BAILEY AND PARKER FLY IN THE AIRSHOW
by
William P. Heitman
|
Bailey is an airplane, but he is a very special airplane. He has two wings and
is called a biplane. He is painted red and white and he has the numbers 1 2 3 4
5 on his side.
Like all airplanes, Bailey can fly. But Bailey is a very special biplane. When
he flies, he can do many tricks in the air for people on the ground to see and
enjoy.
Bailey has a very good friend. His name is Parker. Parker is a pilot. Bailey
needs Parker to fly and Parker needs Bailey to fly. They need each other to do
the tricks in the air that all the people will see.
|
 |
Bailey and Parker must practice their flying tricks every day. Practice makes
perfect. It is not easy but they want their flying tricks to be perfect, so
they practice -- practice -- practice every day. They want to be the best for
people to enjoy.
One special thing that Bailey and Parker have that helps the people to see them
is white smoke that follows them where they go. The white smoke looks wonderful
against a bright blue sky. If they do a loop, the smoke shows a loop. If they
do a barrel roll, the smoke leaves a barrel roll in the sky.
 |
They practice for the day when they will perform their tricks in the sky at the
big airshow. An airshow has many airplanes for the people in the crowd to see,
hear and enjoy.
There are jets that fly very fast and are very loud.
There are helicopters that take off straight up and land straight down.
There are very big airplanes that take men and women with parachutes up into the
sky so they can jump out for the crowd to watch the parachutes open and float
down.
|
There are groups of planes that fly very close together. These planes fly in
what is called a formation.
But Bailey and Parker want the people to come, see and enjoy them because they
have practiced very hard and they have wonderful smoke trails.
Finally, the day of the big airshow arrives. There is a large crowd of people to
see all of the airplanes at the airshow. Bailey and Parker are excited that so
many people have come to watch the airshow.
The very big airplane with the parachute jumpers takes off first and the people
clap and wave as the men and women with parachutes float back down to Earth.
The jet takes off next and the crowd is amazed at how fast it flies. It is very
loud, though, and the people have to hold their hands over their ears.
The helicopter goes up next and everyone enjoys seeing a machine that can fly
straight up, backwards, sideways and straight down.
Next, the group of airplanes takes off and the people cheer as the planes fly
very close together in their formation. So far it has been a very exciting
airshow.
Bailey and Parker are the final act to perform at the airshow. They are a little
nervous but they are ready. They have practiced their tricks very hard and they
are eager for the people to see their white smoke trails.
|
As Bailey and Parker lift off the runway, they immediately turn on their smoke
for the people to see, but nothing happens. The smoke does not turn on and does
not trail behind them. Bailey and Parker suddenly panic, and for a moment they
believe they are going to fail.
They both know that they must do something because the people are waiting to see
them perform their tricks. Then they decide to continue without the smoke
trails and fly their tricks in the sky without it. They are scared, but there
is nothing else to do.
They do a loop and it is a very good loop. They do a roll and it is a very good
roll. They perform all of their tricks for everyone to see at the airshow, and
then they land very far away from the crowd.
|
 |
They take a long time to get back to where the crowd is, hoping that the people
will not notice them. They are ashamed that their smoke did not work. They
think the people will be upset with them.
 |
But when they get back to the place where the crowd is standing, the people are
waving and cheering at them and saying, "Hooray for Bailey the biplane and
Parker the pilot! Their tricks in the sky were the best in the airshow!
Hooray!"
Bailey and Parker suddenly realized that they did not need the smoke to please
the people. Their tricks in the bright blue sky were the best that the crowd
had ever seen. They knew then that it was their hard work and practice every
day that had made them the best.
Bailey and Parker looked at each other and smiled. They were very proud and very
happy.
|
The End.
©Copyright 1999 William P. Heitman. All right reserved.
Illiustrations ©Copyright 1999 Ryan C. Teasley. All right reserved.
|