Mort’s Rescue at Kham Duc

It would make a rousing movie, the same genre as the siege of Zinderneuf in Beau Geste, the firefight around the DC-3 in The Wild Geese,the evacuation of the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back, the fall of Osgiliath in The Return of the King.
A Special Forces camp is overrun.  Defenders desperately hold off a [...]

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Canopy Cacophony

Like the balloon bursting event, skydiving was a crowd pleaser at the Fiesta.  Sixty-six skydivers from the Philippine Air Force, Army, Marines, and National Police jumped out of 28 aircraft sorties by five aircraft.  They were joined by six civilian skydivers from three countries, 215 jumps in all.

 
 
 

Impressive statistics.  Yet the best number here is zero.  Zero accidents and zero reserve parachute [...]

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The 12th Philippine International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

Over 90 aircraft sorties, not counting hot air balloons.  STOL airplanes, helicopters, microlights, paragliders, S-211 jets… .
Brass bands and silent drill teams.  Rocketeers.  Six volunteers winched from the audience into rescue helicopters.  Three lost parents found and returned to their worried children.
Thirteen aerobatic flights.  Plus two Air Force training jets doing chandelle rolls low over the show. 
Zero accidents.  Zero incidents.  Four UPS cargo flights delayed.
Balloon-bursting – 11 airplanes vs. [...]

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