The highly popular Shockwave jet truck has crashed while performing at the Great New England Air Show. Eyewitnesses report the parachute(s) did not deploy at the end of a run and the truck departed the runway. According to a news release by the 439 Airlift Wing Public Affairs at Westover ARB, the driver indicated he was not injured.

Alan Henley, team leader of the AeroShell Aerobatic Team, has been injured in an accident at his home. Adam is currently in the Intensive Care Unit at the University of Alabama Birmingham Hospital. More information can be found at the AeroShell’s website.

This airshow is held every March in Columbus, Georgia and has been my first show of the season for the past several years. It is the perfect sized show for getting back into airshow photography after the long winter break.

The weather in Georgia can be unpredictable in March, as evidenced in my photos from the show that I have added to the site. The airshow opened on Saturday with overcast skies and fog. As the day progressed the ceilings lifted but then the winds picked up. The performers had to battle sustained 20 mph winds with gusts as high as 40 mph. Thankfully that is as bad as it got and the Columbus area was spared the severe weather that struck the Atlanta area starting Friday night with a tornado and continuing through Saturday. The weather on Sunday was almost perfect with clear blue skies and warm temperatures.

Due to a limited aerobatic box, this airshow favors the civilian acts. Those included the Aerostars, Tim Weber, Greg Poe, the Flash Fire Jet Truck, Greg Koontz and the Alabama Boys comedy routine.

The warbird contingent included B-25s Pacific Prowler and Panchito, a P-51 Mustang, an SNJ-5 Texan, a TBM-3E Avenger, SDB-5 Dauntless,  a T-28C Trojan, the P-47 Thunderbolt Wicked Wabbit, the Vintage Thunderbird T-33, and a Hispano HA200 Saeta.

The only military performers were the U.S. Army Silver Wings parachute team and a B-52 flyby, although the static F/A-18 Hornet did tear up the pattern Sunday morning before the gates opened.

A small classic car gathering was added to the static displays this year. One of the best looking cars on display was a Concours d’Elegance quality 1927 Pierce Arrow Model 80. On the humorous side was a 1932 Chevrolet 4-door sedan with simulated bullet holes and a Thompson submachine gun in the back seat.

As they have in years past, all proceeds from the airshow are given to various youth organizations in the Columbus area.

Back in March, the Fence Check aviation photography website held it first ever photopit at the Tyndall AFB airshow. My photos from the pit and some words about the experience can be found in this article at the Fence Check website.

Forget Star Wars pod racing, NASCAR-style rocket racing is almost here! Check out the following from today’s news release:

 On August 1st and August 2nd, the first Exhibition Race of the Rocket Racing League® will be held at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI, the largest air show in the world. For the first time ever, two Rocket Racers will compete head-to-head in a demonstration race in the raceway in the sky. The Rocket Racer pilots will view the “raceway in the sky” via in-panel and 3D helmet displays and the 700,000 people in attendance at EAA AirVenture will witness the racing action live on multiple large projection screens.

More information about the racers can be found at the RRL website.

The United States Navy released their findings today from a command investigation into the crash of Blue Angel #6 during a flight demonstration at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort on 21 April 2007.

The crash which killed the pilot, LCDR Kevin Davis, occurred after the Blue Angels had completed the Loop Break Cross, a maneuver in which all six aircraft converge on show center from different directions and altitudes. After the aircraft cross show center a choreographed maneuver takes place which allows all the aircraft to rejoin on the leader before their final maneuver, the Pitch Up Break. It was during this rendezvous maneuver that Blue Angel #6 entered a 6.8g turn and slowly lost altitude until impacting some trees and crashing in a sparsely populated area.

