Memorial Day Weekend May 23-24, 2009, NAS Patuxent River held their first airshow since September 2005.  Even with the long layoff, they did not disappoint anyone who attended this event.  Featured were a wide variety of performances by both civilian & military aircraft in the air and on the ground.

  There were stellar solo performances by Tim Weber in his GEICO-sponsored Extra 300S, and the first lady of tumbling, Patty Wagstaff in her Cirrus-sponsored Extra 300S.  Otto the helicopter and pilot Roger Buis displayed for young & old alike how mischievous this nimble little helicopter can be by circling & taunting the Indy Boys Paul Stender in the Port-O-Jet Outhouse, and turning his tail feathers to his announcer letting out puffs of smoke during his display.  In the end though, Otto showed his gratitude to all the men and women of the armed services by towing a long banner thanking them for service to our country.

  Paul Stender and the Indy Boys took to the runway again at NAS Patuxent River to show off School Time, a General Electric J-79 jet engine powered school bus. Let me repeat that, a jet powered school bus.  The General Electric J-79 was the same engine used in the F-4 Phantom, and School Time’s runs, if you closed your eyes, brought visions of the Phantom blasting down the runway.  Actually, who could close their eyes?  A jet powered school bus? How sick is that?

  The DAV B-25 Panchito brought the great sounds of round to the skies above Pax River with this WWII medium bomber making several passes for the large holiday weekend crowd.  The USAF was well represented by the F-16CJ Viper East Demo Team.  Maj. George “Dog” Clifford turned and burned his way across the sky in an amazing display of power and precision.  The Army was on hand with a mass jump of the Black Demonstration Team of the Golden Knights Parachute Team. The Golden Knights are celebrating their 50th season in 2009. 

  Red Eagle Air Sports team leader Dan McClung and his wingman Buck Roetman graced the blue skies with formation, solo, and opposing maneuvers in their bright red Talon Eagles.  Ingenium Technologies, Ingenium Aerospace, and Ingenium Testing sponsored Team Aerostars.  The Aerostars are three Yak 52 TW’s flown by team lead Harvey Meek, left wing Paul Hornick, and right wing David Monroe.  In tight formation, the Aerostars put their Yaks through a series of formation loops and rolls followed by a series of opposing and solo maneuvers.  They finished their show joining up once again performing another series of formation aerobatic maneuvers. 

  The 2009 version of NAS Patuxent River Air Expo was brought to a close each day by the airshows headliner, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels.  Fat Albert, the Blue Angels C-130 support aircraft, gave a remarkable performance each day, and was followed by the six blue & gold F/A-18 Hornets.  Still early in the season, the Blue Angels appeared to be in mid season form.  To the people of NAS Patuxent River, thank you, and please don’t wait another 4 years before your next airshow.