Pilots teach history with planes

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Friday, October 31, 2014
Pilots use planes to teach history
Wings Over Houston airshow brings a wide variety of aircraft to the skies

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The hugely popular Wings Over Houston airshow returns this weekend to Ellington Field. The show features some vintage warplanes and pilots who flew them in combat.

The Wings Over Houston Airshow is known for its high-flying fun, but ask pilot Warren Pietsch and he'll tell you it's much more than that. "Not only educational, but inspirational. It's been a really neat deal."

Pietsch is with the Texas Flying Legends Museum, participating in this year's show. It's an aircraft collection which reveals some of our nation's finest military moments.

The museum is sharing the stories of men like 94-year-old veteran, Col Charles McGee. He fought with the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II -- our nation's first black military pilots.

"Talent doesn't come in color; it comes in education and taking advantage of opportunities," McGee said.

His words left an impression on students who perhaps least expected it. That is the point, says Pietsch, who tells us his love of aviation was never really just about the planes.