2019-01-LR-Final

WORLD January/February 2019 

AIRSHOWNEWS 

NAS Oceana & 

STEM 

World Airshow News 1 January/February 2019

40


Publisher: Sandra M. Parnau 

Editor: Jim Froneberger 

Senior Photographer: Scott Slocum 

Canadian Editor: Kerry J. Newstead 

Contributing Editors: 

Denise Decker, Michael J. Gallagher 

A.C.E. Columnist: Greg Koontz 

Air Racing: Brad Haskin 

Editor at Large, etc.: Jeff Parnau 

Aro, Charlene 

Barbor, Alan 

Bell, Robert 

Black, Brandon 

Bradshaw, Brion 

Buff, Chris 

Byrne, Evan 

Charlot, Keith 

Cheung, Ken 

Cook, Clark 

Cromer, Lynn 

Daniels, Gary 

Denet, Benoit 

Finch, Steve 

Freedman, John 

Gibson, Greg 

Gonzalez, Manny 

Grace, Larry 

Graf, Norman A. 

Grantonic, Ryan 

Greenwell, Arnold 

Haskin, Randy 

Head, Mike 

Heatherington, Sheldon 

Hedlund, Tom 

Henriques, Dudley 

Hong, Kevin 

Holzinger, Steven 

Houghtaling, Jon 

Hrutkay, Mark 

Jezewski,Dariusz 

Lisk Jr., Grady 

Recent Contributors 

Loper, Mark 

Lynaugh, Mike 

Mainiero, Michael 

Meland, Greg 

Monohan, Cindy 

Munforti, Tommaso 

Koontz, Greg 

Pawlesh, Tom 

Porter, Chris 

Renth, Eric 

Rininger, Tyson V. 

Rower, Gwen 

Rower, Gary 

Scaling, Craig 

Serdikoff, Steve 

Shabec, Fred 

Shore, Mike 

Snorteland, Scott 

Steckel, Olga 

St. Pierre, Marc 

Streit, Mark 

Thiel, Roger 

Thun, Don 

VanderMeulen, Richard 

Van Gilder, Eric 

Vessigault, Julie 

von Puttkammer, Ricardo 

Walton, Vance 

Watson, Glenn 

Willhoff, John 

Wingard, Dean 

Yost, Shawn 

WORLD 

AIRSHOW NE WS 

January/February 2019 

Cover Story: 

NAS Oceana & STEM 

NAS Oceana teams up with teachers 

to wow thousands of kids. 

PAGE 14 

Fleet Week 

San Francisco’s annual military 

celebration. 

PAGE 22 

Center Spread: 

Triple Teams 

The “big three” North American jet 

teams in a 21-jet formation. 

PAGE 28 

ICAS 2018: The Meeting 

The International Council of Air Shows 

meets in Las Vegas to wrap up 2018, 

and plan for 2019 

PAGE 30 

Our 34th Year Volume 34, No. 1 

FEATURES 

REGULAR STUFF 

ICAS 2018: The Awards 

Julie Clark, the Darnells, Sue Gardner, 

Tampa Bay AirFest, Terry Grevious, 

Walt Pierce. 

PAGE 38 

Axalp Airforce Firing Event 

The Polish Air Force celebrates 100 

years in the air. 

PAGE 40 

Belgian Air Force Days 

Belgium’s biennial airshow draws 

75,000 spectators 

PAGE 42 

Stick Time 

Glenn Watson straps on a blue and 

gold Hornet for the photo-shoot of a 

photographer’s lifetime. 

PAGE 54 

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Postage Paid at Montezuma, IA 50171. Published 6x 

per year (J/F, M/A, M/J, J/A, S/O, N/D) by Richardson 

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to month of publication. 

Jim Froneberger, Editor PAGE 6 

Greg Koontz, A.C.E. PAGE 8 

Julie Vessigault PAGE 10 

ON THE COVER 

Airshow News PAGE 12 

Airshow Highlights PAGES 44-48 

Airshow Snapshots PAGE 50 

Airshow Calendar PAGE 52 

With the Canadian Snowbirds in the foreground, a member of 

the USASOC Black Daggers parachute team lands with an extralarge 

American flag during the National Anthem at the 2018 

NAS Oceana Air Show. Read all about NAS Oceana’s history 

of community involvement and their unique STEM education 

program in our feature beginning on page 14 (photo by Ken 

Cheung). 

www.airshowmag.com 4 January/February 2019

World Airshow News 7 September/October 2018

JIM FRONEBERGER: EDITOR 

Millennials 

During the 2018 ICAS Convention, 

one of the hot topics of 

discussion during the education 

sessions was how to attract more 

Millennials to airshows. The Pew 

Research Center defines Millennials as 

those born between 1981 and 1996, so 

that generation represents people who 

are approximately between the ages of 

22 and 37 today. 

The Millennial generation is 

important for a number of reasons, 

and most of these are not unique to the 

airshow industry. First and foremost, according to projections by 

the U.S. Census Bureau, Millennials are on the verge of surpassing 

Baby Boomers as the nation’s largest living adult generation. 

Millennials are projected to overtake Boomers in population 

during 2019, as their numbers swell to 73 million and Boomers 

decline to 72 million. Generation X (ages 38 to 53) is projected to 

also pass the Boomers in population by 2028. 

As the Boomer generation continues to shrink, we can expect 

Gen Xers and Millennials to continue to grow their influence on 

our society. According to Pew, Millennials already make up more 

than one-in-three American labor force participants, making 

them the largest working generation. The Millennial generation is 

also more ethnically and racially diverse, more progressive, more 

technologically-savvy, and more affluent than their predecessor 

generations were at the same age. Two bright and energetic 

29-year-olds have even been elected to Congress - Alexandria 

Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Iowa’s Abby Finkenauer. 

For airshows, the importance of attracting the Millennial 

generation was captured clearly in the ICAS 2018 Spectator 

Survey. For 2018, the percentage of airshow spectators who were 

over age 55 was just shy of 25%. But over the preceding 20 years, 

the 55+ percentage had averaged closer to 18%. Our audience is 

aging, so we must attract a younger audience to be successful in 

the years ahead. 

The Baby Boomer generation represents people like me 

who were born between 1946 and 1964, so it’s easy to see why 

airshows are so popular with our generation. We grew up during 

the post-war aviation boom, saw the advent of the jet age, the 

space age, and Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon. When 

we were growing up, our heroes were astronauts and test pilots, 

and aviation captured our collective attention like nothing else. 

For the more recent generations born from the late 1960s 

through the turn of the century, the advances in aviation and space 

technology were more evolutionary than revolutionary, and air 

travel became a way of life, not something that was exciting, new, 

and sexy. The revolutions for Millennials have been in computer 

technology, communications, and an explosion in entertainment 

alternatives. So, it’s easy to see why going to an airshow may not 

be as appealing to a Millennial as it has been to us Boomers. 

Baby Boomers also grew up in a post-war/cold-war era where 

patriotism and celebration of our military-might were virtually 

synonymous. Airshows are obviously one of the most visible 

displays of that brand of patriotism. By contrast, Millennials 

have grown up in a much more complex and diverse world order, 

leading to a broader and more nuanced view of what it actually 

means to be patriotic. 

All of these trends point to the need for airshows to adapt to 

attract a younger demographic, and ICAS 2018 was full of great 

ideas: 

• Make your airshow a cool place for Millennials to go and be 

seen with their peers. 

• Learn how to market through social media. 

• Enhance food and drink options with healthier, Millennialfriendly 

choices, craft beer, and food trucks. 

• Stay ahead of the game and embrace innovation. 

• Seek sponsors that will attract Millennials. 

• Add experiential, engagement activities. 

• Embrace activities and events that work well with social 

media to show Millennials having lots of fun. 

• Shorten the flying portion of the show and add live music and 

other things Millennials like to do. 

• Do the unexpected to get more attention on social media. 

• Make sure your marketing plan is mobile-friendly. 

• Include Millennials on your airshow marketing team. 

That last point – including Millennials on your team – may 

be the best advice of all. But one thing I noticed at ICAS was 

that ICAS has the same problem as airshows in general. We are 

definitely an industry of Baby Boomers, and Millennials were 

certainly in the minority at ICAS. We need to change that and 

bring some new, younger faces into our business. We need our 

established performers to mentor newcomers and bring them 

along like Sean D. Tucker is doing with 27-year-old Johnny 

DeGennaro, the wingman for his new two-ship formation team. 

We need show producers and support service providers to do the 

same to bring a fresh new perspective to our business. 

Maybe we need to let our old Baby Boomer airshow die and 

create a new type of airshow to attract the next generation of 

airshow fans. 


World Airshow News 33 September/October 2018

GREG KOONTZ: FROM THE ACE 

Was It Good for You? 

N 

ow that the holidays are behind 

us and the frenzy of December 

has settled down to 

our usual hustle and bustle, 

it’s time to assess what happened in 

those pre-Santa days in Las Vegas. It 

might be a blurry memory, but stuff 

happened there, at least to those of us 

that made the annual pilgrimage to 

the 2018 ICAS Convention. 

Attending the ICAS Convention as 

a performer, announcer, airboss, etc. 

is a challenge. It would be great if we 

could all group together, buy matching 

shirts, and cruise the convention 

floor choosing airshows we’d like to attend. We would love to say, 

“There’s that Ashville Air Show booth, everyone walk fast and 

look the other way!” When caught by a big airshow producer, I’d 

like the chance to say, “I’ll be right back,” and then disappear forever! 

And wouldn’t it be wonderful to skip the last couple of floor 

sessions to nurse a hangover. 

But that ain’t gonna happen. Nope, we do pre-show marketing, 

and spend our profits on sponsorship or advertising to get 

ready. We design booths, ship all kinds of stuff, and set it all up 

like we think it’s going to be a big customer magnet. We stand in 

the booth wearing big smiles handing out candy and business 

cards until our cheeks hurt and our feet swell. In the end, there’s 

so many business cards left over, yet the candy is long gone. The 

last day on the convention floor is like a private party with a sign 

that says, “Performers Only.” 

But that’s what conventions are like. The point of crowded receptions 

and the convention floor ritual is to bring us all together 

in one big place. It’s our chance to mingle and meet. I don’t know 

any other way to do it. If there was, I bet the staff at ICAS would 

be the first to try it. Repeating the same old pattern year after year 

must be driving them insane! 

The hint from ICAS is, they are going to shake up the whole 

plan next year. I’m intrigued by the notion, but I have no idea 

how any significant changes could happen. Safety meetings need 

to meet. Training sessions need to train. These are constantly 

growing and evolving things – new blood entering as the old retire. 

And nothing is more fun than putting two hundred pilots 

in a room and watching ICAS Vice President of Safety and Operations 

Dan Hollowell try to keep control. But those meetings 

are really productive and educational in spite of us. I never miss 

them. 

This year’s convention seemed to be the best in years. I know 

I left with my calendar filled with new shows to do. I spent my 

days with every meeting I could fit in. The evenings were filled 

hanging out with friends, and I co-hosted a gathering along with 

Skip Stewart and Gary Ward. It was packed with airshow people 

of every persuasion, and all had a great time. I have to thank Cari 

Miller for injecting some enthusiasm (and class) into this event. 

We might need to continue this tradition! 

For me the best guest speaker was Brian Shul, the SR-71 driver. 

I’ve seen him before in Birmingham. That’s OK because he 

has it fine-tuned to perfection. It was worth a second round. The 

luncheon speaker Vital Germaine and the membership-meeting 

speaker Nick Tasler were both very talented. But, the titles of 

their presentations misled me. I was expecting people with closer 

ties to our industry. It seemed to me all I got were motivational 

speakers who tried to make their standard talk sound relevant 

by changing a few words. I’m hoping we have run out of motivational 

speakers for a while. If only Bob Hoover could come back. 

He had the whole convention riveted to their seats. How about a 

Steve Hinton or Corkey Fornof? 

