Classic Pants a.k.a. WAM 1970s

[Shorts,David]

On another thread we were discussing the proper pants to wear while flying classic or OTS. Here is a video from my dad's collection. Sorry, this one didn't get the attention the Nats videos did regarding professional transfer or identification of the pilots. All I recognize are Lanny Shorts (camera man and flies with his son, Paul Shorts) at the end. Arlie Preszler is near the beginning wearing some yellow striped "wall paper" pants. If you recognize anyone else, I'd love to add the titles like the 78 and 75 Nats videos.



Enjoy,
David

[Dan McEntee]

   VERY COOL! Do you know who the little kids were that were flying?. What time period? That was probably a typical turn out for a WAM contest.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[john e. holliday]

That youngster flying sure brought back memories.  But, how did we survive back then, no hard hats/helmets or safety thongs.

[Brett Buck]

On another thread we were discussing the proper pants to wear while flying classic or OTS. Here is a video from my dad's collection. Sorry, this one didn't get the attention the Nats videos did regarding professional transfer or identification of the pilots. All I recognize are Lanny Shorts (camera man and flies with his son, Paul Shorts) at the end. Arlie Preszler is near the beginning wearing some yellow striped "wall paper" pants.

   Very stylish, I think you can get pants like that at a golf pro shop in Covington.

     My first WAM contest was also in San Jose, Del Mar high school, but in 1983, not the 70s.

    Brett

[EddyR]

   Here are my striped pants from 1970.     I was 30 when this was taken in Port Crane NY
EddyR

[Dan McEntee]

    For me, I prefer the white pants, when I can find them! White pants are not just a stunt thing, but is an old practice in racing also. You can see lots of white pants in vintage photos of drag racing and dirt track racing in the pit areas, and I think it was done just for that purpose....... for visibility. The day glow green and yellow vest had not yet been invented, and in the old days of racing at night, the lighting left a lot to be desired about. I have nothing to document this with, it just makes sense to me. Wear your white pants and they reflect what little light there may be, and rule number one is don't ever turn your back on the track or a moving race car.
   I like wearing white pants for another reason and that is they seem to be made out of a lighter material most of the time. I can usually only find white painters pants, and even those seem cooler and breath better. And at contests, it does help with visibility also.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Shorts,David]

   VERY COOL! Do you know who the little kids were that were flying?. What time period? That was probably a typical turn out for a WAM contest.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

The boy trying to fly at the end is Paul Shorts (my big brother). He soloed a couple weeks earlier. We have that on film too. He was 22 months old in the contest. He switched to R/C and was a good pilot, then volleyball, now golf. I keep trying to get him to take one of my planes out to the circle. I don't know who the girls are at the end.

Contest was 1972.