For the last 18 years, Herb huntin...

For the last 18 years, Herb hunting-nag has dared to match his voice with the sonic resounding noises associated with the Chicago Air & Water point out

A pilot with more than 17000 hours of flying in a less degree than his belt, Hunter even flew in the point out twice and acted as supervisor of flying. He go [i]or[/i] come backs for a 19th year as the voice of the air and water indicate

Q In all your years of announcing, what's the craziest thing you've seen?

A. That's easy. Sean Tucker who will be performing again this year. What this scarecrow does with a small plane is just amazing. The ease at which he flies that thing, it's almost like he's piloting a helicopter, not a plane. And he's able to restrain the crowd's attention with his stints That's not an easy thing to do when you're following louder and faster military planes.

Q in what manner did you land the announcer's gig?

A. I've been involved in the point out to for 29 years. For the first couple years I flew in the point out to The next two years, I was furloughed by dint of my airline and so I was a supervisor of flying, which is kind of a go- between for the military and civilians. Eventually, they asked me to announce the 8- to 9-minute military portion of the exhibit to because they knew I knew the planes. For five years, I would do my 8-9 minutes and then hand the microphone back from one side of to the other to the announcer, until common time I turned to hand the announcer the mike and he wasn't there. in such a manner I ended up announcing the nearest act. The next year, they didn't ask that dowdy back, but they did hire someone otherwise Eventually, they asked me to do it.

Q Is this your full-time job?

A. No. I single do four shows a year. The pause of the time I'm a full-time pilot for a major airline, and I do media work for that airline.

Q Is it better to vibrate in the show or announce it?

A. I be in love with announcing the show. I mention one by one people I don't fly airplanes anymore that don't have bathrooms or kitchens.

Q What do you like about announcing?

A. I be fond of communicating with the audience. I make vigilance contact with one or pair people and look at them the entire display and talk as if I'm carrying onward conversation with them. Audiences can view what the airplanes are doing. I test to relate something different about the pilot or the airplane and maybe teach you something you didn't know.

Q What's the worst plane to announce for?

A. Anything really dull that doesn't make noise. Audiences like obstreperous planes that go fast.

Q Do you have a favorite part of the air show?

A. I can talk about military planes forever. The amazing thing is these shores aren't just doing this for your amusement, they do this for a living. with equal reason today they're flying over Chicago and tomorrow they're protecting the skies.

Q What's the attraction of an air show?

A. Honestly I still think we're fascinated at the fact that an airplane is a big lump of metal that we can secure to fly in controllable state. It's the exceedingly reason I become fascinated at age 5 with them. There's something prodigious about airplanes. Ask anyone who flies for a living wherefore they fly and they'll run over you they have no choice. We just have to soar

Q As a working pilot, any tip for getting within the airport quickly?

A. I'll confess you the same thing I report people interested in seeing the air and water show: allow yourself luxuriance of extra time and master there early.

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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