Thunderbirds and more at air show Thunderbirds and more at air show (May 14, 2004)

Moffett Field hosts 2-day event May 29 and 30

By Corey Pride

The Mountain View sky will be buzzing with aerial acrobatics on May 29 and 30 when NASA Ames Research Center hosts the 2004 Air and Space Show at Moffet Field.

The show will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on both days with flying scheduled to start at 10:30 a.m. Tickets are $15 for children ages 4 to 12 and $20 for adults. Advance ticket purchases are $10 and $15 respectively.

Stephen Teatro, executive producer of the air show, said attending the event is a way for the local community to thank the military.

"We are expecting 100,000 people for the weekend. A lot of them come to say thanks for protecting the country," Teatro said. "And, for a family of four, you can't beat the price for a full day's entertainment."

The show will feature Learjet aerobatics, a wing-walking performance, F-15 and P-51 Mustang aircraft, the Patriots L-39 Jet team and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flying F- 16s.

Teatro said the Thunderbirds' aviation skills are sure to be the show's highlight. U.S. Air Force Technical Sgt. Gabriel Quintana agrees.

"The Thunderbirds represent team unity. The pilots make it look easy but it's really very difficult, " Quintana said. "They represent the very best of the Air Force."

Teatro said he likes seeing veterans at the airshows.

"These shows are big with veterans. We see some come in with tears on their face and they'll say 'I flew in this plane when I was in the service' or 'I flew that plane in the war,'" Teatro said.

Along with the aerial festivities, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center will have 14,000 square feet of ground exhibits on display.

"For Ames it's part of our ongoing outreach throughout the year," said Laura Lewis, NASA research park division project manager. "We have some exhibits that show how our research is helping people who never intend to go into space."

Lewis said there will be some exhibits that demonstrate how technologies developed by NASA aid firefighters and monitor earth's atmospheric changes.

Teatro said 300 volunteers, many of whom hail from Mountain View, will work at the air show. Money from concessions will benefit Mountain View charitable organizations, including Saint Timothy's Episcopal Church and the Susan B. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

Limited VIP parking will be offered adjacent to the air show entrance gates at Moffett Boulevard. Parking passes must be purchased in advance, and all vehicles will be subject to a search. Call 1-800-5536637 or visit www.airshownetwork.com for further information.

E-mail Corey Pride at intern@mv-voice.com

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