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twitterThunderbirds wow crowd at Nellis AFB
More than 120,000 people expected to attend two-day air show
Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun
F-16 jets in the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds perform during the 2009 Aviation Nation air show Saturday at Nellis Air Force Base.
Saturday, Nov. 14, 2009 | 8:47 p.m.
Beyond the Sun
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerobatics squadron got a chance to perform in front of a home crowd Saturday at Nellis Air Force Base during the Aviation Nation air show and open house.
The elite flying group is based at Nellis but travels around the country and overseas to perform in 70 shows each year. The free show continues today.
Nine-year-old Cayla Kallstrom has been looking forward to the air show for weeks.
She wants to be a pilot and ran up and down the fence separating the crowd from the Thunderbirds after the show to get the autograph of every member of the team.
They were her favorite part of the show, but exactly what about them she liked best was hard to say.
“I liked the Thunderbirds when they go overhead,” she said, before adding, “I liked it when they pretended they are falling.”
And then she added: “I liked how they fly in a group close without hitting each other.”
Her father, Corey, also liked the Thunderbirds but said he enjoyed some of the other parts of the show as well. “It was kind of cool to see the older planes and talk to the pilots,” he said.
There were nearly 100 aircraft, some open for visitors to get a look inside, on display at the event.
Aviation Nation is the largest free event in Nevada with more than 120,000 people expected to attend over two days.
In addition to the Thunderbirds and the parked aircraft, the event includes food and souvenir vendors, a kids’ zone with games and rides, and demonstrations from other Air Force and civilian groups.
Lisa McVey came with her husband and some friends from Kingman, Ariz., to the show. “Just watching the Thunderbirds makes you proud to be an American,” she said.
“It’s kind of like the Grand Canyon; you can’t experience it until you stand there for yourself,” she said. “You can see it on the Internet all you want, but you have to experience it in person.”
Visitors to the show can park for free at Las Vegas Motor Speedway and take a shuttle to Nellis.
Discussion: 39 comments so far…
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We went today, aside from the crazy 1+ hr lineup waiting for the buses from the speedway parking to the airport, it was awesome!
VERY WELL DONE. I can't believe it's free. (then again,I guess it is tax money).
Highly recommend everyone goes, make sure you go early, try to be there at 8am if possible.
Unbelievable pictures, I would have thought more pictures from visitors joy in Vegas. Watchers joy of microscopic moments.
Having to wait for the shuttle is a very small inconveinance, civilians should appreciate the fact that this event was even being offered to them and that it was free. Opportunities for civilians to enjoy a small fraction of what events are held on base for Military members and their families could easily cease so instead of complaining, Appreciate the invite. We take a big risk by allowing the public into what we consider our home(the base) but we do it anyway.
And yes, it is "tax money" but when you were enjoying the show yesterday, did you ever stop to think about all of the kids out there who had to sacrafice their weekend(Mommy & Daddy's only 2 days off)with their Mom or Dad(sometimes both)so they could be out there working the Air Show that you guys were enjoying w/your loved ones? Or what about all of the kids who have lost a parent who was out fightng on the front lines to protect this country you call home? So don't talk to me about "tax money" We sacrafice more then you'll ever know, Tax Money won't bring loved ones back. And still, you civilians sit hear and complain complain complain, I don't see you guys signing up to defend this country!
Hey Wifey, you're still a civilian too. Nobody complained about the bus wait... they were only letting people know about it. So please don't act as if you are any more important than us.
Wifey, I just read your second comment. You have a lot of nerve acting all high and mighty on here. You really need to get over yourself. You are nothing but the wife of a military member. You are lucky you even get base access. You really have a crap attitude.
What have you done for your country Wifey? Have you served? I doubt it. So why don't you think before you post... you could be addressing a veteran or someone with family in the military as well. You blew things way out of proportion and now I felt as if I needed to put you in your place... as a CIVILIAN, living on a base because of someone else, not because of anything you do.
That shows what little you know about "Me" As I Am also a Military member...Thanks for putting me in my place guys!
You guys think you know so much..lol!
And if I were addressing a veteran or military spouse, they would have a military issued id, which means they would've been granted permission to park on base as oppose to the speedway, obtain reputable info before opening your mouth people. Now go waste someone else's time, I actually have a life.
Oh, and one more thing...We don't live on base, we just bought a really big house, Thanks tax payers! We Love our new home that we bought w/your money!!!
Goodnight!
The whole point of this was, you started running your mouth by accusing someone of complaining. I didn't see any complaining on this thread until you got here. I doubt your are also military.
And it's quite obvious that you reflect the small negative portion of our military personnel (if you really are military) that think they are God and above all else. And maybe you should watch what you say, you never know which one of your superiors is reading this thread. ;)
That's what I thought...
Don't hurt yourself doing too much thinking, you've already embarassed yourself with your lack of knowledge. And I don't care if you believe me or what your thoughts of me are, I don't need to prove anything to you or anyone else, you mean nothing to me.
Nothing I wrote implied I was God, maybe it's you who feels less superior to me..lol
Last I knew, this was a FREE country..we are all entiled to freedom of speech.
Now go do something productive "doc" and a *wink* back atcha!
Muah!
Whats up Doc! You are so right about this wifey jerk, Her attitude only makes her sound like an ass! She might have the tax payers money but that can't buy you class.
Spock, she reminds me of one of those women from "Officer and a Gentleman," ya know, the kind that sit and wait for the fly boys and try to seduce them into bed, get pregnant and have them hooked for life.
It's funny, she came on here with her no class attitude, accusing people of complaining (when only good/great things were being said about their Aviation Nation weekend) and then she got called out and now all of a sudden, she's military too, she's better than everyone and stealing the taxpayers money. I love people like this. She is a classic example of a troll.
