What's a 'lomcevak' and where can you find one?

Attendees who come to Oakland County International Airport in Waterford on Sunday, Aug. 25, can watch Jim 'Fang' Maroney perform a lomcevak in his DeHavilland Super Chipmunk aerobatic plane. He will be one of three aerobatic pilots thrilling the crowd at the annual Airport Open House and Airshow. General admission is free--parking is $5 per vehicle. "What's a lomcevak?" asked Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson. "It's a family of extreme aerobatic maneuvers where the aircraft, with almost no forward speed, rotates on chosen axes due to the gyroscopic precession and torque of the rotating propeller," according to Wikipedia. "That's what I thought it was," joked Patterson. Despite the unusual word, Patterson said this year's airport open house and airshow promises to be a great event. "There is fun for the entire family. It's a must-see for aviation enthusiasts." Joining Maroney for the edge-of-the-seat air show will be Susan Dacy, one of only a few females performing airshows in a biplane, and the only woman flying exhibition in a Super Stearman which she calls "Big Red"; Doug Dodge with his experimental aircraft 'Machaira,' which means two-edged sword in Greek, designed and built based on the size and dynamics of the Pitts Special; and a parachute jump with the American flag and the National Anthem. The pilots will perform from 2 to 3 p.m. Individuals will be able to explore 50 aircraft on the ground at the open house, which runs 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be helicopter rides for $35 and airplane rides for $25. There is fun for the entire family, including a kids' play area equipped with bounce houses. Bill Crell, "The NASA Guy," will be on site to show off his latest experiments and demonstrations. Plus, there will be a health and safety fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. including the Michigan Child ID Program, which informs families about abduction prevention and provides fingerprinting for children. The OCIA Open House and Airshow committee continues its annual tradition of hosting a pancake breakfast from 8 to 11 a.m. The cost is $7 for adults and $5 for kids 12 and under. For additional information, go to www.OCIAOpenHouse.org. The airport is located at 6500 Highland Road in Waterford. Published: Tue, Aug 20, 2013