Heavier than air

I spent a little over an hour today out at Red Deer Regional Airport. I was there to get a photo of a Boeing 737 that was transporting air cadets in and out of summer cadet camp. Technically, the runway isn’t long enough for 737 service, I understand. (Actually, I don’t understand at all. AFAIK, they’ve been landing 737s here for more than a decade. Since there’s none hanging around, they must be taking off as well).
When I arrived, the Boeing was already there, which was too bad, I had hoped for a photo of it landing.
So, while I waited for it to refuel, reload and taxi away, I watched a remarkable amount of activity. I didn’t count, but a lot of aircraft came and went while I watched. there were four from Skywings doing circuits. It appears the pilots in training were the aforementioned air cadets. I watched as an ambulance pulled out on the tarmac and personnel loaded a patient onto the Alberts Air Ambulance and it flew off.
An Electra water bomber was wheeled down to the far end of the runway, where they were testing it – I had hoped it would fly right by, but it never left the ground. A young pilot arrived in a DA20-A1 Diamond Eclipse, which I later tracked down to the Edmonton Flying Club, so he was doubtless building up hours.
One of the Skywings planes landed, the instructor got out and walked back to the office; the young pilot went off and did circuits solo. I wonder if I was witnessing his first solo flight? A helicopter came in low overhead and,oblivious to all the activity, dropped down onto the tarmac near the 737.
Finally, a boisterous group of cadets filed out and onto the 737 and a few minutes later, it went from being the biggest thing on the ground to a tiny speck in the sky.
Felt like an hour off to me.