled to fly in and out of LVIA intermittently, between 9 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Saturday through Monday.
Joseph Smith is AWOL
One of these aviation fanatics was so excited by the chance to see the helicopters, that he called in sick to work, and came to LVIA instead. He refused to have his photo taken but was fine with his name being published.
"I'm so, so, so sick,” Joseph Smith said with a laugh, followed by a dramatic, over-the-top fake cough.
He explained why he's obsessed with aircraft — to the point where it was worth taking a day off from work.
"I mean, some people like looking at trains, some people like seeing race cars. I really can't get into that — it's just watching a car go around a track over and over and over. I just think watching the military fighter jets with all that, all that power and the jet noise and, and all that stuff. I just think it's more interesting than watching any train or any race car, or motorcycle or whatever. I just grew up going to air shows and love it.”
'She'll be all right'
Like many of the other superfans parked outside airport gates, Smith lives over an hour away from the Lehigh Valley and spends many of his weekends tracking and photographing military aircraft as a hobby. So much so, that it became an important part of his daughter's childhood. Since she was three years old, Smith said, he would take her to see aircraft. Now, she's 18 years old, and planning to enlist.
When asked if this makes him feel frightened, he thought about it for a minute, then said:
"She wants to [enlist]. She wants to go in for nursing, but now she's looking at the [National] Guard. So who knows? Maybe she'll ... maybe she'll be on a C-130 some day."Joseph Smith, about his daughter joining the military
"A little bit. A little bit. But I know you know, I have a strong faith,” Smith said. "I go to church, have a strong faith in God. She'll be all right. She'll be all right. She wants to [enlist]. She wants to go in for nursing, but now she's looking at the [National] Guard. So who knows? Maybe she'll … maybe she'll be on a C-130 someday.”
'Hey, that can be you one day'
Chief Warrant Officer 3 Nicholas Smith, (no relation to Joseph) is the soldier running the military operation at LVIA. He said he loves hearing stories like Smith's and his daughter's.
"I think that's absolutely fantastic,” Officer Smith said. "Because at some point, that little kid that sees these helicopters come in, when they grow up in 15, maybe 20 years, they're gonna say 'that's what I want to do. I want to fly.'
"Always a recruiter, right?” Officer Smith added with a laugh. He said this is a story he hears often, and similar to his own.
"So I know that when I was little, when I was a child, you see these cool helicopters, you see jets, and that's what you want to do when you grow up. So I welcome it. I hope that little kids can come see it. I would go shake their hands and I'll tell them my experience and say 'hey, that can be you one day.'”
The helicopters are scheduled to fly in and out of LVIA until Monday at 6:30 p.m.