The ACE meeting wasn’t in the entertainment category, but 

that wasn’t its purpose. It was a time to get the old stuff fixed and 

the new stuff straight, and Dan did a great job of just that. The 

format was different this year and that was good too. It’s good to 

see it evolve. 

As for the Performer Safety Stand Down, well, change is not 

always progress. A lot of floor time was given to some cool fighter-jet 

demo pilots, and the discussion of our current and relative 

accidents were therefore rushed. A seriously relevant and technical 

discussion on the effects of negative-to-positive Gs was cut 

short and ruined. Let me just say that if I am ever going to be a 

jet-fighter demo pilot in the Paris Air Show, I already have my 

safety brief done! 

That’s my honest take on the best convention we have had so 

far. I’m looking forward to some surprises next year. I hope to see 

you there. 

Greg Koontz is a full-time airshow performer and teaches basic 

aerobatics at his Flight School/Bed & Breakfast called Sky Country 

Lodge. Greg is a former chairman of the ICAS ACE Committee, 

holds an unlimited aerobatic waiver, and has been designated a 

Master Certified Flight Instructor-Aerobatics by the National Association 

of Flight Instructors. Please send your comments/questions 

to Greg@GKairshows.com 


Now also 

booking: 

AEROSTARS

JULIE VESSIGAULT: MY AIRSHOW WORLD 

My ICAS Miracle 

An astonishing thing happened to 

me a week before the 2018 ICAS 

Convention. This is that amazing 

story. 

It all began, though, in 2011 when I 

took on a lifetime role of airshow moral 

support that has blessed me with 

very unique airshow experiences and 

connections. I wear my life purpose on 

my sleeve, and that purpose is to make 

a difference for good in aviation, especially 

airshows. 

Back in 2012, I first met legendary 

American Barnstormer, Walt Pierce. I visited him a few times 

each year at his Avon Park, Florida hangar, eating up his stories 

and abundance of airshow knowledge. 

In due time, Walt’s well-deserved induction into the ICAS 

Foundation Air Show Hall of Fame was announced. He would 

receive his honor during the Chairman’s Banquet at the 2018 

ICAS Convention at the Paris Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 

6. 

Up until a week before ICAS, I had no role to justify the expense 

of my participating. But then, almost randomly, I arranged 

with a friend in Winter Haven to clean the grime off the bottom 

of his Super Decathlon and T-34, what I call an airplane “belly 

rub.” 

When that project was finished, I happened to stop by Steve 

Alcorn’s hangar to wish him and JoAnne a Merry Christmas. His 

enthusiastic greeting rolled right into Steve offering me a mission 

and opportunity – give Walt a ride to the Orlando International 

Airport so that he could attend his induction into the Air Show 

Hall of Fame. This minor role excited my hope that perhaps I 

could follow through as Walt’s escort all the way to Las Vegas and 

back, while assisting his family during the convention. The catch 

was I had to purchase my airfare on the same Southwest Airlines 

flight as Walt’s ASAP. 

When I returned home to Kissimmee, I composed a GoFund- 

Me campaign, because for me to make this trip out-of-pocket 

was impossible. I had confidence that with a little help from 

many friends, I could produce an epic win-win experience that 

would enable me to help make Walt Pierce’s ICAS experience extra 

awesome. 

Sure enough, my friends came through and the necessary 

funds were raised! While I waited for GoFundMe to release the 

funds to me, Mark Sorenson of Tiger Airshows and Jacquie Warda 

of Jacquie B Airshows graciously pitched in extra to book my 

flight and hotel ASAP. I called Walt with the good news that he 

would have me as his airline buddy. He was thrilled to hear it. 

I also coordinated with ICAS and Walt’s daughters on their 

logistics for Walt, to make sure everything I did was a welcome 

bonus to their plans as they already stood. It all came together. 

I picked up Walt the evening before our flight, and we reported 

to our flight at Orlando International at 5:30 a.m. Just a few 

hours later, Ginger and Chandelle, Walt’s daughters, met us at Las 

Vegas/McCarren International Airport (LAS). I helped them get 

the lay of the convention and Walt settled down to rest for the remainder 

of the evening. My availability proved to be a great comfort 

and benefit to the three of them. 

Walt told me for days after I returned him home to Sebring 

that he was still on Cloud Nine. I cannot thank the 26 friends and 

members of my airshow family enough for making this “ICAS 

Miracle” happen. I am blown away by your generous gestures and 

for caring for both Walt and me. 

My mission to provide moral support to my airshow family 

will continue. Thank you for your boost of confidence. Wishing 

you all a successful 2019 airshow season. May your wings be 

strong and your flights fulfilling! 

ICAS Foundation Air 

Show Hall of Fame 

inductee Walt Pierce 

(center) is surrounded 

(left to right) by his 

daughters Chandelle and 

Ginger Pierce, Jim Zazas, 

and Julie Vessigault 

(photo by Ricardo von 

Puttkammer).


AIRSHOW NEWS... 

Red Bull Air Race: 

Šonka Wins Championship 

Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic came from five points 

down entering the final Red Bull Air Race of the season to capture 

the 2018 Red Bull Air Race World Championship title during 

the season finale at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, 

November 17-18. 

After an exciting win in October at The Brickyard in Indianapolis, 

America’s Michael Goulian came to Texas with the season 

lead and hoped to finish strong and walk away with his first 

Red Bull Air Race title. Unfortunately for Goulian, he struggled 

with aircraft issues in practice and qualifying, only posting the 

ninth fastest time behind the pace set by Germany’s Matthias 

Dolderer. 

In the Round of 14, Goulian only managed a time of 54.883 

seconds due to a fuel injector problem, but Chile’s Cristian 

Bolton was assessed six seconds of penalties, allowing Goulian to 

advance to the Round of Eight. But since Goulian’s time was the 

slowest of the Round of 14 winners, his Round of Eight matchup 

was with Šonka, who had posted the fastest time in the Round 

of 14, 52.764 seconds. In the Round of Eight, two penalties at the 

air gates cost Goulian four seconds, propelling Šonka into the Final 

Four and eliminating Michael from the Championship chase. 

Joining Šonka in the Final Four was American Kirby Chambliss, 

who set a track record of 51.984 seconds in beating Japan’s 

Yoshihide Muroya. Ben Murphy of Great Britain also advanced 

to the Final Four, defeating Mika Brageot of France. Matt Hall of 

Australia, defeated Juan Velarde of Spain to also advance. Hall 

had entered the Fort Worth race in third place in the season 

standings, so with Goulian out, the 2018 Championship would 

be decided between Šonka and Hall in the Final Four. 

Chambliss was first to fly in the Final Four and set a time to 

beat of 54.064 seconds. Murphy flew second, but his time was 

just over 0.1 second slower than Kirby, guaranteeing the American 

a spot on the podium. Matt Hall then set a blistering time of 

53.100 seconds, guaranteeing him no worse than second place 

and setting the stage for Šonka’s run at the Championship. The 

Czech champion then flew a perfect run, posting a time of 52.796 

seconds, giving him the Fort Worth win and the 2018 Championship. 

It was the first Championship for Šonka, who finished with 

80 points on the season. Hall’s strong finish in the Final Four allowed 

him to capture second place with 75 points, just beating 

out Goulian’s 73. 

“It’s a different story than last season, and it’s my biggest 

sporting achievement. Unfortunately, the only thing that I missed 

was having Mikey in the Final Four as well, but it was a beautiful 

race and I think everyone, especially the Czech spectators, enjoyed 

it,” smiled Šonka, who produced an incredible comeback 

in 2018, after getting disqualification penalties at the season’s first 

two races. “For the last flight I managed to have a clear head. I 

heard that Matt flew a super time, and I knew I had to push harder 

and definitely not do a penalty or mistake, and I managed. I 

cannot be happier.” 

“I was pretty disappointed in Texas,” Goulian said. “The little 

engine problem that we had failed us in both Austria and Texas, 

and I think that if we didn’t have those issues, we would have won 

the whole thing. So, it’s a little bit hard to swallow, but the reality 

of it is that we had an awesome year. There were three dominant 

teams, and we were one of them. That’s a great place to be. I’m super 

proud of our complete effort and our performance over the 

whole year.” 

In the Challenger Class competition, Luke Czepiela of Poland 

defeated Florian Berger of Germany to take the Fort Worth 

race and win the Challenger Cup for the season. Berger finished 

the season tied with Czepiela with 36 points apiece, but the tiebreakers 

handed the Cup to Czepiela. American Kevin Coleman 

finished third in Fort Worth as well as third for the Challenger 

Class season. 

Photo: Martin Šonka of the Czech Republic (center) celebrates with Matt Hall of 

Australia (left) and Michael Goulian of the United States (right) during the World 

Championship Award Ceremony at the Red Bull Air Race World Championship in Fort 

Worth (Red Bull Content Pool photo by Predrag Vuckovic/Limex Images). 


Air Race 1 China Cup: 

Steve Senegal Wins 

Steve Senegal has become the first person to win a Formula 

One air race in China after clinching the Air Race 1 China Cup in 

Wuhan, November 16-18. Senegal, from San Bruno, California, 

held off World Champion Tim Cone in the first air race in the 

People’s Republic of China. 

Cone, winner of the Air Race 1 World Cup event in Thailand 

in 2017, initially led the Gold Final field in his fast-starting Cassutt 

racer named What Airplane Honey, but after three laps had 

to succumb to the superior pace of Steve Senegal’s super-sleek 

Arnold AR-6 Endeavor, lapping the 3.07-mile course at over 240 

mph. Third place was taken by Philip Goforth in his Cassutt Annie. 

“I am very proud to be the first ever winner of the Air Race 1 

China Cup,” said Senegal, who is a current United Airlines captain. 

“China has certainly shown that it has aviation and air racing 

in its heart, and we look forward to coming back again.” 

Last Solo Performance: 

Sean D. Tucker 

Airshow great Sean D. Tucker performed his final performance 

as a solo performer on October 21 at the Wings Over 

Houston Airshow at Ellington Field outside of Houston, Texas. 

After his final performance, he was greeted by members of his 

family and the members of the United States Navy Blue Angels, 

who were preparing to perform. 

Sean has been flying airshows worldwide since the mid-1970s, 

flying well over 1,275 performances at more than 525 airshows in 

front of 135 million spectators. His bright red Oracle Challenger 

III biplane is one of the most recognizable aircraft in America. 

His sponsorship with Oracle is one of the longest and most successful 

partnerships in the airshow business. 

Sean is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame, 

and he has won numerous awards and accolades including 

the Bill Barber Award for Airshow Showmanship, the Art 

Scholl Showmanship Award, and the ICAS Sword of Excellence. 

Sean has been named as one of the Living Legends of 

Flight, an elite group of aviators and astronauts that includes 

General Jimmy Doolittle, General Chuck Yeager, and John 

Glenn. 

While Sean is completing his solo career, he’s not retiring 

from airshows. He will be back in 2019 with a new formation 

team performance that is currently under development. 

The team is slated to debut as a two-ship act at the California 

International Airshow in Sean’s hometown of Salinas, California 

in late March, but he hopes to grow the team to four 

or five planes in the future. 

Sean’s famous red biplane is eventually destined to become 

the center piece of the Smithsonian National Air and 

Space Museum’s new “We All Fly” exhibit, but that will have 

to wait until Sean can acquire new aircraft for his formation 

team. Look for Sean and his new wingman, 27-year-old 

Johnny DeGennaro, at an airshow near you in 2019. 

Photo: Sunday, Oct 21 was the final solo performance for Sean D. Tucker. It was 

an emotional day capped by a ceremony at show center and a greeting by the 

Blue Angels (photo by Ken Cheung). 

New USAF Tactical Demo: 

The F-35A Lightning II 

The USAF F-35 Heritage Flight Team is officially transitioning 

to the F-35 Demonstration Team for the 2019 airshow 

season. The Air Force announced a fourteen-show 

2019 schedule for the new team at the 2019 ICAS Convention 

in Las Vegas. 

