Hill AFB shows off Air Force best in week of activities as it prepares for open house

  • Published
  • By Lee Anne Hensley
  • Hilltop Times staff
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah --  The 2009 Hill Air Force Base Open House and Air Show is expected to attract half a million spectators over the two-day event, according to estimations by the open house coordinators.

The International Council of Air Shows has seen record crowds at air shows this year, reports the Hill AFB Open House lead coordinator, Lt. Col. Matt Dana, 75th Operations Support Squadron. "They attribute that to the economy and, being that this is an all-day, free, family-oriented event, record crowds have been at every air show that has had decent weather this year."

The two-day event will offer many attractions that could keep the community entertained from 10 a.m., when the pre-show with remote control aircraft is due to start, until 6 p.m., when the Tops in Blue performance will kick off on the west side of Hangar 1 on Saturday night only.

""We plan to have planes flying in our airspace non-stop from morning until the Thunderbirds land near the evening," said Dana.

The official air show will begin at 11 a.m. with the Air Force Academy Wings of Blue Competition Parachute Team parachuting in a with the American flag while being circled by the Red Eagle Air Sports Talon Eagle bi-planes in coordination with the national anthem.

Then throughout the day various aircraft will push their design capabilities to its limits and educate the crowd about how flexible the laws of physics can be. The community will witness a wide array of aircraft from the past, present and future.

"The theme of the open house is 'past, present and future,'" said Dana. "We have World War II aircraft to Vietnam War era aircraft, to present-day F-16s and F-18s, to NASA displays, all representing that theme."

The air show lineup will not only incorporate aircraft demonstrations from the Air Force's past, present and future, but will also include demonstrations from other military forces as well. The Hornet West Navy West Coast F-18 aerial demonstration team will perform both days of the air show to give landlocked Utahns an appreciation for the maritime aircraft.

Hill AFB's own Viper West F-16 Demonstration Team will showcase the Viper's capabilities in a 15-minute, high-energy show. Other military demonstrations will include a C-17 Globemaster III flying demonstration, a heritage flight by an F-4 Phantom, P-51 Mustang and F-16 Fighting Falcon, dog fighting demonstrations by Korean War era jets MiG-15, MiG-17 and F-84 Thunderjet, and tentative fly-bys scheduled from a B-2 Spirit on Saturday and an F-22 Raptor on Sunday.

Civilian acts will include aerobatic demonstrations by David Erickson, a technical program manager with the 517th Software Maintenance Squadron here, who will fly his De Havilland Super Chipmunk in various air show maneuvers. Patty Wagstaff, an international award-winning aerobatic champion, will fly her Extra 300SX in low-level, competition-style maneuvers. Other aerobatics will be demonstrated by Greg Poe in his MX-2 and Sean Tucker in his Challenger II bi-plane. There will also be a hang glider demonstration by Dan Buchanan, who became paraplegic after a hang glider accident in 1981.

The air show portion will culminate with the headliner act, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team, who will begin their one-hour performance by swearing in new and re-enlisted recruits into the USAF before both shows Saturday and Sunday and then provide the full aerial demonstration afterward.

During the air shows, approximately 100 aircraft will be on static display and children's entertainment pieces, such as a 100-foot long bounce house that resembles an aircraft carrier, will amuse those who need a break from looking skyward. There will also be non-aircraft static displays such as the USAF NASCAR and the Legend Monster Truck. Food court areas will also be on hand, with food and beverages available for purchase.

"This will be a phenomenal event and the number and diversity of performers and static displays is amazing," Dana says.

Editor's note: The open house lead coordinator, Lt. Col. Matt Dana, reminds show-goers to keep in mind that there will be hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend each day and each person will be thoroughly checked at the entry portals to the open house area which could lead to long wait times. To lessen the wait time, he encourages attendees to review the list of prohibited items. Additionally, a list of items that are encouraged to bring will help lessen personal frustration and chances of injury.

Recommended items to bring and those to leave home


Prohibited items (courtesy of http://www.hill.af.mil/2009hillafbopenhouse.asp):


Concealable weapons:

>> Firearms and ammunitions

>> Knives -- 4 inches or longer

>> Leatherman/Gerber type tools

>> Razor-type blades or utility knives

>> Box cutters


Self-Defense weapons:

>> Mace or pepper spray

>> Martial Arts weapons

>> Disabling chemicals


Hazardous items:

>> Explosive materials/fireworks

>> Flammable items

>> Matches or lighters (Smoking will not be permitted in the air show area in compliance with the Utah Clean Air Act)


Miscellaneous:

>> Ice axes or ice picks

>> Baseball bats

>> Bows and arrows

>> BB guns

>> Toy weapons

>> Compressed air guns

>> Rollerblades and other in-line skates

>> Skateboards

>> Scooters

>> Alcohol

>> Pets


Suggested items to bring:

>> Cash for food, beverage and souvenir purchase

>> Hat

>> Sunglasses

>> Sun block lotion and lip balm with SPF rating

>> Umbrella

>> Chair

>> Bottled water

>> Book or handheld gaming device to entertain yourself and children if waiting in a line

>> Earplugs

>> Camera or camcorder