thedrifter
10-18-04, 07:14 AM
A roaring display
Huge crowd sees Miramar Air Show
By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 17, 2004
Thousands turned out yesterday for the Miramar Air Show, lugging lawn chairs and strollers to Miramar Marine Corps Air Station for the weekend festivities.
Some laid out blankets to watch the sky show, while others packed into bleachers for a day of airplane acrobatics.
Miramar's commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen, dedicated the day's performances to a civilian pilot who died Friday after his plane crashed.
"We lost a great friend and a great civilian aviator in Sean deRosier," Jensen told the crowd.
Dedicating yesterday's performance of "Thunder Over Miramar: The Sound of Freedom" to deRosier and his family "sets an awfully high mark for this air show," Jensen said. DeRosier, 31, a professional stunt pilot, was a man lucky enough to be able to combine his passion with his occupation, the general added.
Jensen promised to give the crowd an air show it would long remember before the Marine Corps showed off its jets, helicopters and ground-warfare vehicles. The Navy's Blue Angels flying team was, as usual, the crowd favorite and the afternoon finale.
Some 25,000 people attended Friday's show, and about 100,000 went yesterday.
The air show was halted briefly after the crash Friday morning, but yesterday's event continued according to the schedule.
Ricky Ruiz, 46, of Clairemont, who attends the show every year, said he thought the event might have been canceled because of deRosier's death.
But Ruiz, a self-professed "jet junkie," said deRosier understood the risks. Turns, rolls, spins, slides and backward dives were all part of his routine, according to the air show's Web site.
"Every pilot that goes up realizes they are doing something very dangerous, and they realize there's a small chance they might not make it through," Ruiz said. "It just makes me sad."
Ruiz biked to the air station, as he does every year to avoid traffic, and parked his bicycle at the front gate. At lunchtime, he was sitting in one of the tents, eating a sandwich and flipping through the weekend program. He said he has been attending the event since the 1960s.
"I have to come," he said.
Lynn Woodbury, a 64-year-old retired teacher, enjoyed the show from inside a tent while smoking his cigar and drinking coffee.
"To me, all planes are beautiful," the Elfin Forest resident said. "They're like works of art."
His wife, Bonnie, said the show took on special meaning because of the war in Iraq. She said it makes her consider what the troops have to go through.
The weather for much of the day was unseasonably cool, and many aviation enthusiasts welcomed the overcast skies, which gave way to sunshine in the late afternoon.
Yenny Garcia, 32, bundled up her newborn baby against the chill and stuffed earplugs into the child's tiny ears to block out the sounds of the roaring jets.
Garcia said she had hoped to take a break from the air show this year, but her sons, ages 8 and 14, begged to attend and she couldn't say no.
"It's always a good show," the Chula Vista resident said. "Even the food is good."
Vendors sold huge pretzels, hot dogs and sweet Mexican churros. Children stood in line to have their faces painted and to get their names engraved on military-style dog tags.
The three-day show ends today with events from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristen Green: (619) 542-4576; kristen.green@uniontrib.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041017/images/2004-10-17m_show.jpg
EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
The Navy's Blue Angels precision flying team screamed past a crowd of spectators who filled the bleachers at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station yesterday for the Miramar Air Show. An estimated 100,000 attended the second day of the three-day event.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041017/images/m_airshow2.jpg
EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
Air Force Capt. Will Hartman sat on the wing of his T-6A Texan II trainer yesterday as he awaited visitors who toured the aircraft and other military vehicles on display.
Photo gallery
http://www.signonsandiego.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=041014Miramarairshow
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20041017-9999-1m17miramar.html
Ellie
Huge crowd sees Miramar Air Show
By Kristen Green
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
October 17, 2004
Thousands turned out yesterday for the Miramar Air Show, lugging lawn chairs and strollers to Miramar Marine Corps Air Station for the weekend festivities.
Some laid out blankets to watch the sky show, while others packed into bleachers for a day of airplane acrobatics.
Miramar's commanding officer, Brig. Gen. Carl Jensen, dedicated the day's performances to a civilian pilot who died Friday after his plane crashed.
"We lost a great friend and a great civilian aviator in Sean deRosier," Jensen told the crowd.
Dedicating yesterday's performance of "Thunder Over Miramar: The Sound of Freedom" to deRosier and his family "sets an awfully high mark for this air show," Jensen said. DeRosier, 31, a professional stunt pilot, was a man lucky enough to be able to combine his passion with his occupation, the general added.
Jensen promised to give the crowd an air show it would long remember before the Marine Corps showed off its jets, helicopters and ground-warfare vehicles. The Navy's Blue Angels flying team was, as usual, the crowd favorite and the afternoon finale.
Some 25,000 people attended Friday's show, and about 100,000 went yesterday.
The air show was halted briefly after the crash Friday morning, but yesterday's event continued according to the schedule.
Ricky Ruiz, 46, of Clairemont, who attends the show every year, said he thought the event might have been canceled because of deRosier's death.
But Ruiz, a self-professed "jet junkie," said deRosier understood the risks. Turns, rolls, spins, slides and backward dives were all part of his routine, according to the air show's Web site.
"Every pilot that goes up realizes they are doing something very dangerous, and they realize there's a small chance they might not make it through," Ruiz said. "It just makes me sad."
Ruiz biked to the air station, as he does every year to avoid traffic, and parked his bicycle at the front gate. At lunchtime, he was sitting in one of the tents, eating a sandwich and flipping through the weekend program. He said he has been attending the event since the 1960s.
"I have to come," he said.
Lynn Woodbury, a 64-year-old retired teacher, enjoyed the show from inside a tent while smoking his cigar and drinking coffee.
"To me, all planes are beautiful," the Elfin Forest resident said. "They're like works of art."
His wife, Bonnie, said the show took on special meaning because of the war in Iraq. She said it makes her consider what the troops have to go through.
The weather for much of the day was unseasonably cool, and many aviation enthusiasts welcomed the overcast skies, which gave way to sunshine in the late afternoon.
Yenny Garcia, 32, bundled up her newborn baby against the chill and stuffed earplugs into the child's tiny ears to block out the sounds of the roaring jets.
Garcia said she had hoped to take a break from the air show this year, but her sons, ages 8 and 14, begged to attend and she couldn't say no.
"It's always a good show," the Chula Vista resident said. "Even the food is good."
Vendors sold huge pretzels, hot dogs and sweet Mexican churros. Children stood in line to have their faces painted and to get their names engraved on military-style dog tags.
The three-day show ends today with events from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission and parking are free.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Kristen Green: (619) 542-4576; kristen.green@uniontrib.com
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041017/images/2004-10-17m_show.jpg
EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
The Navy's Blue Angels precision flying team screamed past a crowd of spectators who filled the bleachers at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station yesterday for the Miramar Air Show. An estimated 100,000 attended the second day of the three-day event.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20041017/images/m_airshow2.jpg
EARNIE GRAFTON / Union-Tribune
Air Force Capt. Will Hartman sat on the wing of his T-6A Texan II trainer yesterday as he awaited visitors who toured the aircraft and other military vehicles on display.
Photo gallery
http://www.signonsandiego.com/gallery/view_album.php?set_albumName=041014Miramarairshow
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/military/20041017-9999-1m17miramar.html
Ellie