I love how men are so easily intimidated by Strong/Independant Women!
Keep entertaining me, I love that you're taking time out of your evening to dicuss me, it's Great!
If only your CO knew how you really are.
You mean a Strong/Independant woman who has no problem standing up for themselves?! I think he'd be Very Proud of me! The Military seeks individuals who are strong willed and not people who sit on their asses behind their computer talking crap about something they have no knowledge about..lol
Next time don't pick an argument w/someone on a subject you know absolutely nothing about, you'll only do what you did today and embarass yourself.
Why don't you waste your energy on something productive, like the gym or something!
Thanks for the chat, it was very entertaining!
Man ,She has eject written all over her.Since when did A hole become strong and independent?
Man Spock, your grammar is horrible! Maybe you should consider getting your g.e.d, even then it probably wouldn't help you any..lol
That really hurts coming from such an intellect that can't spell discuss!
Hey usafpilotswifey,
"I love that you're taking time out of your evening to dicuss me, it's Great!"
but yet youre still here also
frickin loser
Well, if you consider 4th ID sitting on my ass, then I guess that is what I did from 1993-2007. 1st Btn. 22nd Infantry Regiment is full of people like that, according to you.
She's quite "independant" though.
USAFPilotswifey,
As a retired Air Force NCO, I am truley insulted and embaressed by your attitude and how you are responding to someones post that is merely trying to compliment the show and advise of an hour long shuttle wait. And then to rub the fact that the tax payers are covering the majority of your mortgage is really inmature and un-called for especially in these economic times.
Nellis has been operating for alot longer then you have been in the Military and remember that you are a guest in Las Vegas courtesy of the USAF, so when you represent the Air Force you are representing each and every one of us both Retired and Active Duty, so please display a little more respect for the people of OUR community.
Yes, you are entitled to your opinion, but would your Commander appreciate how you are portraying the Air Force way of life? Would He or She appreciate you insulting the citizens of OUR communitty? I think not, so do us all a favor and appreciate the fact that we appreciate the sacrifices that you and your spouse do protect our way of life, just as MANY of us have done.
They were just trying to be helpful to the general public and you went and bit there head off.
Well said Sir. That is what I was trying to point out to her, but she insisted that it was just a man trying to bring down an independent woman.
What's so funny is she didn't get the "eject" reference to her being with a pilot. She must have thought I meant "reject" instead.
Haha... that was funny. I got that right away and she just made a bigger ass out of herself for trying to correct you.
Wow, I remember when the Thunderbird Hotel-Casino was doing the publicity for the Big
Birds.
The Big Birds have changed the tail decor and added color to the Big Birds.
You know the pilots are having so much fun when they fly. The presentation of these guys and their ability to fly in precision flight is an awesome human accomplishment.
The big ole' cargo planes have found a new home from the Base in Georgia.
Anyway this is the way we treat the old man.
DANGEROUS FOR THE COMMUNITY AND BAD FOR THE ENVIRONMENT. Why don't they play with rubber band wind up plane in their backyard??
The show was awesome. The announcer said a single Thunderbird jet costs $375/minute in full afterburner and can blow thru its whole tank in 11 minutes. I love seeing my tax money come out the tail end of a jet like that, but its way better than using it to feed the homeless.
I agree, the show was spectacular. I loved the F-22 and Heritage display. I was surprised at how loud the F-4 Phantom was... it was sweet!!
What do you think you get when the bow master and freinds fire up air force one? At least the tax payer can see their money being spent before their eyes as opposed to the likes of pelosi and crew that cost the tax payers millions with no regret.That air show probably cost less than the obama's night on the town at tax payers expense. GO AIR FORCE!
As a fairly recently retired USAF person: I am a bit surprised at the sour flavor of some attitudes expressed by a few active duty members. Lets hope FOD duty after the airshow last night did not put some of you in a foul mood. Freddy FOD is always right.
I for one am not much into the airshow scene especially with past experiences standing next to my plane on static display answering the same questions all day for two days straight. My personal frame of mine is "Seen it done it and leave it to the next generation. Noisy jets and large crowds don't do it for me.
Another point is that military airshows in the U.S. seem to lack some of the "fun" compared to European shows. When I was stationed at RAF Lakenheath things were much better.
That said: The main reason for these open houses are twofold, an excellent recruiting tool and last but not least to give to the American tax paying civilian population what we do and where the money goes.
A lot of military bases simply do not have the parking for the huge crowds. Thankfully here, we have the LV Motor Speedway. My last base just outside of Atlanta we had the Martin-Lockheed Air Force Plant #6 vast parking lots. In both circumstances shuttle buses were utilized with great success. In this post 9//11 era, keeping excess amounts of cars off the base is probably good sense.
So, lets hope that most of the crowds had a great time.
USAFPilotswifey, your "Us vs Them" is disturbing to me. Over the past decade I have seen this attitude that comes off that "civilians" outside the gates are the enemy. While USAFPiloswifey is technically correct about security on U.S. military installations is quite necessary; the pilot's wife is WRONG in the attitude that Nellis or any other base puts on the air shows as a favor to the community. The might not realize that the DoD actually mandates these events.
Lets hope that this "pilot's wife" is not a social climber clinging onto her husband career. I've seem to many of my former pilot buddies do a "dump 'n burn" on social climbers.
My advise: stick with the Officer's Wives Club baking cookies and leave the security of the base to the appropriate authority.
You almost sound like a former high school prom queen who latched on to some USAFA Cadet at the Ring Dance. Fast forward today, your husband is a what 1st Lt?
HA!