And I heard that the banners caused so much drag that to keep the Pipers from over-heating, the pilots would remove the cowling so the planes would make a loud growling noise as they flew overhead. Great advertising - everyone looked up wondering if there was a plane "in distress." Later on, they added smoke machines so that the poor little planes would belch clouds of smoke as they flew overhead - that REALLY got folks looking. Many of the banner planes were based at North Perry Airport, out in the 'Glades west of Hollywood.

Remembering all this - back in 2002 when I ran for City Council of the proposed breakaway City of San Fernando Valley, I hired a plane to tow "BE FREE VOTE FREEDNER" across the skies. I saw it but don't think many voters did! I was the only candidate to try that sort of advertising, though.