According to Capt. Andrew “Dojo” Olson, F-35 Demonstration 

Team pilot and commander, the new thirteen-minute-long 

flight profile will highlight the F-35A Lightning II’s 

numerous capabilities to 

include speed, agility, and 

high-g turning. 

“What makes the fifthgeneration 

fighter so special 

in general is the slowspeed, 

high angle of attack 

maneuvering it can do,” 

Olson said. “We’re also going 

to be performing controlled 

flat spins while falling 

out of the sky as well 

as high-speed passes and 

vertical climbs.” 

Along with the new single-jet profile, the team plans to 

continue the Heritage Flight display alongside older warbirds 

representing the past, present, and future of Air Force 

airpower. 

During the off season, Olson is scheduled to fly a minimum 

of sixteen training sorties before receiving his demo 

certification at the Heritage Flight Certification and Training 

Course. 


NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA by Denise Decker 

75 Years of Naval Aviation 

and Community Involvement 

Since their first airshow in 1953, Naval Air Station Oceana 

in Virginia Beach, Virginia has opened its gates to the 

public each year, hosting one of the premier airshows in 

the country. Last September was no different. The show 

was once again loaded with top talent, showcasing some 

of the best military and civilian performers in North 

America. 

The NAS Oceana team, led by the Commanding 

Officer, Capt. Chad “Vinny” Vincelette, Executive 

Officer, Capt. John “SPEW” Hewitt, and 

Airshow Director, Rich “Corky” Erie, is comprised 

of representatives from most every department 

on base, MRW (Morale, Recreation, 

and Welfare), sponsors, and volunteers. Corky 

acknowledges he has a “great team!” 

The airboss, Cmdr. Ed “Stalker” Chandler, was 

new to the airshow world, but definitely not a novice 

at keeping aircraft on schedule. With six hours 

of flying each day, he and his mini bosses kept the 2018 

show running like clockwork. Veteran airshow announcer Rob 

Reider filled in the few gaps with historical facts and trivia. 

Gates opened early, so patrons were able to visit static aircraft 

and other displays before the flying started mid-morning. The 

airshow started with the USASOC Black Daggers bringing in the 

POW/MIA and American flags. Jumpers from Skydive Suffolk 

followed the National Anthem. Both teams jumped again later 

in the show. As soon as the jumpers were safely on the ground, it 

was time to light the burners as F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets 

took to the skies for NAS Oceana’s signature air power demo. 

The Hornets got some help on their bombing runs with 

pyro by Firewalkers International. 

After the air power demo, the show continued 

with a good mix of civilian and military performances. 

Flying each day was Greg Shelton in 

his FM-2 Wildcat, Bob Carlton in the Super 

Salto Jet Sailplane, Maj. Paul “Loco” Lopez in 

the USAF F-22 Raptor, Kent Pietsch in the Jelly 

Belly Interstate Cadet, the GEICO Skytypers 

in their SNJ formation performance, Jim “Tork” 

Tobul in the F4U Corsair, the U.S. Navy F/A-18 

Super Hornet demo, the U.S. Navy Tailhook Legacy 

Flight with the F4U and F/A-18, Michael Goulian 

in his Extra 330SC, Mark Smith driving Darnell Racing’s 

Aftershock Jet Firetruck, Mark “Crunchy” Burgess and Bill “Pirate” 

Mills in the Warrior Flight Team Aero L-39s, Bill Leff in 

the T-6 Texan (his final performance after more than forty years 

of airshows), the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in their nine CT- 

114 Tutors, and ending the show each day, the U.S. Navy Blue 


Opposite page: The Blue 

Angels demonstrate the 

symmetry and precision of 

their Echelon Parade during 

the 2018 NAS Oceana 

airshow (photo by Shawn 

Yost). 

Below: A Grumman 

F6F-5-Hellcat and an SNJ 

at Oceana in 1951(NAS 

Oceana photo). 

Bottom: Made iconic by 

the movie “Top Gun”, the 

Grumman F-14 Tomcat was 

a NAS Oceana resident for 

many years. This photo is 

from the 2005 NAS Oceana 

airshow (photo by Jim 

Froneberger). 

Angels in six blue and gold F/A-18 Hornets. 

The Virginia Patriot Guard escorted 

distinguished visitors to show center for 

the opening ceremonies, and Steve Myott, 

in his Uncle Sam (on stilts) uniform, 

walked through the crowd greeting kids 

and adults in attendance. 

After the show ended on Saturday, the 

party moved to the beach for the annual 

Beach Blast. The Navy Band was playing, 

and a huge statue of King Neptune welcomed 

visitors arriving at the venue. As 

the sun set, a lone Super Hornet launched 

from Oceana and headed to the beach, 

catching everyone’s attention as it made 

numerous passes along the waterfront in 

full afterburner. A Skyvan full of jumpers 

from Skydive Suffolk and the U.S. Navy 

Leap Frogs circled over the beach, waiting 

for darkness. Soon, it was “jumpers away” 

and the skydivers left the aircraft, visible 

in the darkness because of the glowsticks 

and smoke canisters attached to each 

jumper. Once they were all safely on the 

ground, the Blue Angels were introduced, 

and the three teams made their way into 

the crowd to sign autographs. 

Each year the airshow has a theme, 

commemorating different causes or 

events in history. The theme for the 2018 

airshow celebrated the 75th anniversary 

of NAS Oceana. 

THE BASE 

NAS Oceana had very humble beginnings. 

Originally just an auxiliary landing 

field for the Norfolk military installations, 

Oceana is now the only Master Jet Base 

on the East Coast of the United States. 

In late 1940, the U.S. Government purchased 

328 acres of swampland near Virginia 

Beach that would support Navy operations 

on the Atlantic Ocean. Initially, 

there were 32 officers and 172 enlisted 

personnel assigned to the small field as 

they constructed runways and buildings 

over the next year. 

By 1943 the number of personnel had 

tripled, and the importance of this small 

airfield was recognized. Congress approved 

expansion of the station and it 

was commissioned a Naval Auxiliary Air 

Station later that year. Navy aviation grew 

considerably after the end of World War 

II, and in 1952, the Secretary of the Navy 

changed the designation of the base to 

Naval Air Station. 

As jets became part of the Navy fleet, 

the long runways and isolated location 

made Oceana an ideal place for a jet base. 


...NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA... 

The 59 Virginia Beach school busses arrive for 

the first STEM Field Trip in September 2016 

(NAS Oceana photo). 

More of the surrounding land was acquired, and by 1953 plans 

were in the works for a Master Jet Base. In honor of Vice Admiral 

Apollo Soucek, Chief of the Navy Bureau of Aeronautics, the 

airfield was named Soucek Field in 1957. 

NAS Oceana has been home to most every aircraft in Navy 

history since the 1940s, including the PB4Y Privateer, SB2C Helldiver, 

F6F Hellcat, TBF Avenger, F4U Corsair, A-4 Skyhawk, F-4 

Phantom, A-6 Intruder, F-14 Tomcat, and F/A-18 Hornet/Super 

Hornet. 

NAS Oceana has grown to 5,916 acres and is now home to 

more than 250 aircraft. The base employs approximately 17,000 

military personnel, civilians, and contractors, making it the largest 

employer in Virginia Beach, which happens to be the largest 

city in Virginia. 

The swampy wasteland around the base is gone now. With the 

growth of the base came the growth of civilization, and there is 

now development surrounding most of the base. Unfortunately, 

not everyone living near NAS Oceana enjoys the jet noise, but for 

others, it’s reassuring as “the Sound of Freedom.” 

THE SKIPPER 

When the base was commissioned in 1943, Lt. Jesse Fairley 

was the first Officer-In-Charge. Today, Capt. Chad “Vinny” 

Vincelette is the Commanding Officer, or Skipper. He is the 45th 

Commanding Officer of the base, but his history with Virginia 

Beach, and the base, goes back much further. His father was an 

A-6 Intruder pilot, based at NAS Oceana when Chad was born, 

and the youngster knew at an early age that he too wanted to be 

a Navy pilot. 

Vincelette stayed in Virginia for college, graduating from University 

of Virginia with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He 

earned his commission through the ROTC program, and soon 

after, earned his Wings of Gold. After flight school he returned 

to NAS Oceana, this time as a pilot, flying the mighty F-14 Tomcat. 

When the Tomcat was retired, he transitioned to the F/A-18 

Super Hornet. He has accumulated more than 3,000 flight hours 

and 600 carrier traps, flown in combat, commanded fighter 

squadrons, served as the base XO (Executive Officer), and since 

March 2018 as the Skipper. 

THE AIRSHOW DIRECTOR 

It’s amazing that so many pilots have similar stories of how 

their love of aviation began. Cmdr. Rich “Corky” Erie (USN Retired) 

is no exception. He is also a second-generation Naval aviator, 

deciding he wanted to fly when he was eight. Corky grew 

up on the west coast where his dad, an A-7 Corsair II pilot, was 

stationed at NAS Miramar. He completed ROTC while attending 

San Diego State. College wasn’t his strong suit, but he “pressed 

on.” 

After commissioning, he was selected for flight school and, 

after proving he had a talent for instrument flying, was selected 

for jets. He elected to fly the A-7 Corsair like his dad, but instead 

was picked up for the F-14 Tomcat. Corky earned his Wings of 

Gold in 1990. 

His first assignment brought him back to NAS Miramar. Visits 

with his dad would include drinking martinis and talking flying. 

His dad would often joke that he had “more time in tension 

than Corky had flight hours.” (A reference to when a jet is connected 

to the catapult for the shot off of an aircraft carrier.) 

In 1996 Corky was assigned to NAS Oceana and, other than 

two years in Atsugi, Japan, he’s been there ever since. He transitioned 

to Assistant Air Operations Officer in 2000, and after 

the previous Airshow Director left in 2004, the airshow became 

part of his job. His proficiency with large-scale planning and the 

ability to work a timeline backwards were assets. Corky admits 

the first few years were “OK,” but each year got better with experience. 

When he retired from the Navy in 2008, the Skipper 

suggested he go the contractor route, and the Airshow Director 

position would go with him. After 14 years managing one 

of the largest airshows in the country, the running joke for the 

past four years has been Corky’s annual announcement that it’s 

his last year. 

E 



...NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA... 

Left: The STEM education/lab stations provide for 

one-on-one engagement and learning. 

Below: The kids were captivated by the airshow 

action (NAS Oceana photos). 

STEM…THE IDEA AND THE PLAN 

Community involvement is important to NAS Oceana. Opening 

the gates and inviting in the people who live and work around 

the base can be a great way to promote that relationship. But 

there was always of question of could they do more? 

While attending Fleet Week in New York City in 2015, Corky 

attended a gala at the Intrepid Museum. They were fundraising 

for education outreach and showed a film “Yoshi’s Story” (not 

the Nintendo game). The museum has a huge STEM (Science, 

Technology, Engineering, Math) program that 

the video highlighted. Corky was captivated, 

and his mind raced ahead, thinking of all the 

possibilities of doing something similar for his 

community. When he returned home, he spoke 

with the then-base Skipper, Capt. Lou “Blue” 

Schager, about conceivably opening the base to 

school kids in the Virginia Beach area. He had 

the Skipper’s attention. 

Corky got to work on a proposal. Together 

with the XO, Capt. Rich “Phin” Meadows, 

they put together an eight-page brief with their 

ideas. In February 2016 he presented his idea 

to Dr. Aaron Spence, Superintendent of Schools 

for the Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VB- 

CPS). He caught Dr. Spence’s attention, too. The 

program was presented as an opportunity, not 

a mandate. The next hurdle would be to convince 

executive leadership that this event would 

be possible, then mid-level management, principals, 

and then teachers. Dr. Spence decided he 

would send the 5th graders in Virginia Beach 

City schools…all 5,500 of them! The event, the 

STEM Field Trip, would take place on Friday, 

September 9, 2016, the rehearsal day of the airshow, 

and it was just six months away. 

