NM fireworks pilot heading to Kuwait

MORIARTY, N.M. (KRQE) - Moriarty-based pilot Bob Carlton has heard the skeptics before.

"As a friend of mine said, 'Airplanes and fire have been mortal enemies since 1903 what the heck do you think you're doing?' " Carlton said.

What Carlton does in his plane certainly seems to defy common sense.

His air show takes place at night and requires Carlton and his team to mount dozens of fireworks to the wingtips of his plane. While a sparkler stream leaves a stunning trail in the sky, wing-mounted fireworks launch and explode as part of a programmed show.

"When the pyrotechnics come off the plane I don't hear them as much as I feel them," Carlton said.

Carlton and his crew work out of a hangar at Moriarty's airport and for the last month they've been  working on something big.

The Middle East nation of Kuwait is celebrating the 50th anniversary of its constitution with a $14 million fireworks show. The oil-rich country is trying to break the world record for the biggest firework show ever.

Carlton's company, Desert Aerospace, has been given a six-figure contract to load three planes with fireworks to participate in the show. His team is set to head out to Kuwait Friday morning to start show set up.

It'll be a lot of preparation, all for a relatively payoff.

"After all of this done, a month of preparation, three days of travel, this part of the show only lasts four and a half minutes," Carlton said.

After Kuwait, Carlton has another show set for Australia.