::: HAMILTON AIR SHOW 2011::: The Arrow and Marc-André Valiquette

YOU KNOW that's the one thing about an air show, hardly anyone ever talks about—you just never know who's going to show up. Who…you may run into.

It's not just about the airplanes.

An air show is also about the people who attend. Some attendees will be the guy next door. Others, could be celebrities. Others, could be world-renowned collectors.… And, hey that's just who I ran into. Marc-André. Yes, that MA—the world's premier Avro ARROW collector! Marc-André Valiquette. Right there, at the show! If he doesn't have it—he's seen it!

SO if you also ran into Marc-André, you have have been able to buy any of his three Arrow books (the third in the series is in the pic above) and get them signed. Marc-André also has a very nice embroidered Avro Arrow sewable patch that he has designed, and has made available to the general public.

But folks, we're just scratching the surface here.

REMEMBER Marc-Andre is the world's premiere collector of all things Arrow and/or Avro (Canada).

This guy has the control yoke from Arrow 205!

And there it is in the pictures. That stick was the main drawer to Zura's flying office, the Arrow.

Just don't think for a minute that's the only Arrow part he owns! But it is DAMN significant, isn't it!!

After I held the 'stick' and was flying the Arrow high above Hamilton, Marc-André snapped me back to this world by telling me a secret about the Arrow that I didn't even know!!

I know that, in and of itself—that's kinda' hard to believe since I've been inhaling stuff about the Arrow ever since I was a newborn—but he shared an important secret with me that I captured in the above photos…but will remain mum about!

It affects Arrow collectors everywhere.

Ain't I, a *whistle, *whistle, !@#$~

Sorry.

And then Marc-André told me something that I had only dreamed about. That I hoped would somehow come true. And it has. It did.

There are a few collectors, outside of the regular Arrow collecting community who have, well, between them…about half an Arrow.

How could that be, you ask? Well, when you aren't married—you don't have a wife to answer to—and you can get away with stuff. You know, stuff like storing the front landing gear of one of the Arrows in your living room, keeping a Sparrow missile in your kitchen, etc. Before you know it‚ you've squirrelled away half the airplane on your property!

Now THAT is the kind of hoarding I like to see!

But, you better let him tell you that story…

Marc-André will be releasing his fourth and final book in his Destruction Of A Dream series about the demise of the Arrow and Avro Canada in the fall (the readership are cued for a round of applause at this point). THIS SERIES would be better described as the Encyclopedia of the Arrow! And remember each book is rendered simultaneously in both official languages of the Dominion of Canada, that is, in both French and English.

Marc-André Valiquette will be be promoting his fourth book when it is released this November.

MA has informed me that he will be going on tour with his Arrow parts, his books, and other Avro related artifacts starting in the fall.

MA will be giving his Arrow presentation next year at the Brampton Museum when it officially re-opens to the public. That opening should be in the spring, upon completion of its incredible two year restoration odyssy. Can't wait! Not only will Marc-André's Arrow presentation be great, once again, you never know who will show up at these things! Remember that.