Where to start? Corky put together a 

team to begin working on the rough plan of 

what they hoped to accomplish. Their goal 

was to “inspire and educate kids.” The team 

identified what they called “four pillars,” key 

areas that were essential for a successful execution 

of the event: 

• Transportation/Security/Logistics 

• Curriculum Tie-In 

• Interactive Displays 

• Media/Engagement. 

The school system provided 25 volunteers 

to be part of the STEM team. 

At their first STEM meeting Corky hung 

the four (huge) pillars on the walls around 

the room. As he explained the concept of 

the pillars, he asked the team to look at 

them and determine where they could do 

the most good. He then passed out yellow 

stickies and Sharpies and asked everyone to 

write down two questions pertaining to their pillar. Once they 

had their questions, everyone headed to their pillar and posted 

their questions. They remained at the pillars, discussing the questions. 

The goal was not to have all the answers that first day, but 

to know what the questions were so they could work on them. 

The next month the Skipper attended a principal’s meeting. 

During the meeting, he was told that there was a ground swell 

among the teachers, and the excitement was building. It was a 

very positive response. 

E 



...NAVAL AIR STATION OCEANA. 

NAS Oceana Airshow Director Corky 

Erie (center), airboss Cmdr. Ed 

Chandler (left), and Executive Officer 

Capt. John Hewitt (right) accepted 

the 2018 ICAS Pinnacle Award 

(photo by Larry Grace). 

Over the next few months the team answered all of their questions. 

They determined which areas fell under the Oceana team’s 

expertise, and which would be best handled by VBCPS’s team. 

Transportation was definitely best left with VBCPS. There were 

more than 50 schools participating, so they were divided into four 

color-coded groups. Each group would have 25-30 access points, 

or education/lab stations. The kids would move from station to 

station within their color group, spending an average of five minutes 

at each. 

The SmartPack was another product of the collaboration. Each 

teacher received a two-sided knee-board, or information card, 

that included all the data and information they should need during 

the field trip. The color assignments by school were listed, 

each of the labs for each color group, all point of contacts and 

emergency information, a list of base prohibited items, a layout 

of the flight line, lost child and emergency procedures, the STEM 

timeline, and the flying timeline were all on the SmartPack. The 

intent was to answer all questions before they were asked and 

eliminate any confusion. 

STEM…EXECUTION AND LESSONS LEARNED 

Friday, September 9 finally arrived. It happened to be the hottest 

day on record, but high cloud cover helped keep the heat from 

being unbearable. Medical personnel were on standby just in case. 

The buses started showing up just after noon. More than 5,000 

students and 1,200 teachers and chaperones unloaded and headed 

to the flight line, eager to get started. Over the next several hours 

the airfield was a sea of kids in bright green, yellow, red, and blue 

t-shirts. Each of the education stations had a colored banner to 

identify it, and the kids moved from station to station. After several 

hours of hands-on learning, everyone headed to the bleachers 

to watch the Blue Angels fly. 

That first STEM Field Trip event in 2016 went well, and it has 

since become an annual event. The team evaluates what works 

best, which labs were of most interest, and strives to improve each 

year. In 2018 Astronaut Scott Tyndall participated in the event, 

complete with spacesuit. Apparently, his presence “blew up 5th 

grade Twitter!” 

After three years of experience with the STEM Field Trip, 

Corky’s team has learned some key lessons: 

• Let the school system do what they do best…move and handle 

the kids 

• Make the displays/labs easier, with a good mix of military 

and civilian participants. Work with state and local governments 

who have expressed interest in participating. 

• If possible, add other school systems. In 2018 there were 

close to 6,000 participating students, including 600 from 

neighboring Chesapeake Public Schools. Unfortunately, 

there are physical space limitations, so it may not be possible 

to grow the program much more. 

Feedback from students and teachers after Oceana’s first STEM 

year were very positive, with some saying, “best thing ever!” The 

schools have now begun incorporating the Oceana STEM program 

into their curriculum, bringing back lessons learned at the 

airshow and working on them in class. The buzz at school is positive…all 

the 4th graders know about the STEM field trip and look 

forward to their turn next year. 

AWARDS 

The team at NAS Oceana will no doubt continue to work hard 

to keep their community involvement and participation strong. 

They’ve been recognized for their efforts many times. In 2014 the 

team received the Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations 

Award at the annual ICAS Convention, the fourth time the base 

had received the award in its 27-year history. 

This past July, the Virginia Beach City Public Schools, 

along with NAS Oceana, were presented with the Pete Taylor 

Partnership of Excellence by the Military Child Education 

Coalition. This national recognition is “awarded annually to 

acknowledge outstanding partnerships between school districts 

and military installations that work together to meet the unique 

challenges facing the nation’s military children and provide them 

with quality educational opportunities.” 

At the ICAS convention last December, NAS Oceana also 

won a Pinnacle Award in the Military Airshow category for their 

innovative STEM program. 

Dr. Spence and his team have pledged to keep the NAS Oceana 

STEM program going, and Corky and the NAS Oceana team not 

only want to keep it going, but keep it growing. When asked if he 

had any grand plans for 2019 Corky replied, “It can always get 

better.” 

Other bases have started asking questions so that they may offer 

similar programs in their communities. Corky is willing to answer 

their questions to help get them started. He’s also been a speaker 

at a few of the education sessions at the ICAS convention, sharing 

information and lessons learned during his STEM initiative. 

Regardless of how you look at it, the NAS Oceana STEM Field 

Trip is a great thing, for the base, the community, and especially 

all those 5th graders. 


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(205) 601-9215 - .................. 


FLEET WEEK by Norman A. Graf 

San Francisco’s 

Military 

Celebration 

T 

aking place over three consecutive days in the skies above 

San Francisco’s waterfront, the San Francisco Fleet Week 

Air Show attracts over 1.5 million people around the Bay. 

But Fleet week is more than just an airshow, it is a weeklong, 

multi-faceted event designed to celebrate the men and 

women who serve in our armed forces. 

San Francisco’s annual Fleet Week was started in 1981 by then- 

Mayor Dianne Feinstein, and in the 37 years since has grown to 

become the largest and most significant event of its kind in the 

nation. Fleet Week celebrates the rich naval tradition in the Bay 

Area, honors the nation’s service members, and facilitates annual 

disaster preparedness training between the Navy, Marine Corps, 

Coast Guard, and local first responders. But from the beginning, 

the airshow has been an integral part of the week’s activities. 

FLEET WEEK HISTORY 

The U.S. Navy, and naval aviation in particular, has a long and 

storied history in San Francisco. President Theodore Roosevelt’s 

“Great White Fleet” stopped off in 1908 during its trip around the 

world. Parades, balls, and other festivities welcomed the Sailors, 

and the waterfront was jammed with the largest crowd of Californians 

ever assembled at that time. 

Three years later, naval aviation was born when Eugene Ely 

made the first successful landing and take-off from a naval vessel. 

On January 18, 1911, thousands of spectators watched as Ely 

landed his Curtiss Pusher aircraft on the deck of the armored 

cruiser USS Pennsylvania which was anchored in San Francisco 

Bay. After lunching with the ship’s captain, Ely took off and flew 

past the cheering crowd before landing. 

President Franklin D. Roosevelt inaugurated the first official 

Navy Fleet Week in 1935 during the California Pacific International 

Exposition in San Diego, California. More than 100 warships 

docked in the port and 400 military aircraft arrived to put 

on airshows. Tens of thousands of Sailors and Marines descended 

on the city. Since then, Fleet Week celebrations have spread 

around the country. 

The modern San Francisco Fleet Week was established in 1981 

by Mayor Feinstein as the city’s celebration of the nation’s sea services. 

An airshow featuring the Blue Angels was included in that 

first Fleet Week, and the airshow and the Blue Angels have been 

almost synonymous ever since. 

Today, San Francisco Fleet Week’s mission continues to be as 

“an annual public event that honors the contributions of the men 

and women of the United States Armed Forces while advancing 


Left: The “USS Bonhomme Richard” (LHD-6) leads the 2018 Parade of Ships under the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Below: Greg “Wired” Colyer shows off his T-33 “Ace Maker II” with the Golden Gate Bridge as a photogenic 

backdrop. Bottom: Sean D. Tucker and Johnny DeGennaro gave the huge 2018 Fleet Week crowds a teaser preview 

of their 2019 two-ship formation act (photos by Norman A. Graf). 

cooperation and knowledge among civilian and military-based 

humanitarian assistance personnel.” Senator Dianne Feinstein 

is an honorary co-chair, along with former Secretary of State 

George P. Shultz and former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta. 

When Fleet Week first started, San Francisco was home to 

a substantial number of military personnel stationed at bases 

throughout the Bay Area, but those bases have now been closed. 

So, while Fleet Week remains a celebration of our nation’s military, 

in 2010, Fleet Week introduced its Center for Humanitarian 

Assistance. The Center added to the Fleet Week mission by creating 

training and education programs on joint civilian/military 

disaster response missions. These programs increased Fleet Week 

participation to include all military branches, including the California 

National Guard. 

The Center’s signature event is the annual Senior Leader Seminar 

(SLS). The SLS brings together government, military, and private 

sector leaders from around the world for two days of sharing 

best practices, exercise reviews, and presentations. In addition to 

the SLS, the Center convenes emergency responders and military 

leaders for tabletop and live joint civilian/military exercises, urban 

search and rescue training, public education, and veterans’ 

programs. 

E

...FLEET WEEK... 

The performers often overfly the Golden Gate 

Bridge during their run-in to the airshow box 

(photo by Norman A. Graf). 

The not-for-profit San Francisco Fleet 

Week Association is the central coordinating 

body, and the Association’s team 

works year-round to prepare for over 40 

events. Fleet Week activities have been 

designed to entertain and educate the 

people of San Francisco. In recent years, 

Fleet Week has brought military band 

performances off of the waterfront and 

into the city’s neighborhoods. Community 

relations events are also held around 

the city, exposing Fleet Week to an everbroader 

range of the city’s demographics. 

Fleet Week generates over $100 million 

for the local San Francisco economy 

through hotel occupancy, restaurants, 

and other tourist attractions. Fleet Week 

also relies on the hard work of over 100 

volunteers every year to assist in the management 

of the wide variety of events. 

THE PARADE OF SHIPS 

In tribute to its naval heritage, the Fleet 

Week celebrations include a parade of 

ships, which enters the bay by sailing under 

the Golden Gate Bridge. Although the 

days of aircraft carriers catapulting fighter 

jets off their decks as they entered are 

long past, it is impressive to see the array 

of military ships arrive. This year’s attendees 

included the USS Bonhomme Richard 

Landing Helicopter Dock (LHD-6) amphibious 

assault ship, which was opened 

to the public. Displays included the MV- 

22 Osprey and MH-60S Seahawk. 

THE AIRSHOW 

Fleet Week has taken place every year 

since 1981, with the exception of 2001 

when it was cancelled in the wake of the 

September 11 terrorist attacks, and 2013 

when the federal budget cuts imposed as 

part of the Congressional Sequestration 

process eliminated military participation 

in airshows around the nation. The Blue 

Angels have been an integral part of the 

Fleet Week airshows, appearing at every 

event except for 2004. 

The Air Show Network produces the 

San Francisco Fleet Week Air Show and 

starts their planning in December for a 

show that typically takes place in October. 

Airbosses Donna Flynn and Ray Firkus 

have been with Fleet Week for 18 years. 

They work tirelessly with the FAA, including 

Oakland (OAK) and San Francisco 

(SFO) towers, to plan the airshow. Signature 

Aviation at OAK and United Airlines 

at SFO also provide ramp space for the civilian 

and military performers. 

The Blue Angels arrive mid-week and 

spend at least two days in familiarization 

flights to establish landmarks and timein 

their routines. These flights over the 

densely-populated Bay Area also serve 

as aerial advertisement for the weekend’s 

airshow. The week ends with a full rehearsal 

on Friday and shows on Saturday 

and Sunday. The team typically stages out 

of Oakland International Airport, so the 

ground portion of the Blue Angels’ performance 

is missing. However, the team 

members do come out to Pier 39 after Saturday’s 

performance for a meet-and-greet 

where they sign autographs and answer 

questions from their many fans. 

