OC Air Show takes off with Thunderbirds headlining

Following the crash of Maj. Alex Turner of the headlining Air Force Thunderbirds, and particularly dismal weather over the past several days, the future of the 2016 OC Air Show was one laced with uncertainty. Yet today, at 9 a.m., the flood of spectators streamed in, eagerly picking their stations in the sand, with the sunshine glaring over the Atlantic serving as a beacon of hope, and setting the stage for a day filled with aerial acrobatics.

The OC Air Show featured a litany of acts showcasing all kinds of jets, both modern and vintage, as well as helicopter demonstrations and paratroopers.

The F-35 Heritage Team, the latest in stealth jets, is making its air show debut this year, Ocean City being one of 16 total performances. Maj. Will Andreotta, piloting the Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, stated what it takes to prepare for these events.

"There's a lot of coordination required," Andreotta said. "We fly in with two jets, a primary and spare, just in case anything happens to go wrong to the main jet. Fortunately, we have a great maintenance team that makes sure everything is perfect before I take off."

Staff Sgt. Tyler Frantz of the F-35 Lightning's 10-man maintenance team explained maintenance for a stealth aircraft capable of 1,200 miles per hour.

"We have to do the regular daily operations before any flight," Frantz said. "A couple hours before a flight, we check all fluids, tire pressure and do a full visual inspection of the aircraft."

Frantz explained that, while the pre-flight inspection is thorough, the post-flight check is much more intensive.

"The post-flight check is when we have to refuel and replace all the fluids," Frantz said. "Along with that, if anything breaks, we have to get it back to Luke Air Force base."

Frantz said the F-35 is used by the 61st Air Squadron, also known as the "Top Dogs," based out of Luke Air Force Base in Phoenix, Arizona, where pilot instruction for the F-35 takes place. Andreotta flew the F-35 alongside the P-51 Mustang, as symbolism of the past and future of the Air Force.

While OC Air Show's primary concerns are good family fun and celebrating the armed services through undying patriotism, Andreotta, who has served in the military for 12 years, said recruitment and inspiring interest in the Air Force are also crucial parts of the day's events.

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"We're Air Force first. Our first concern is getting people excited about the Air Force," Andreotta said. "We want people to come out, have fun, and just really get an appreciation for these aircraft and the people that fly them. The second thing is getting people interested in the Air Force, and to talk about our experiences."

Staff Sgt. Thomas Pulcher of the Army recruiting center in Salisbury, who ran the Army recruitment tent at the Air Show, explained the kind of impact they see from the show.

"We usually drive pretty good recruitment every year," Pulcher said. "Not necessarily from locals, but we have a lot of people down here from the rest of Maryland, or Virginia or even further. In general it's good for the Army as a whole, not just locally."

While the military presence at the OC Air Show is certainly at the forefront, as is the patriotic air found in the many waving U.S. flags lining the beach, the lesser-seen elements that go on in the background to make the air show a success are certainly not lacking in intensity.

"We need a lot of organization, a lot of people and a lot of practice," Black Diamond Catering's Pete Roskovich said, frantically running from food-lined table to table. "We have to start preparing a couple weeks in advanced, and there's some things that come up that we need to be ready for. This year, we expected it to be a little windier, and we want to keep the food hot, so we had to get wind-proof dishes ready."

All told, Roskovich's crew will serve about 1,400 people in the course of the air show, with everything from coleslaw to filet mignon for VIP attendees.

As the event took off, with paratroopers gliding in streaming American flags in their wakes, the beach quickly became a sea of people and umbrellas as far as the eye could see.

Highlights of the show included a demonstration of the Coast Guard's HH-65 Dolphin, a helicopter used in maritime search and rescue missions. The helicopter, operated by a crew of four, sat motionless above the water as one member lowered himself into the ocean, retrieving a weighted sponge mannequin, lovingly dubbed "Spongebob." In a matter of seconds, Spongebob was lifted from the water to the helicopter, showing the technical precision and accuracy of the Coast Guard's rescue operations.

Next, the announcer made a somber eulogy to the late Capt. Jeff Kuss of the Navy's Blue Angels, who passed away in a crash on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

"The Blue Angels had made it their mission to travel the country and show what these aircraft are capable of to people who might never have had the opportunity," the announcer said. "... Kuss had made that mission his mission, and this flight has been dedicated to him."

The announcer used this somber moment to introduce the F-18 Super Hornet, which blazed over the strip with a massive roar, perfectly following his cue. On the side of the aircraft was the number 6, in honor of Kuss' position as Blue Angel number 6.

As Kenny Loggins' "Highway to the Danger Zone" blasted over the PA, the F-18 Super Hornet slowly performed a barrel roll over the beach, the jet engine blaring deafeningly.

"Ladies and gentlemen, that is the sound of freedom," the announcer called.

Following the F-18 were the headlining act, the Air Force Thunderbirds, in their first performance since the June 2 crash, which was unrelated to the Blue Angels crash. Their performance featured aerial acrobatics that brought the jets together in such close proximity that a crash seemed imminent.

A clear sky, warm weather, aerobatics and good old-fashioned patriotism collided here to create a spectacle. The OC Air Show set a high bar for its 10th anniversary in 2017.

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