According to an opinion stated in the findings, “…although the high rate of turn and sudden onset of positive Gs during the rendezvous maneuver resulted in possible physiological impairment to LCDR Davis, the impairment did not result in either G-LOC [G-induced Loss Of Consciousness] or G-excess illusion. LCDR Davis had fully demonstrated through his Centrifuge training, previous NFDS [Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron] practice and show events and overall flight proficiency an adequate G-tolerance for all demonstration maneuvers. However, the mishap pilot’s failure to perform a proper AGSM [Anti-G Straining Maneuver] resulted in him suffering from possible physiological effects that contributed to his loss of situational awareness of his rate of descent and ultimately a controlled flight into the terrain (CFIT). Had the mishap pilot performed a proper AGSM throughout the maneuver and maintained full situational awareness of his flight attitude, this mishap may have been averted.”

So what is this AGSM? To quote an article from the Air Force Association Magazine, “The AGSM consists of a deep intake of breath, followed by breath-holding and grunting for about three seconds, followed by an explosive exhalation and repetition of the process. This act increases the pressure inside the lungs and chest and, in effect, supercharges the blood pressure on the ‘inlet’ side of the heart. With this technique, a well-trained pilot can raise his blood pressure around four Gs’ worth.” Failure to perform a proper AGSM can lead to grey-out or tunnel vision, followed by black out, and finally loss of consciousness.

The 2008 schedules for the North American military teams were released yesterday at the ICAS convention. Below is a listing by date and location.

BA United States Navy Blue Angels
GK United States Army Golden Knights (Black & Gold teams)
SB Canadian Air Force Snowbirds
TB United States Air Force Thunderbirds

08 March
NAF El Centro, CA - BA

13-16 March
Sacramento, CA (15-16 only) - BA
South Padre Island, TX - GK
San Angelo, TX (15th only) - TB

29-30 March
NAS Meridian, MS - BA
Tyndall AFB, FL (29th only) - TB / GK

05-06 April
NAS Kingsville, TX - BA
Punta Gorda, FL - TB / GK

12-13 April
Smyrna, TN - BA
Lakeland, FL - TB

19-20 April
Peoria, IL - BA / GK
Wilmington, NC - TB / GK

26-27 April
Vidalia, GA - BA
Charleston AFB, SC (26th only) - TB

03-04 May
Ft. Lauderdale, FL - BA / SB / GK
March ARB, CA - TB / GK

07 May
Anderson, SC - SB
Myrtle Beach, SC - GK

10-11 May
Barksdale AFB, LA - BA / GK
Pittsburgh, PA - SB
Langley AFB, VA - TB

14 May
Duluth, MI - SB

16-18 May
Andrews AFB, MD - BA / GK
Malmstrom, MT (17-18 only) - SB
Fort Smith, AR (17-18 only) - TB / GK

21-23 May
Naval Academy - BA
Cranbrook, BC (21st only) - SB

24-25 May
Jones Beach, NY - BA / GK
Janesville, WI - SB / GK
Tinker AFB, OK (24th only) - TB

28 May
USAF Academy, CO - TB

31 May
Danville, VA - GK
Portage, MB - SB
McGuire AFB, NJ - TB

01 June
Danville, VA - GK
Brandon, MB - SB
McGuire AFB, NJ - TB

04 June
Kapuskasing, ON - SB

07-08 June
MCAS Cherry Point, NC - BA / GK
Montreal F1, QC - SB
Rockford, IL - TB / GK

10 June
Magog, QC - SB

14-15 June
Quebec City, Canada - BA / SB / TB
Army B-day OCPA - GK

18 June
Kingston, ON - SB

21-22 June
Davenport, IA - BA / GK
Sioux City, IA - GK
CFB Borden, ON - SB
Klamath Falls, OR (21st only) - TB

24 June
Eielson AFB, AK - TB

25 June
Goderich, ON - SB

28-29 June
Huntsville, AL - BA / GK
Evansville, IN - GK
Ottawa, ON - SB
Elmendorf AFB, AK - TB

01 July
Canada Day, Ottawa, ON - SB

03 July
Dubuque, IA - GK

04-06 July
Traverse City, MI (5-6 only) - BA / GK
Cape Girardeao, MO (5-6 only) - GK
Stampede (4th only) - SB
Battle Creek, MI - TB