The Blue Angels are often not the only 

aerobatic jet team to perform at Fleet 

Week. The locally-based Patriots Jet Team 

is also a regular performer. The Patriots 

are the largest civilian-owned jet demonstration 

team and include two former 

Thunderbirds, a former Blue Angel solo 

pilot and a former Snowbirds outer leftwing 

pilot. Over the years, the Breitling 

Jet Team and the Canadian Snowbirds 

have also appeared. 

Because Fleet Week is dedicated to 

the men and women of the United States 

Armed Forces, military performers are 

always a highlight of the airshow. Individual 

tactical demonstrations, from the 

Air Force as well as Navy, Marines, and 

Coast Guard, often combined with USAF 

Heritage Flights and U.S. Navy Legacy 

Flights, are common. Flybys, such as this 

year’s combined flight of the Navy P-3C 

Orion and its replacement P-8 Poseidon, 

are another highlight of the show’s military 

connection. 

Sean D. Tucker, based in nearby Salinas, 

is second only to the Blue Angels as 


TM 

‘ 

45 

 

 

 

 

 


...FLEET WEEK. 

an iconic part of the Fleet Week airshow. This year was his last 

as a solo performer and once again he amazed the crowd with 

his high-octane, jaw-dropping aerobatic routine. The only thing 

missing from his astounding repertoire was the triple-ribbon cut, 

due to the over-water location. In a preview of coming attractions, 

Johnny DeGennaro also joined Sean in a Team Oracle formation 

“teaser” performance. 

Michael Wiskus, who also performs aerobatics in a bright red/ 

orange biplane, returned again this year in the Lucas Oil Pitts. He 

put on a stunning display. 

Warbirds are another staple of the show, changing every year, 

but almost always featuring a Heritage Flight pairing if one of the 

Air Force demo teams is performing. Locally-based Greg “Wired” 

Colyer is also becoming a regular, flying his Korean War-era T-33 

Shooting Star Ace Maker II. 

U.S. Coast Guard aircraft are a common sight in the Bay Area, 

constantly in the air training or engaging in rescue operations. 

Their demonstration of search and rescue capabilities is a definite 

crowd-pleaser, with spectators gasping in amazement as the 

rescue swimmers jump from the hovering helicopters. Flybys of 

Coast Guard C-130 Hercules or C-27 Spartans are also a regular 

part of the show. 

United Airlines has participated in the airshow for several 

years, sending a variety of passenger aircraft including the Boeing 

747, 757, 767, and this year the 777. With three international 

airports in the area and hundreds of takeoffs and landings every 

day, it’s common to see passenger jets of all types in the air around 

the Bay. So, you wouldn’t think the masses of spectators would 

be very impressed to see a wide-body passenger plane perform. 

But the United pilots really put on a great show, banking sharply, 

climbing steeply, and flying low and slow with flaps and gear extended. 

It’s impressive to see these large jets fly low over the Bay, 

especially during their dirty passes that seem to defy the laws of 

physics by flying that slowly. For 2018, United also became the 

Presenting Sponsor of the airshow. 

Whether you’re interested in jet teams, military tactical demos, 

warbirds, or aerobatic performers, the San Francisco Fleet Week 

Air Show has something for you. 

AIRSHOW VIEWING 

The San Francisco Bay area affords several good locations to 

see the event. Including Friday’s practice, there are three days of 

flying to watch, allowing spectators to go to different locations 

each day. Almost any place in the area offers a beautiful venue 

from which to watch the show and photograph the action. 

The weather in October is generally mild, with clear skies, but 

the ubiquitous San Francisco fog can roll in unexpectedly at any 

moment, interrupting or even cancelling the flying. On the other 

hand, the moisture in the air over the bay can often make for some 

fantastic vapor during high-g maneuvers. 

Watching the airshow from the iconic Golden Gate Bridge gets 

you up close to some of the participating aircraft as they maneuver 

to enter the airshow box over San Francisco Bay. Fort Mason 

provides the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz as a background. 

Being on the water in a boat during the airshow provides unique 

views as well. 

From Fisherman’s Wharf, past Crissy Field, to standing on the 

Golden Gate Bridge itself, the sun is behind you making photography 

a joy. From Angel Island, Alcatraz or out on the water 

aboard the D-Day veteran Liberty ship SS Jeremiah O’Brien you 

have beautiful views of the city skyline as a backdrop. Show center 

at Marina Green has the usual food booths, vendors, and kid’s 

zones, as well as bleachers, pavilions with chairs, shade, and catered 

food and drinks. There are no bad seats! 

“San Francisco Fleet Week enjoys the opportunity every year 

to host the wealth of people who come out to enjoy this world 

class airshow, and to greet the fine women and men who make up 

our armed forces,” said Louis Loeven, San Francisco Fleet Week 

Executive Director and Board Member. “We all, as a team, are 

privileged to be a part of this game-changing event that both affects 

the safety and preparedness of our city and the state of California, 

while providing community-enriching events, educational 

opportunities for youth, and days of crowd-pleasing aerial excitement.” 

Fleet Week 2019 is scheduled for October 12-13. 

The Blue Angels delta over 

Alcatraz during the 2018 San 

Francisco Fleet Week Air Show 

(photo by Mark Loper). 



Jet Team x 3 = 21+ 7 

In the skies over Lake Erie in early September, photographer Glenn Watson captured all 

three North American military jet teams in the sky at one time, shooting from the back 

seat of Blue Angel #7. The Snowbirds led the 21-plane formation, with the Blue Angels and 

Thunderbirds in trail. Read Glenn’s Stick Time report elsewhere in this issue to learn how this 

unique formation came together. 



THE 2018 ICAS CONVENTION by Jim Froneberger photos by the author except as noted 

Getting Down to Business 

When most people think of airshows, they think of warm 

summer weekend days, blue skies, the roar of jets, and 

the rumble of big radial engines from vintage warbirds. 

But all of that wouldn’t be possible without the business 

side of the airshow industry. 

While airshows are a lot of fun for both spectators and participants, 

a lot has to happen to make for a successful airshow – 

sponsors and funding must be secured, performers hired, vendors 

booked, and a myriad of logistical details must be attended to. 

That is the “business” of airshows, and every December, the industry 

comes together at the International Council of Air Shows 

(ICAS) Convention to celebrate the season just completed and 

plan for the season ahead. 

The 2018 ICAS Convention was held December 3-6 at the Paris 

Las Vegas Hotel. 

AN (ALMOST) RECORD YEAR 

The 2018 convention continued the pattern of increasing attendance 

that has been the norm for the last few years. Attendance 

was up by 12.1% from 2017 to just shy of 1,600 delegates, 

the sixth consecutive year that the number of registrations has 

increased over the prior year. 

“Total attendance was 1,583, which got us very close to the record 

of 1,605 set in 2002,” said ICAS President John Cudahy. “But, 

even more than the increase in attendance, we were pleased by the 

activity on the exhibit hall floor and a sharp increase in the number 

of event organizers attending our event.” 

Compared to 2017, ICAS welcomed an additional 110 event 

organizers, a 16.9% increase among those generally recognized 

to be the “buyers” at the convention. The 2018 delegate count also 

included a meaningful increase in the number of military representatives, 

an indication that the problems generated by Sequestration 

in 2013 have been just about completely reversed. 

The Opening General Session on the first official day of the 

convention is when the military announces their demonstration 

team schedules. The Blue Angels and Thunderbirds reconfirmed 

their 2019 schedules that were first released at the 2017 

ICAS Convention and announced their preliminary 2020 schedules. 

The U.S. Army Golden Knights, the Canadian Snowbirds, 

the Canadian CF-18 demo, and the USAF and USMC single-ship 

tactical demonstration teams also announced their 2019 show locations. 

The Opening General Session was highlighted by an inspiring 

presentation from former USAF SR-71 pilot Brian Shul. During 

the final days of the Vietnam war, Shul was shot down and was 

severely burned in the ensuing crash landing. He was rescued, 

and after one year in hospitals and 15 surgeries, Shul miraculously 

returned to flying jet aircraft. He culminated his Air Force career 


Opposite page: The AeroShell Team 

was busy talking to event producers to 

fill out their 2019 airshow schedule. 

Right: The 2018 Opening General 

Session was highlighted by an inspiring 

presentation from former USAF SR-71 

pilot Brain Shul. 

Below: 2018 ICAS Sword of Excellence 

recipient Julie Clark with her favorite 

airshow magazine in her booth on the 

exhibit hall floor. 


...THE 2018 ICAS CONVENTION... 

Above: The Class of 45 team in their exhibit hall booth – (left to right) Cathy 

Evans, Jim Tobul, Madalyn Wickham, and Scott Yoak. Right: Scott Farnsworth 

was promoting his new aerobatic act in the Dash AeroSports L-39. Thanks to his 

innovative virtual-reality experience, airshow fans can “ride along” through his 

airshow routine. Below: Johnny DeGennaro (left) will be flying on Sean D. Tucker’s 

right wing in a new formation act for the 2019 season. Look for the new team at 12 

to 15 show sites during the season. 

by flying the top-secret Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird spy plane at 

speeds of 2,200 mph at altitudes exceeding 85,000 feet. 

NEW AND NOTEWORTHY 

If you’re planning a new offering for the upcoming airshow 

season, the ICAS Convention is an ideal place to make a big 

splash. While there seemed to be overall fewer brand new offerings 

than in some past years, here are some we took note of: 

Sean D. and Johnny D. Airshow legend Sean D. Tucker has 

retired his solo aerobatic performance that has thrilled airshow 

crowds for over 42 years (see Airshow News in this issue). But 

Sean isn’t retiring, and he will be teaming up with 27-year-old 

Johnny DeGennaro to offer a two-ship formation act to airshows 

in 2019. 

“My goal is to have a four or five ship, but we’re starting with 

a two-ship, and I’m having an absolutely wonderful time learning 

how to be an excellent lead,” Sean told us at ICAS. “We’re looking 

for sponsorship and can grow the team once we’re successful 

with that.” 

“I grew up watching Sean fly, so it’s quite surreal to be flying on 

his wing,” admits DeGennaro. “I’ve been watching him fly since 

I was about four-years-old, and that’s sort of what got me into 

aerobatics.” 

For now, Sean will fly lead in his famous Oracle Challenger 


World Airshow News 51 33 September/October January/February 2019 2018

...THE 2018 ICAS CONVENTION 

Judy Scholl (center) with incoming USAF 

F-16 Demonstration Pilot Capt. Zoe Kotnik 

(left) and the outgoing F-16 pilot, Maj. John 

Waters (photo by Larry Grace). 

III biplane, and “Johnny D” will fly on Sean’s 

right wing in Team Oracle’s Extra 300. 

The Oracle Challenger is slated to become 

the center piece of the Smithsonian National 

Air and Space Museum’s new “We 

All Fly” exhibit, but that will have to wait 

until a sponsorship allows the new team 

to transition to new aircraft. 

Sean says the team is training with 

the expert coaching of Bill Stein, and 

they plan to have as many as 250 training 

flights under their belt by the time they 

launch their 2019 season in late March at 

the California International Airshow in 

Salinas, California. 

Dash AeroSports. Scott Farnsworth 

has spent seven years racing at Reno, but 

two years ago he took his highly-modified 

L-39 and began displaying it at airshows 

under the sponsorship of and Dash Digital 

Cash. Now Dash AeroSports is launching 

a new L-39 aerobatic act, complete 

with a full virtual reality experience for 

airshow fans. 

