Location: Langley AFB
Date: April 27-29, 2007
Story by: Jim Deveney
Photography by: Jim Deveney

Driving down on Friday for four and a half hours in a steady rain, hopes weren’t very high for any flying activities at the 2007 Langley AFB airshow. However, about 5 miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel the rain stopped. Even though the skies weren’t clear, there were now hopes that something would take to the air. Walking onto the flight line, it looked like the area was surrounded by storms with a very ominous looking storm cell just north of Langley. It was very dark too, but to my surprise Patty Wagstaff was in the air. But I wondered what chance the remainder of the practice show would have, and the night show for that matter.

Standing around checking out what static displays were on hand, I was startled to hear the sound of military jet engines coming to life. Maj. Paul "Max" Moga, the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team pilot, was starting up his F-22 Raptor at the same time the U.S.A.F. Thunderbirds were starting their F-16 Vipers. Max took to the skies in the Raptor making a highspeed pass over the field as the Thunderbirds took the runway. Due to thunderstorms during their arrival on Thursday, the Thunderbirds needed to get up on Friday for at least a site survey. It looked like the whole area would be drenched by rain at any second, so the Thunderbirds took to the sky. What happened next took us all by surprise, and may have been a once in a lifetime oppurtunity. The F-22 Raptor Demo Team jet took the lead surrounded by the Thunderbirds, and they made several passes in two different formations, a big "V" and a delta, while an F-15 flew beside them taking pictures of the formation. The rain held off, and the Thunderbirds were able to not only do their site survey, but they also got their practice show in.

The skies opened up shortly afterwards to a tremendous downpour that gave doubt to the night show that evening. However, once again mother natured fooled us all. The rain stopped, even though it remained cloudy, and the dark clouds were fairly high. The evening show went off without a hitch with demonstrations of the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet East Coast Demo Team from VFA-106 stationed at nearby NAS Oceana, The A-10 Thunderbolt II West Coast Demo Team, the F-15C Eagle West Coast Demo Team, and featuring the fully approved F-22 Raptor Demo Team six pass demonstration that was to put it bluntly, jaw dropping. There was then “quiet” time in which the classic rock band Kansas gave an appreciative audience a great show. We left after the concert due to a thunderstorm approaching.

Saturday was another dark and gloomy day, but there was hope for the afternoon. Sean Carroll took to the skies in his Yak-9 to do a weather check, and made several passes in that beautiful Yak-9. With the weather check having been completed, and the okay to fly given, the show was on. Sunday turned out to a gorgeous day with sunny blue skies.

Patty Wagstaff gave her usual high energy performance in her newly painted Cirrus-sponsored Extra 300 with an opening morning show teaser, and her full show in the afternoon. Everyone was also treated to a morning teaser by the Red Eagle aerobatic team lead by Dan McClung with wingman Buck Roetman, and their full exciting afternoon show. The Geico Skytypers were unable to do any sky typing until Sunday, but they put on their usual smokey display of precision formation flying. Paul McCowan led the three-man E Team Skydivers, opening the show each day doing the flag jump with an American flag that is a massive size of 5000 square feet. Michael Goulian put on his show, exciting the crowd tumbling around the sky in his Castrol Extra 300SHP. WWII bombers took the sky with the B-25 Mitchell ‘Panchito’, and the B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Memphis Belle’. Other warbirds took to the skies giving us awe-inspiring aerobatic demos with the likes of Sean Carroll in his Yak-9, Jim Beasley in his P-51D ‘Bald Eagle’, Dan McCue in the Collings Foundation F-4U-5NL Corsair, and Ed Shipley in his F-86 Sabre. Dan McCue and the Corsair flew a Tailhook Legacy Flight each day with the U.S. Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet, and Ed Shipley led the USAF Heritage Flight each day with the F-15C Eagle, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and F-22 Raptor which seemed to steal away most of the weekend thunder. Each day was closed out by a performance of the Thunderbirds.

Langley AFB’s airshow has grown steadily over the years, and now has to be considered one of the best airshows in the U.S., with not only a tremendous military participation, but the best of the best in civilian acts too.

Photo captions left to right: (1) Thunderbird 5 taking off on a dark cloudy Friday afternoon. (2-3) The Raptor and the Thunderbirds. (4) Patty Wagstaff in her Cirrus-sponsored Extra 300 with a new paint scheme this year. (5) Taking off to start the F-15C West Coast Demo Team's demonstration. (6) Paul McCowan of the E Team Skydivers displaying a massive 5000 square foot American flag to open the formal show Saturday and Sunday. (7) A flyby of the B-17 Flying Fortress "Memphis Belle". (8) Dan McCue in the Collings Foundation F4U-5NL Corsair and Jim Beasley in his P-51D 'Bald Eagle' executing a section takeoff. (9) Ed Shipley in his F-86 Sabre making a highspeed photo pass. (10) Maj. Paul "Max" Moga of the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team doing his Dedication pass. (11) The USAF Heritage Flight with an F-86 Sabre flown by Ed Shipley, the F-22 Raptor, F-15C Eagle, and A-10 Thunderbolt II.