Pink plane to fly at Oceana Air Show 2009

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - The world famous Blue Angels and The Canadian Snowbirds are in Virginia Beach getting ready for the Naval Air Station Oceana Air Show. But they are not the only groups that will grab attention.

The weather is going to have a lot to do with who takes to the air and who doesn't, but there is one message at the NAS Oceana Air Show that won't stay grounded. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the air show is proudly sporting the pink to show support.

Air show pilot Mike Rinker pilots a pink, aerobatic plane named Pink Floyd in honor of his sister, who is a breast cancer survivor. He says it's not just the wings that keep his plane afloat, it's the will to survive.

"When I started doing air shows I felt like I wanted to do more than just go up and flop around," Rinker told WAVY.com.

So Rinker decided to make a statement with Pink Floyd, a statement that no one in attendance could miss.

"I title it love, promise, and hope," Rinker said.

Between rolls, flips and dives Rinker draws a pink heart, a pink ribbon and a pink cross in the sky.

"The heart signifies the love we share, the ribbon signifies the work to create awareness and the cross signifies the hope and the promise today and forever," he said.

Rinker's sister, Kim White says watching her brother fly brings a satisfaction that's difficult to describe. On October 17, 2009 Kim will mark the 8th anniversary of being cancer free.

"If you could see me, you'd see the tears rolling, it really makes me proud," said White.

But Pink Floyd might not take to the air this weekend; mother nature will be left to decide that. Pilot Ken Pietsch told WAVY.com what's got to happen to get planes in the sky this weekend. "We need one thousand above the ground and three miles of visibility, is what we need to fly in the show," said Pietsch.