“Our L-39 is about 120 mph faster 

than stock and has been modified for a 

faster roll rate,” says Farnsworth. “With 

the modifications and our reduced weight, 

we are able to have much better vertical 

penetration, including aileron rolls. The 

speeds that we attain while maintaining a 

7 to 7.5 g repositioning turn, far exceed 

anything else on the market, so we are 

The United Airshow Grunts, 2018 

At the annual meeting of the somewhat irreverent United Airshow Grunts (UAG), 

2017 Grunt of the Year Fred Masterson (left) was admonished by UAG President 

Devan Norris for riding in the hero car at Oshkosh with performer (boo) Greg Koontz 

– as photographic evidence from this magazine proved. In addition, former gruntturned-performer 

(boo) Nate Hammond (below) was forced to read an apology for 

buying and wearing a UAG sweatshirt, despite his current ineligibility as a performer 

(boo*). 

* The much-oppressed members of the UAG traditionally “boo” in unison when the word “performer” is spoken at their meetings. 



...THE 2018 ICAS CONVENTION 

With many years under his belt announcing for Sean D. Tucker and Matt 

Chapman, Brian Norris (in the booth with his wife, Devan) is now offering 

his announcing services to airshow promoters. 

able to provide a more dynamic high-speed airshow.” 

The virtual reality experience travels between show sites in 

a 45-foot motor coach towing a 28-foot air-conditioned trailer 

where the team has installed two aircraft ejection-style seats. Using 

a virtual reality headset, Dash will offer spectators the opportunity 

to “ride along” with Scott as he races at 500 mph at 50 feet 

at Reno, or through his airshow routine, using actual video footage 

recorded at each venue. 

“Instead of just entertaining somebody, we’re engaging them,” 

adds Farnsworth. “We’re trying to lock onto our youth’s desire for 

experiences and bring them into aviation, while also promoting 

the local airshow.” 

Southeast Council of Airshows. Thanks to the efforts of former 

Marine Robert Carlson, the Southeast Council of Air Shows 

(SECAS) is being resurrected after a 22-year hiatus. Like the other 

regional councils around the country, the SECAS mission will 

be to promote the safe and professional production of airshows 

in their region, in this case, the southeastern United States. SE- 

CAS is targeting their first regional convention for early 2020. 

…AND MUCH MORE 

As per usual, ICAS 2018 featured numerous educational sessions 

and seminars. Airshow-related groups such as the regional 

councils of airshows and the somewhat irreverent United Airshow 

Grunts (UAG) also held meetings during the convention. 

In addition, a live auction to benefit the ICAS Foundation Family 

Fund generated more than $70,000 during the Chairman’s Banquet. 

During the annual membership meeting on December 6, results 

of the recently completed Board of Directors election were 

announced. Darcy Brewer from the California Capital Airshow 

was elected to a three-year term on the ICAS Board. Christina 

Carey from the Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show and Bill 

Braack from the Oregon International Air Show were both reelected 

to their second three-year terms. 

The new Board of Directors also selected its officers for 2019. 

Airshow performer John Klatt will serve as chairman of the 

Board of Directors, Kevin Walsh from the Thunder Over Michigan 

Air Show will serve as vice chairman, and Bill Braack was 

selected as ICAS secretary/treasurer. 

ICAS will reconvene back at Paris Las Vegas in 2019, December 

9-12. 

The ICAS Pinnacle Awards program recognizes performer, 

support services and airshow organizer programs 

that demonstrate ingenuity, achievement and 

professionalism. The award presentation seeks to make 

these ideas available to the greater airshow community to 

advance the industry and stimulate positive change. 

The following industry professionals received the 2018 

awards during the Pinnacle Awards luncheon: 

The ICAS Pinnacle Awards 

• Platinum: NAS Oceana Air Show for their STEM 

education field trip initiative. 

Small Civilian Airshows: 

• Gold: Truckee-Tahoe Air Show for its emergency response 

initiatives. 

• Platinum: Santa Maria Airport (California) for the 

Central Coast AirFest’s legacy film. 

Military Performers: 

• Gold: Canadian Forces Snowbirds for their real-time 

itinerant aircraft safety triage system. 

• Platinum: USAF F-16 Viper Demo Team for their social 

media strategy. 

Civilian Performers: 

• Gold: The Immortal Red Baron for its World War I 

dogfighting airshow experience. 

• Platinum: Twin Tigers Aerobatic Team for its LED strips 

on aerobatic aircraft initiative. 

Military Airshows: 

• Gold: MCAS Yuma Airshow for their “In the Cockpit” 

Social media series. 

Mid-Sized Civilian Airshows: 

• Gold: Eastern Townships Air Show for its job & science 

fair. 

• Platinum: Duluth Airshow for their weather balloon 

educational outreach initiative. 

Large Civilian Airshows: 

• Gold: Alliance Air Productions for its veteran’s village. 

• Platinum: Sun ‘n Fun for “Missionizing” Sun ‘n Fun 

programming with STEM. 

Support Services Providers: 

• Gold: WOW Airshow, LLC for its airshow safety website. 

• Platinum: FROST (Fast Response Safety Team) for 

FROST safety. 


Contact Trisha Keeler or Susan Amey 

Trisha.Keeler@ITPinsurance.com 

Susan@ITPinsurance.com 


ICAS 2018 AWARDS report by Jim Froneberger, photos by Larry Grace 

Julie Clark The Darnell Family Sue Gardner 

The annual ICAS Chairman’s Banquet always 

concludes the annual convention. 

Held this year on the evening of December 

6, the black-tie optional event is when 

ICAS hands out the industry’s most-coveted 

awards for the past season. 

Congratulations to the winners of the 2018 ICAS 

Awards. 

ICAS SWORD OF EXCELLENCE 

Given each year since 1981 to recognize outstanding 

service and personal contributions to the 

airshow industry, the Sword is widely considered to 

be the single highest honor an individual airshow 

professional can receive. For 2018, there were two 

Sword recipients. 

Airshow performer Julie Clark’s patriotic performances 

in her T-34 Mentor have been featured 

at airshows both large and small throughout North 

America. Julie’s career has spanned four decades, 

but she says the 2019 season will be her last. 

European Airshow Council Board Chairman 

Gilbert Buekenberghs helped to form and build the 

European Airshow Council. That organization has 

forever changed the trajectory of the European airshow 

business. 

ART SCHOLL MEMORIAL 

SHOWMANSHIP AWARD 

Each year, ICAS presents the Art Scholl Memorial 

Showmanship Award to the airshow act or 

performer which best exemplifies the qualities of 

showmanship demonstrated by airshow great Art 

Scholl. 

The 2018 award went to the Darnell family for 

their work building and operating their stable of 

jet-powered vehicles that includes Shockwave, 

Flash Fire, and Aftershock. 

Top: Julie Clark (with Sword, left) and Gilbert Buekenberghs (with Sword, 

right) surrounded by past Sword of Excellence recipients. 

Middle: The Darnell family – (left to right) Chris, Brooke, Marilyn, and Neal – 

with Judy Scholl (right). 

Above: ICAS President John Cudahy (left) with the FAA’s Sue Gardner. 


Tampa Bay AirFest Terry Grevious Walt Pierce 

THE BOB HOOVER WINGMAN AWARD 

The Bob Hoover Wingman Award is presented 

each year to an individual from within or outside 

the airshow industry who has been a reliable supporter 

or advocate of the airshow business. 

The 2018 recipient was Sue Gardner, the FAA’s 

national aviation events specialist and principal 

policy liaison with the U.S. airshow community. 

Gardner was cited for her commitment to establish 

a partnership between the FAA and the airshow 

community that has focused on improving airshow 

safety without imposing undue regulatory burdens. 

DICK SCHRAM MEMORIAL 

COMMUNITY RELATIONS AWARD 

The Dick Schram Memorial Community Relations 

Award is presented each year to the military 

base that does the best job of putting the considerable 

power of its open house to work in improving 

its relations in the community where the base 

is located. 

The 2018 award went to MacDill AFB and its 

Tampa Bay AirFest for its work to combine a STEM 

fair with the annual airshow. 

ICAS FOUNDATION 

AIR SHOW HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS 

The International Council of Air Shows Foundation’s 

Air Show Hall of Fame was created in 1995 to 

honor those who have made a significant contribution 

to the airshow industry. 

This year’s inductees were event organizer Terry 

Grevious and airshow performer Walt Pierce. 

Grevious helped launch the Muskegon Air Fair 

in 1984 and turned it into one of the most successful 

airshows in North America before assuming 

leadership for the Dayton Air Show in Ohio. Grevious 

was cited for his innovation, strong management 

skills, and professionalism. 

For nearly a half century, Pierce was a well-respected 

aerobatic and wing-walking pilot who performed 

all over the U.S. and Canada in his Stearman 

Ol’ Smokey. He was recognized for his skills 

as an aviator and his professionalism during a career 

that began in the 1960s. 

Top: The MacDill AFB/Tampa Bay AirFest team accepts the Dick Schram 

Award. 

Middle: Terry Grevious accepts his Hall of Fame induction from Danny 

Clisham (left) and Foundation Chair Judy Willey. 

Bottom: Walt Pierce accepts his Hall of Fame induction from Danny 

Clisham (left) and Foundation Chair Judy Willey. 


AIRSHOW REPORT: Photos by Tommaso Munforti 

Axalp Air Force Firing Event, Switzerland 

On October 10, Swiss Air Force pilots 

demonstrated their aircraft using 

live fire for spectators positioned 

along the side of an Alpine mountain at 

2,200 meters above sea level. Axalp is the 

highest-altitude air force firing range in 

Europe, with a magnificent panoramic 

view of the Swiss Alps. 

Right: Four F-5 fighters of the 

Swiss Air Force Patrouille Swiss 

demonstration team. 

Below: Two Swiss Air Force F/A-18s 

against the snowy Alps. 


Mia Langford, Mint Hill, NC 

Austin Hancock*, West New York, NJ 

*referred by Dan Reeves 

World Airshow News 41 January/February 2019 

WORLD AIRSHOW NEWS 17 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017

AIRSHOW REPORT: Photos by Benoit Denet 

Belgian Air Force Days Airshow 

Every two years, the Belgian Air Force organizes Belgian Air 

Force Days, the largest airshow in Belgium. Aircraft arrive 

from all over Europe for this event. The 2018 show was 

held September 8-9 at Kleine-Brogel Air Base and attracted over 

75,000 spectators. 

Left: A Saab Gripen from Czech Republic. 

Above: The F-16 Dark Falcon from the Belgian Air Force performs. 

Below: A Ukrainian Ilyushin IL-76 and two Ukrainian Sukhoi Su-27 Flankers 

arrive for the BAF Days Airshow. 


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World Airshow News 43 January/February 2019 World Airshow News 7755

AIRSHOW HIGHLIGHTS: October & November 2018... 

The 2018 airshow season 

wrapped up in October and 

November, but these late 

season shows are always some 

of the best of the year. From San 

Francisco Fleet Week (see feature 

article elsewhere in this issue) to 

the Blue Angels Homecoming 

Air Show in Pensacola, Florida, 

spectators were thoroughly 

entertained, and another successful 

airshow season came to an end. 

All year we’ve presented some 

of their best photos capturing the 

excitement of these great events, 

and this issue is no exception. 

Unfortunately, many shots get left 

out of each issue because there is 

simply not enough room. So, to 

check out the hundreds of superb 

pictures we couldn’t fit into print, 

visit our online galleries at www. 

airshowmag.com. 

In our next issue, we will follow 

the tradition we started last year 

and will present “The Best of the 

Rest” – some of the best photos 

from the 2018 season that we just 

didn’t have room for during the 

season. Stay tuned! 

Top: On Sunday Oct 21, Sean D. Tucker flew his final solo performance at Wings Over Houston, and 

completed the final ribbon cut of his solo career in his Oracle Challenger III. 

Above: Flying four Extras, the Phillips 66 Aerostars thrilled the crowds at Wings Over Houston (photos by 

Ken Cheung). 


Left:The Blue Angels diamond 

formation overflies the NAS 

Pensacola Lighthouse during 

the Blue Angels Homecoming 

Air Show at NAS Pensacola 

(photo by Craig Scaling). 

Below: During their Tinstix dual 

performance, Skip Stewart and 

Gary Ward raced Shockwave 

at NAS Pensacola, with the jet 

truck popping his ‘chute just as 

he passed Skip and Gary (photo 

by Chris Buff). 


