McConnell releases its open house schedule

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Armando A. Schwier-Morales
  • 22nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, KAN. --  With the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as headliners, more than four hours of flying are scheduled for McConnell's Open House and Air Show, a Wichita Flight Festival, Sept. 25 and 26.

According to senior Air Force leaders, Air Force bases hold open houses to enhance public awareness of the Air Force, to demonstrate modern weapon systems and their capabilities, to promote positive community relations, to showcase the Airmen serving, and to support the Air Force's recruiting and retention goals.

"We are achieving that goal by inviting military activities from all branches of the Armed Forces," said Lt. Col. John Pantleo, 22nd Air Refueling Wing air show director.

He said all military services will be represented during the two-day event which is free and open to the public. However, he added, McConnell took it a step further.

"Since there is such an aviation presence in Wichita, we have also invited several civilian acts to showcase how Wichita has influenced aviation around the globe," said Colonel Pantleo.

The following is a tentative schedule, with some of the major acts. The schedule of events is subject to change with no notice.

Both days will kick off with a ceremony at 11 a.m. The U.S. Air Force Academy parachute team, the Wings of Blue, will start the events with a parachute demo as they drop in with the American flag.

Following the cadets' parachute demonstration, Col. Jamie Crowhurst, 22nd Air Refueling Wing commander, will offer a warm welcome to all visitors to McConnell.

On Saturday morning following the commander's welcome, McConnell will hold a special ceremony paying tribute to WWII veterans thanking them for their service and their sacrifices. On Sunday, a ceremony will be held in honor of the Gold Star Mothers, mothers who've lost a son or daughter in the line of duty.

While recognizing the contributions of servicemembers past and present, and showcasing the pride and professionalism of the modern military are primary goals of the open house, a few acts will offer a lighter look at jet-age technology. A jet-powered outhouse will thrill the audience as it makes a high-speed pass down the flightline.

Reliving a scene from the history books, a Tora 101 Zero and FM2 Wildcat will reenact a WWII aerial dogfight. kicking off four hours of aerial performances. From the 1940s to present day, a U.S. Navy pilot will push an F/A-18 Super Hornet to its limits in a tactical aerial demo.

In contrast to the Hornet's aggressive combat maneuvering, Clay Lacy, private jet charter services pioneer, will showcase the capabilities of Learjet 24. Shortly after, John Klatt, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, will maneuver a civilian high-performance propeller-driven aerobatic Staudacher S-300D aircraft through a variety of gut wrenching twists and turns.

From executive luxury to a middle school student's dream, students of all ages can only hope for a lift to school on a jet-powered school bus like the one they'll see.

Returning to the skies, the Air Force will showcase its newest cargo aircraft, the C-17 Globemaster III, as its three-person crew will demonstrate the aircraft's ability to take off and land on extremely short runways allowing the airlift mission to continue anywhere in the world.

Based out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., the Thunderbirds will take the stage mid afternoon. Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, Thunderbirds commander/leader, will start their show by enlisting recent graduates of Wichita-area high schools into the Air Force in an enlistment ceremony for all in attendance to witness. After the ceremony, the team's maintenance crew will hand off the red, white and blue F-16 Falcons to the Thunderbird pilots for an unparalleled aerial demonstration showcasing the aircraft's incredible maneuverability, and the pilots' precision, as they negotiate through maneuvers flying at speeds in excess of 450 miles per hour, at distances of 18 inches apart wingtip-to-wingtip.

Following the Thunderbirds performance, the team's officers and show line maintainers will be available for autographs.

On Sunday, Sept. 26, the Thunderbirds are the closing act for the open house. However, on Saturday, Sept. 25, air show guests are invited to remain at McConnell for an evening show opened by the U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon. The Marines will execute a series of calculated drill movements and precise handling of their hand-polished, 10 and one-half pound, M-1 Garand Rifles with fixed bayonets - all without giving a verbal command.

Both the jet bus and jet outhouse test their top speeds with afterburners lighting the night sky. In between the jet-powered novelties, Younkin Airshows will take a Twin Beech 18 through a series of aerobatics illuminated with a variety of lights mounted on the aircraft.

Randy Ball, a 15-year air show veteran, is scheduled to close the night show with an afterburner spectacular in a Russian-made MiG-17.

*Day Show Morning Schedule (Sat/Sun)
10 a.m. - Gates Open
11 a.m. - Opening Ceremonies/Invocation/National Anthem/Wings of Blue Flag Drop
- Wing Commander's Remarks
- (Sat only) WWII Veteran Ceremony
- (Sun only) Gold Star Mothers Ceremony
- K.C. 135 Stratotanker flyby

11:30 a.m. - Jet Outhouse
- WACO Aerobatic Flight
- Tora 101 WWII dogfight reenactment

*Day Show Afternoon Schedule (Sat/Sun)
12:15 p.m. - U.S. Navy F/A 18 Super Hornet Demo
- U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon
- Clay Lacy Learjet-24 Demo
- Twin Beech 18 Demo
- John Klatt, ANG Aerial Demo
2 p.m. - Dan Buchanan's Special Effects Power Glider
- C-17 Globemaster III
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Enlistment Ceremony
- Thunderbirds Ground Demonstration
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration
- Autographs with Thunderbirds

*Twilight Show Schedule (Sat only)
7:55 p.m. - U.S. Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon
- Dan Buchanan Night Glider Demo
- Randy Ball MiG-17 Afterburner Demo

*Schedule is subject to change without notice