Look, Up in The Sky….It’s the Oceana Air Show

When you take the hottest jet fighters in the military and combine them with the best pilots in the world, you get the Oceana Air Show ‘09.

From the precision of The Blue Angels and the Canadian Snowbirds aerobatic teams to the low level and high-speed strike fighter demos, you not just see, but feel the power of these impressive military aircraft. 

Watch gyroscopic aerobatic maneuvers, low-level aerobatics and flying  demonstrations by dozens of planes, ranging from vintage jets to the most modern military fighters and transports.

Along with the planes and helicopters, watch precision parachute display teams as they fall from the heavens, landing on an exact predefined spot.

The world’s fastest full size truck, the 36,000 horsepower Shockwave Jet Truck, capable of going from 0 to 250+ mph in under 6.5 seconds will also be performing. 

As part of the show, see a wide collection of some of the most impressive military aircraft assembled, including the:

• C-130 Hercules
• Apache & Black Hawk helicopters
• Carrier-based F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter
• 4-engine turboprop C-130 Hercules
• Grumman’s twin-engine, electronic warfare 6B Prowler
• Classic workhorse bomber, the B-52 Stratofortress
• Navy E-2C Hawkeye all-weather airborne warning system

Called the “Mickey Mouse” of the air show circuit, Otto the Helicopter is also performing and turns aerobatics into “heli-batics” with tricks using a 75-pound yo-yo, blowing aerial bubbles, barrel racing and doing other amazing acrobatics similar to fixed wing airplanes.

Also watch for Kent Pietsch in his 1942 Interstate Cadet as he lands his plane on the back of an RV with a mini-landing strip on the roof.

And take the smaller children to the Kid’s Fest for bouncing inflatables, games with  prizes, face-painting and more ($5.00 per child, some rides extra.)

Oceana Air Show ‘09
Naval Air Station Oceana
902 E Avenue
Virginia Beach, Virginia  23460 – approx. 16 miles east of Norfolk  (map it)

Dates & Times - Saturday and Sunday, October 17 & 18, 2009.  This year’s schedule (subject to change) is:

• 8:00 a.m. – Gates open
• 10:00 – Flying begins
• Noon – National Anthem & Flag Jump
• 1:00 -  Canadian Snowbirds
• 2:45 – F/A-18F Super Hornet Tactical Demo
• 3:00 -  Navy Blue Angels
• 4:00 – Show ends

Tickets – Admission is FREE. Bring a lawn chair, blanket or order reserve seating — bleachers – $4.00, general seats – $8.00, reserved seating – $12.00.  Kid’s Fest – $5.00 per person.

Parking – Free

Images – Flickr – Blue Angels, Apache, A-4