...AIRSHOW HIGHLIGHTS: October & November 2018... 

Right: After stealing a Piper 

Cub, Clem Cleaver (Greg 

Koontz) chases Grandpa (Fred 

Masterson) at the South 

Alabama Airshow in Andalusia. 

Below: Skip Stewart flies his 

Pitts in knife edge between two 

hangars at the South Alabama 

Airshow in Andalusia (photos by 

Sheldon Heatherington). 


...AIRSHOW HIGHLIGHTS: October & November 2018... 

Above:The “Dawn Patrol” 

launches at the Albuquerque 

International Balloon Fiesta 

(photo by Greg Meland). 

Right: Buck Roetman flies 

inverted in his Pitts at Wings 

Over North Georgia in Rome 

(photo by Chris Buff). 


...AIRSHOW HIGHLIGHTS: October & November 2018. 

Miles Daisher does a backflip off the 

skid of the Red Bull Helicopter at the 

Aviation Roundup in Minden-Tahoe, 

Nevada (photo by Mark Loper). 

Thanks to the following contributors for providing coverage here and at www.airshowmag.com: 

Date Airshow City Contributors 

October 5-7 San Francisco Fleet Week San Francisco, California Norman A. Graf, Mark Loper 

October 6-14 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta Albuquerque, New Mexico Greg Meland 

October 10-11 Axalp Swiss Air Force Live Fire Demo Axalp, Switzerland Tommaso Munforti 

October 13-14 Wings Over North Georgia Rome, Georgia Chris Buff 

October 13-14 Minden-Tahoe Aviation Roundup Minden-Tahoe, Nevada Mark Loper 

October 13-14 Bell Helicopter Fort Worth Alliance Air Show Fort Worth, Texas Gary Daniels, Eric Renth 

October 20-21 Wings Over Houston Airshow Houston, Texas Ken Cheung 

November 2-3 Blue Angels Homecoming Air Show NAS Pensacola, Florida Chris Buff, 

Sheldon Heatherington, 

Craig Scaling 

November 10-11 Warbirds Over Monroe Monroe, North Carolina Jim Froneberger 

November 17 South Alabama Airshow Andalusia, Alabama Sheldon Heatherington 



AIRSHOW SNAPSHOTS... 

Right: Dan 

Buchanan was 

honored with a 

front row seat at the 

Aviation Roundup in 

Minden, Nevada. 

Far right: Blue Angel 

#1, Capt Eric Doyle, 

signing autographs at 

the Aviation Roundup 

in Minden, Nevada 

(photos by Mark 

Loper). 

Left: Greg “Wired” Colyer saying hello after his performance at the Aviation 

Roundup in Minden, Nevada (photo by Mark Loper). 

Above: Airboss George Cline with his grandson Drew after the conclusion of 

the Warbirds Over Monroe Air Show in Monroe, North Carolina (photo by Jim 

Froneberger). 


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AIRSHOW CALENDAR by World Airshow News Canadian Editor Kerry J. Newstead 

This listing contains U.S.A. and International airshows beginning in January, 2019 through mid-May 2019. 

Go to www.airshowmag.com for complete U.S. and international listings. 

BA = Blue Angels • CF = Canadian CF-18 • SB = Snowbirds • TB = Thunderbirds 

1/10-1/13: Havasu Balloon Festival & 

Fair, Havasu City, AZ, (877) 505-2440, 

hbffhelp@gmail.com 

1/12-1/13: Great Eastern Fly-In, Evans 

Head NSW, Australia, info@greateasternflyin.com, 

greateasternflyin.com 

1/19-1/19: Imperial Aviation Day, Imperial, 

CA, (683) 655-6444, expo@sebringairport.com 

1/23-1/26: US Sport Aviation Expo, 

Sebring, FL, sport-aviation-expo.com 

1/25-1/27: Festival Aéreo de Villarrica, 

Villarrica, Chile, festivalaereovillarrica@ 

gmail.com, festivalaereovillarrica.cl 

1/26-1/27: Show Aéreo Ilopango 2019, 

San Salvador, El Salvador, info@ilopangoairshow.com 

2/15-2/27: Montebello Winter Fly In, 

Montebello, QC, Canada, (613) 236-4901, 

copa@copanational.org 

2/17-2/17: 19th Annual Stars and Stripes 

Air Show Spectacular, Laredo, TX, Jet:a10, 

(956) 722-0589, wbca@wbcalaredo.org, 

wbcalaredo.org 

2/19-2/10: Buckeye Air Fair, Buckeye, AZ, 

(623) 349-6000 

2/20-2/22: AeroExpo 2019, Toluca, 

Mexico 

2/20-2/24: Aero India 2019, Bengaluru, 

India, mediaregn.dpr-mod@gov.in, 

aeroindia.in 

2/22-2/24: Wings over Wairarapa, 

Masterton, New Zealand, info@wings.org. 

nz, wings.org.nz 

2/23-2/13: Planes, Trains & Automobiles, 

Plant City, FL, (813) 754-3707, info@ 

plantcity.org 

2/23-2/23: Los Angeles Air Raid, San 

Pedro, CA 

2/26-3/3: Avalon 2019 - Australian 

International Airshow, Geelong VIC, Australia, 

airshow@amda.com.au, airshow. 

net.au 

3/2-3/2: JASDF Komaki Open Base Air 

Festival, Aicihi, Japan, mod.go.jp 

3/7-3/10: Aero Club Airweek, Middleburg, 

South Africa, alan@aeroclub.org.za, 

Lowveld Kishuga AirshowLowveld Kishuga 

Airshow 

3/9-3/10: Yuma Airshow, MCAS Yuma, AZ, 

Jet:a10, (928) 269-3109, mcasyuma_media@usmc.mil, 

yumaairshow.com 

3/9-3/10: Swellendam Fly In and Sport 

Aerobatic Championship, Swellendam, 

South Africa, pventer@vgv.co.za, vgv. 

co.zavgv.co.za 

3/15-3/17: Space Coast Warbird AirShow, 

Titusville, FL, (321) 268-1941, warbirds@ 

valiantaircommand.com 

3/16-3/16: NAF El Centro Air Show, NAF 

El Centro, CA, Jet: BA, (760) 339-2673, 

nafecpao@gmail.com 

3/16-3/17: Lake Boga Airshow & Splash 

In, Lake Boga VIC, Australia, museum@ 

flyingboat.org.au 

3/22-3/24: AAAA National Fly-in, Echura 

VIC, Australia, president@antique-aeroplane.com.au 

3/23-3/23: FASHKOSH - Stellenbosch, 

Stellenbosch, South Africa, gm@stelfly. 

co.za, stelfly.co.za 

3/23-3/24: Thunder and Lighting Over 

Arizona, Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ, Jet:TB/ 

f22/a10, (520) 228-3406, 355wgpa@ 

us.af.mil 

3/23-3/24: California International 

Air Show, Salinas, CA, Jet: BA, (844) 

647-7499, info@salinasairshow.com, 

salinasairshow.com 

3/26-3/30: LIMA ‘19 - Langkawi International 

Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition, 

Langkawi, Malaysia, norliza.manap@ 

limaexhibition.com, limaexhibition. 

com 

3/30-3/31: Melbourne Air and Space 

show, Melbourne, FL, Jet:F35, (321) 395- 

3110, pr@air.show 

3/30-3/31: NAS Key West Southern most 

Air Show, NAS Key West, FL, Jet: BA/f16, 

(305) 293-2503, mwrnaskw@gmail.com, 

airshowkeywest.com 

3/30-3/31: Thunder Over the Bay, Travis 

AFB, CA, Jet:TB/f22 

4/6-4/6: Shaw AFB Wing Event, Shaw AFB, 

SC, Jet:F16 

4/6-4/7: Hunter Valley Airshow 2019, 

Cessnock NSW, Australia, contact@ 

aerohunter.com.au, huntervalleyairshow. 

com.au 

4/6-4/7: Sun-N-fun Fly-in Expo, Lakeland, 

FL, Jet: BA, (863) 904-6833, fly-info@ 

flysnf.org 

4/6-4/7: Heart of Texas Air Show, Waco, 

TX, Jet:TB, info@heartoftexasairshow. 

com, heartoftexasairshow.com 

4/10-4/13: Aero Friedrichshafen, Friedrichshafen, 

Germany, aero-expo.com 

4/12-4/13: Festival d’Avion, Pinehurst, 

NJ, (910) 215-0861, info@festivaldavion. 

com 

4/13-4/13: Marvel of Flight Fly-in & Expo, 

DeFuniak Springs, FL, (850) 892-2000, 

airport@defuniaksprings.net, marvelofflight.com 

4/13-4/13: Valley View Air Display, Geraldton 

WA, Australia 

4/13-4/13: Thunder Over Louisville, 

Louisville, KY, (502) 584-3378, KDFPressOffice@kdf.org 

4/13-4/13: Uitenhage Festival, Uitenhage, 

South Africa 

4/13-4/14: Wings over Southern Texas 

Air Show, NAS Corpus Christi, TX, Jet: BA/ 

a10 

4/16-4/18: ABACE2019 Asian Business 

Aviation Conference & Exhibition, Shanghai, 

China, info@abace.aero 

4/17-4/20: Qatar Airshow, Doha, Qatar, 

nikhil.kavlekar@qatarairshow.q 

4/19-4/21: Omaka Classic Fighters 

Airshow 2019, Blenheim, New Zealand, 

info@omaka.org.nz, classicfighters.org. 

nz 

4/20-4/20: Rand Airport Easter Fly In, 

Rand, South Africa, events@randairport. 

co.za, randairport.co.zarandairport 

4/24-4/27: FAMEX 2019, Santa Lucia, 

Mexico, Jet:a10, f-airmexico.com.mx 

4/27-4/27: Cross City Airport Fly In, Cross 

City, FL, (352) 498-1403, cheyenne.stemple@dixie.fl.gov, 

visitdixie.com 

4/27-4/28: MCAS Beaufort Air Show, 

MCAS Beaufort, SC, Jet: BA/f22, (854) 

322-8767, scmccs@usmc-mccs.org, 

beaufortairshow.com 

4/27-4/28: CAF Dixie Wing WWII Heritage 

Days, Peachtree City, GA, (770) 655-3315, 

marketing@dixiewing.org, wwiidays. 

org 

4/27-4/28: Den ve vzduchu Plasy, Plasy, 

Czech Republic, jpoor@4pro.cz 

4/27-4/28: Wings over Wayne Open 

House, Seymour-Johnson AFB, NC, Jet:TB, 

wingsoverwayne@gmail.com 

4/28-4/28: Pacific Coast Dream 

Machines Show, Half Moon Bay, CA, 

(650) 726-2328, tim@miramarevents. 

comAirshow2018!J249 

4/28-4/28: Old Buckenham Wings & 

Wheels, Old Buckenham, England, airfield@oldbuck.com, 

oldbuck.com 

5/4-5/4: SAAF Museum Airshow, AFB 

Swartkop, South Africa 

5/4-5/4: 2019 Manassas Airshow, Manassas, 

VA, Jet:a10 

5/4-5/5: Planes of Fame Air Show, Chino, 

CA, Jet:F16, (909) 597-3722, harry.geier@ 

planesoffame.org 

5/4-5/5: Fort Lauderdale Air Show, Fort 

Lauderdale, FL, Jet: BA/f22, (321) 395- 

3110, pr@air.show, fortlauderdaleairshow. 

