Rain, clouds? No problem for airshow in Lake County

It takes more than a few clouds to rattle Msgt. Jason Lynch.

The 21-year Air Force veteran is the team chief and lead mechanic for one of two A-10 "Warthog" fighter bombers detailed to strut their stuff Saturday at the Waukegan Air Show.

While others fretted that the morning rain and lingering cloud cover would keep the more than a dozen aircraft demonstrations planned for the day grounded, Lynch was not among them.

"We're flying today," he said in a confident prediction that turned out to be right on the money. "This bird can handle tougher conditions than this.

Indeed it can. Lynch explained that the Warthog has been the go-to aircraft of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and has logged more flight hours than any other plane in the theaters.

Eyes grew wide among the spectators at the Waukegan Regional Airport as Lynch explained that the Warthog features a nose-mounted 30-mm cannon that brings justice to our enemies at the rate of 70 rounds a second and carries 10 times the bombs of a WW II B-24.

The Warthog was among many models of warrior aircraft dating back to WW II featured at the show, as well as stunt planes and other aircraft.

But the weather posed a question if any of the birds would take flight early in the day, as the clouds that hung over the airport threatened to cancel the activities.

"We believe the clouds will break up and we are ready to go when they do," said Grant Farrell, president of the air show board. "Safety is always the primary concern, and if it is not safe no one will fly."

But the skies parted in the early afternoon and the show went on just a little behind schedule.

Farrell conceded that the morning weather would keep the crowd below the 20,000 projected to attend, but said that those who did come shared a common bond.

"This is all about love of aviation, from the pilots to the volunteers to the people who come out to watch," Farrell said. "Parents bring their kids out here to show them what is all about, and the kids leave with the same love of aviation that their parents have."

Jason Simpson, 8, and his brother Todd, 4, appeared to show up with the love already loaded.

Jason explained that his grandfather had brought them to the show from their Kenosha home, albeit with a little coaxing.

"We got ready early and got all our stuff in the car," Jason said. "We kept telling grandpa to hurry up, because we wanted to see the airplanes."

Todd, apparently a man of few words, summed up his interest more succinctly.

"Zoooooom," he said, as he waved his hand at the sky above the airport.