NAS Oceana over the years has grown to become one of the largest airshows in the United States.  No, it is no longer an airshow, it is an event.  People from near and far converge on Virginia Beach every year to attend Oceana.  Having travelled to airshows all of my adult life, I have made many friends at various locations around the country, and most show up every year at Oceana.  The theme for this year’s event was:  “America’s Navy: Answering the Call to Serve”.  The airshow was a tribute to all the armed services.  From those who are serving, those who have served, and most importantly, to those who paid the ultimate price for our freedom.

   The one thing always appreciated by the crowds at Oceana is their changing the civilian line up around every year.  They bring in performers who haven’t been at Oceana before along with a mix of those who have dazzled the crowd from the past.  Bob Carlton led the way this year in his Super Salto jet powered glider.  When I asked Bob if it was a jet or a glider, he responded it was a motorized glider.  Isn’t that an oxymoron?  Bill Leff demonstrated his polished silver T-6 Texan.  Always a crowd pleaser, the Shockwave jet truck driven by Kent Shockley blasted down runway 5L.  Dale “Snort” Snodgrass & Jerry “Jive” Kerby graced the skies with formation aerobatics as Team MS760 made their first appearance at Oceana.  “Doctor Smoke” Ron Saglimbene was a very nice addition this year in his three colored smoke producing Siai Marchetti SF260.  Roger Buis and Otto the Helicopter returned for another visit to Oceana entertaining the kids young and old.  Matt Chapman returned for the first time in several years in his Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University sponsored Eagle 580, and Matt had the honor of being the last act to fly before the Blue Angels each day.  The ASB.TV Horsemen were on hand this year flying a tribute to the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.  The Horsemen, the worlds only 3 ship P-51 Mustang demonstration team, traded their Mustangs in for Navy warbirds.  Lead Jim Beasley Jr. piloted a F4U-4 Corsair, while his wingmen, Ed Shipley & Dan Friedken flew the stubby F8F-2 Bearcat.  The most touching tribute each day was the flyby for the Wounded Warrior Project as the L-39 Albatross Vandy 1 and P-51D Mustang Glamorous gal made formation passes honoring our Wounded Warriors.

NAS Oceana is a Master Jet Base, and is home to all the Atlantic Fleet fighter squadrons.  Oceana has a reputation for  large military presence during the airshow, and 2010 was no exception with both USAF & USN assets.  This was started off each day by the F/A-18C Hornet East Coast Demonstration Team.  After the launching of the fleet, there was a refueling pass executed by two F/A-18 Super Hornets.  The ensuing flight of Hornets over Oceana demonstrated both air to ground tactics with pyro, but for the first time ever an air to air demonstration.  From nearby NAS Norfolk, the E-2C Hawkeye then presented their flight profile to the audience.  Once the Hawkeye had finished, the British Army Red Devils Parachute Regiment dropped in with the flags for the National Anthem. At the conclusion of the National Anthem the Fleet Flyby took place as a delta of six F/A-18 Super Hornets passed over the field while a sneak Super Hornet came in from behind setting off a wall of fire.  This was then followed by the recovery of the fleet.  The USAF was well represented by both the F-16 Viper West Coast Demonstration Team, and F-22A Raptor East Coast Demonstration Team tearing up the skies over Oceana.  We all had the honor of witnessing something that doesn’t happen much together at Oceana.  The crowd got to see the USAF Heritage Flight, and the USN legacy Flight in the same airshow!  The F/A-18F Super Hornet East Coast Demonstration Team showed their capabilities to this Navy crowd.  The U.S. Navy Blue Angels headlined this years show.    

  Oceana always presents to you the best in the world.  On the eve of the Centennial of Naval Aviation, it was just what you got from both the civilian and military sides.  Everyone in attendance loved what they saw, and the feeling one received from the fans was that they were almost rabid to see what was going to be in store next year for the Centennial.  The dates for the Centennial of Naval Aviation celebration NAS Oceana Airshow are September 23-25, 2011.  If it is anywhere near what we all saw this year, then simply put…WOW!