com 

5/4-5/5: Thunder over the sound:The 

Keesler and Biloxi Air and Space Show, 

www.airshowmag.com 52 January/February 2019 

Keesler AFB, MS, Jet:TB 

5/4-5/5: Festival letectva Piestany, 

Piestany, Slovakia 

5/4-5/5: Wings over Illawarra, Wollongong 

NSW, Australia, admin@wingsoverillawarra.com.au 

5/5-5/5: Abingdon Air & Country Show, 

Abingdon, England 

5/5-5/5: Shuttleworth Season Premiere 

Airshow, Old Warden, England, enquiries@ 

shuttleworth.org, shuttleworth.org 

5/6-5/6: 2019 Aero-Auto Jumble, Classic 

Car Rally, & Vintage Fly-in, Popham 

Airfield, England, pophamairfield@ 

btconnect.com 

5/9-5/9: Victory Day Parade, Moscow, 

Russia, info@mil.ru 

5/10-5/11: Battlefields Fly In, Battlefields, 

South Africa, gm@battlefields.co.za, battlefields.co.zabattlefields.co.za 

5/11-5/11: Corsicana Airsho, Corsicana, TX, 

coyotesquadron.org 

5/11-5/11: Lowveld Kishuga Airshow, 

Lowveld, South Africa, monica.fourie@ 

kishugu.com 

5/11-5/11: AirExpo 2019, Muret - Lherm, 

France, contact@airexpo.org, airexpo. 

org 

5/11-5/11: Estrella Warbirds, Wings & 

Wheels, Paso Robles, CA, (805) 238-9317, 

peterv@ewarbirds.org, ewarbirds.org 

5/11-5/12: JB Andrews Airshow, JB 

Andrews, MD, Jet: BA/tb/a10, (240) 612- 

4428, usaf.jbanafw.afdw-staff.mbx.11- 

wg-pa@mail.mil, andrewsairshow.org 

5/11-5/12: Chennault Interrnational 

Airshow, Lake Charles, LA, Jet:F16, info@ 

chennaultairshow.com, chennaultairshow. 

com 

5/16-5/17: Heli Russia 2019, Moscow, 

Russia, fedor@helirussia.ru, helirussia. 

ru 

5/17-5/17: Spottersday NATO Tiger Meet, 

Mont de Marsan, France, spottersday. 

ntm2019@gmail.com 

5/17-5/18: Helicopter Show 2019, Hradec 

Kraliove, Czech Republic, helicoptershow@ 

dsa.cz, helicoptershow.cz 

5/17-5/19: Warbirds Over the Beach, 

Virginia Beach, VA, (757) 721-7767 

5/18-5/18: Kirtland AFB Air Snow, Kirtland 

AFB, NM, Jet:TB, kirtland.af.mil 

5/18-5/18: May Evening Airshow, Old Warden, 

England, enquiries@shuttleworth. 

org, shuttleworth.org 

5/18-5/18: Stow Maries Wings and 

Wheels, Stow Maries, England, info@ 

stowmaries.org.uk, stowmaries.org.

Jessy 

Panzer 

PITTS SPECIAL S1S 

freebirdjes@yahoo.com 

719-210-4397 

FIREWALKERS INTERNATIONAL 

STUNNING SPECIAL PYROTECHNIC EFFECTS 

Rick ‘Sarge’ Myers – Pyrotechnician 

406-839-5481 

email: firewalkerspyro@aol.com 

FIREWALKERSINTERNATIONAL.COM 

An airshow without pyro is just another fly-in 

FIREWALKERS INTERNATIONAL 

STUNNING SPECIAL PYROTECHNIC EFFECTS 

Rick ‘Sarge’ Myers – Pyrotechnician 

406-839-5481 

email: firewalkerspyro@aol.com 

FIREWALKERSINTERNATIONAL.COM 

An airshow without pyro is just another fly-in 

Parachute Shop 

Saving Lives Since 1973 

Sales-Service-Repairs-Mfg 

Don Mayer 

Master Parachute Rigger 

FAA Designated Rigger Examiner 

Pepperell Airport 

165 Nashua Road, Pepperell, MA 01463 USA 

(978) 433-8550, Toll Free 1-800-USA-CHUTE (872-2488) 

donmayer@parachuteshop.com 

http://www.parachuteshop.com 

Index to Advertisers 

Index to Advertisers 

AeroShell Aerobatic Team . ............57 

AeroShell Air Show Network Aerobatic (Jim Team........... Breen) ........65 

21 Greg Hugh Shelton Oldham Airshows Announcing ..............7 ....63 

Air Air Show Network Vendors (Patrick (Jim Breen) O’Grady) ...... ....65 

53 Insurance Index to Advertisers. Technologies . . .&. . Programs. . . . . . . . . . .. .65 39 

Alabama Boys (Greg Koontz) ..........49 

Insurance Technologies & Programs ..... 5 

Air Show Vendors (Patrick O’Grady) .. 53 Jaymatt Aviation, LLC.............. 51 

American Aerobatics (Julie Clark) ....... 2 Jessy Panzer ........................65 

Alabama Boys (Greg Koontz)........ 27 Jim Tobul Airshows Class of ‘45 . ..... 25 

Batcopter and Batmobile (Nock Air) ....65 

Jim Tobul Airshows (Korean War Hero) . .21 

American Bean Quiet Aerobatics Sound Amplifier. (Julie Clark)......2 

. . . . . . . . . .59 Manfred Keith Davis Radius................... Airshows .................63 

51 

Batcopter Bill Adams & Foundation Batmobile Legacy (Nock Air).... Prize ....27 

53 National Manfred Event Radius Services............. .....................37 

Bean Bill Stein Quiet Airshows Sound . Amplifier. ..................67 

. . . . . . . . 43 Parachute Matt Chapman Shop Airshows (Don Meyer). .............31 

53 

Billy Werth Airshows .................61 

Pure White Smoke Oil ................. 3 

Bill Adams Memorial Foundation Scott Francis Airshows ............. 49 

CAF Dixie Wing ...................... 9 Redline Airshows ....................41 

Legacy Prize.................... 41 Shannon & Luchs Insurance. ........ 51 

Continental Air Show Productions ......63 

Rick Volker Airshows .................61 

CAF Dacy Dixie Airshows Wing (Dave Air Shows Dacy) ............5 

...........55 

Skip Scott Stewart Francis Airshows............. ...............51 

56 

Dacy De Havilland Airshows Vampire (Dave Airshows Dacy)...........9 . 7 

Extreme Faux Shizzle AeroSports Motor Skilz (Jim. .............65 

Bourke).... 19 

Figure 1 Foundation (Rumble Bee) .....17 

Faux Shizzle Motor Skilz............ 53 

Firewalkers International Pyrotechnics . .65 

Firewalkers 

Franklin’s Flying 

International 

Circus ...............11 

Pyrotechnics.53 

Free Gary Man Rower Airshows (Bob ................59 

Freeman)... 43 

Gary Rower Ward Airshows.............. .................61 

11 

Greg Shelton Air Shows ..............13 

Herb & Ditto . .......................29 

Trojan Shannon Thunder.................... & Luchs Insurance ...........63 17 

US Shockwave Navy Legacy Jet Truck Flight.............. (Neal Darnell) .....23 33 

Skip Stewart Airshows ...............68 

Vertigo Airshows (Bob Carlton). ..... 55 

Tinstix .............................43 

Wild 

Trojan 

Blue 

Horsemen 

Rodeo (“Jive”Kirby) 

....................33 

. ...... 49 

World Vertigo Airshows News (Bob promo. Carlton) ........15 51 

Younkin Wild Blue Airshows...................3 

Rodeo (Jerry“Jive” Kerby) ....51 

Younkin Airshows .................... 4 

WORLD World AIRSHOW Airshow NEWS News 65 53 

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER January/February 2019

STICK TIME: Glenn Watson with... 

Blue Angel #7: The Photo Shoot 

“ How would you like to shoot the 

Blue Angels, Thunderbirds, and 

Snowbirds from the back seat of 

Blue Angel #7?” asked the voice 

on the other end of my phone. “It’s 

still waiting on approvals, so please don’t 

tell anybody.” 

That’s how Blue Angels Lead Solo Lt. 

Tyler Davies first told me about what 

would become one of the most incredible 

photo shoots I’ve ever had the privilege to 

do. I had shot the individual teams in various 

formations, but ALL of them together 

at once? How could this happen? I felt 

confident I could hack my way through 

the photo shoot – but an F/A-18 Hornet 

ride? I’ve been a pilot most of my life, but 

never did I think I would ever get to ride 

in a Hornet, especially one painted blue 

and gold. 

Having been through the “military approval” 

process for photo shoots in the 

past, I knew that the shoot isn’t happening 

until it’s actually happening, so I tried 

not to get too excited as the weeks clicked 

off. About a week out, I got the official 

thumbs up and a briefing slide deck outlining 

a safe and efficient plan to get 23 

jets that start out 150 miles apart into the 

same piece of sky at the same time (21 jets 

in the photo, my photo jet, and a safety 

ops jet). 

We would be staging out of the Cleveland 

National Air Show, and the Thunderbirds 

and Snowbirds would be coming 

over from their weekend show site in Toronto. 

The military demo teams have always 

been much larger than life to me, so the 

opportunity to be a small part of the Blue 

Angels team that day was incredible. I’ll 

never forget Blue Angel #7, Lt Andre 

Webb, shaking my hand and motioning 

out the window to “my jet.” We briefed 

with the crew chief about the cockpit, the 

ejection seat, and what things NOT to 

touch. I got fitted for the flight suit and 

discussed life in the back seat of a Hornet. 

At “go time,” I arrived at the briefing 

room and was so honored to be there 

with the team. I was in awe of each person 

at the table doing what they do on a 

daily basis. 

Once complete, we all stepped out to 

the jets, and it all got real. “I’m climbing 

up the ladder and strapping into a blue 

and gold Hornet!” I thought to myself. 

“WOW!” I got all ratcheted down in ten 

different places, got the helmet on, and 

my cameras situated, as Andre did the 

same in the front. 

Once the pre-flight checklists started, 

things went really fast. All seven jets 

share a discrete comm frequency, and as 

they started to taxi, I was still in disbelief. 

Their radio banter offered me a small 

window into the tight-knit bond on the 

team, something the rest of us can’t truly 

appreciate. 

The four-ship diamond took off first, 

and we lined up in between and aft of solos 

#5 and #6. Their burners blazing, the 

solos started rolling, and we went off right 

behind them. The takeoff performance 

really blew my mind, and I was surprised 

how quiet it was. We were at 350 knots 

before I knew what was happening, and 

quickly joined up with the other six jets 

and started the 90-mile transit to the rendezvous 

point over the middle of Lake 

Erie. 

The Snowbirds were already there 

when we arrived, so the Blues formed up 

on their wing. The Thunderbirds arrived 

shortly thereafter, joined on the Blue Angels’ 

wing, and I started shooting. We 

probably had 10 minutes on station, but 

it felt like 30 seconds. It’s very difficult 

to move 21 jets around, so we set up the 

shots by moving our jet around. All the 

yanking and banking was a blast! 

The Snowbirds were first to get low on 

fuel, so they cleared off and we did a few 

more minutes with the Blues and Tbirds 

before heading back to Cleveland. Another 

90-mile ride as a seven-ship with all the 

Blue Angels, no big deal! 

Upon arrival back at Cleveland, we followed 

the Delta into the break and pulled 

about 6-g. It was AWESOME! Wheels 

down, land, and taxi back to parking in 

classic Blue Angel style – all seven jets 

perfectly lined up. We shut down, canopies 

came up in unison, and the pilots 

stepped out like they always do. The crew 

chief came up and unstrapped me and I 

climbed down the ladder. All six pilots 

were waiting and did the walk down, each 

shaking my hand in order. That hand 

shake was the highlight of my flight. 

And just like that, it was over. I had a 

few hours before my commercial fight 

home, so I stayed for the Blue Angels 

practice. I was sitting alone in my rental 

car on the ramp, parked next to Fat Albert, 

Top Gun soundtrack on the radio, 

and the Hornets were ripping up the sky 

above. It actually brought a tear to my eye. 

It had been one of the best experiences of 

my life. 

My grandest thanks to Lt Tyler Davies 

for his support and recommendation for 

the shoot, and to the rest of the Blue Angels, 

Thunderbirds, and Snowbirds for 

their trust in me getting the shots.

2019-01-LR-Final

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