11 July
Pensacola Beach, FL - BA

12-13 July
Milwaukee, WI - TB

16 July
Thompson, MB - SB

19-20 July
Duluth, MN - BA
Gary, IN - GK
Yellowknife, NWT (19 only) - SB
Edmonton Grd Prx (20th only) - SB
McChord AFB, WA - TB

23 July
Cheyenne, WY - TB
Prince George, BC - SB

26-27 July
Twin Falls, ID - BA
Helena Military Open House - GK
Wetaskiwin, AB - SB
Rochester, NY - TB / GK

30 July
White Rock, BC - SB

02-03 August
Seattle, WA - BA
Dawson Creek, BC (3rd only) - SB

06 August
Penticton, BC - SB

08-10 August
Fairchild AFB, WA (09-10 only) - BA
Abbotsford, BC - SB / TB

13 August
Rocky Mtn House, AB - SB

16-17 August
BA - Chicago, IL - BA / GK
Yankton, SD - GK
Springbank, AB (16th only) - SB
Offutt AFB, NE - TB

20 August
Atlantic City, NJ - TB

23-24 August
Greenfield, IN - GK
Moose Jaw, SK (23rd only) - SB
Kansas City, MO - TB / GK

27 August
Welland, ON - SB

30-31 August
Cleveland, OH - BA / GK
Toronto, ON - SB
Travis AFB, CA - TB / GK

01 September
Cleveland, OH - BA
Toronto, ON - SB

02 September
Van denBos School - SB

06-07 September
NAS Brunswick, ME - BA / GK
Halifax, NS - SB
Westover ARB, MA - TB / GK

10 September
Stephenville, NL - SB

12-14 September
Eau Claire, WI (13-14 only) - BA / GK
Summerside, PEI (13-14 only) - SB
Reno, NV (12-13 only) - TB

20-21 September
NAS Oceana, VA - BA
Midland, TX - GK
Dover 400, DE - GK
Victoria, BC - SB
Scott AFB, IL - TB

24 September
Tri Cities, WA - SB

27-28 September
Grand Junction, CO - BA
Parkersberg, WV - GK
Chico, CA - SB
Salinas, CA - TB

01 October
Douglas, AZ - SB

04-05 October
MCAS Miramar, CA - BA / GK
El Paso, TX - SB / GK
Vance AFB, OK (4th only) - TB

11-12 October
San Francisco, CA - BA / SB
West Chester, PA - GK
Ft Worth, TX - TB / GK

17 October
15 Wing Moose Jaw, SK - SB

18-19 October
Little Rock, AR - BA / GK
Huntington Beach, CA - GK
Dobbins ARB, GA - TB

25-26 October
NAS Jacksonville, FL - BA
Houston, TX - TB

01-02 November
Lackland AFB, TX - BA / GK
Lafayette, LA - TB / GK

08-09 November
Cape Canaveral, FL - BA
Las Vegas, NV - TB

14-15 November
NAS Pensacola, FL - BA

Roger Buis, owner and pilot of the popular airshow helicopter named OTTO, has announced his retirement. Although the OTTO airshow routine had a kid based theme with blowing bubbles and bouncing yoyo’s, I was always impressed with the helicopter airmanship that Roger displayed. In recent years Roger also performed an airplane-to-helicopter transfer with John Mohr and stuntman Todd Green.

Thank you Roger for an outstanding airshow routine and good luck in your future endeavors.

An online petition to save the Red Barons has been started by Ed Shipley at Airshowbuzz. If you enjoyed watching the team perform (or wish you had) then click the image to add your name to the list.

The Schwan Food Company, owners of the Red Baron® Pizza Squadron aerobatic team, have announced their retirement after 28 years of performances. The official announcement in PDF format can be found here along with a discussion of the retirement at Airshowbuzz.

I had the fortune of seeing the team perform twice in their final year. First at the Gathering of Mustangs & Legends where I took the photos below. The last time was at the Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular where I had the opportunity to have the team autograph a photo from the Gathering.

Thank you to Schwan Foods and all the pilots, maintenance crews, and announcers for providing the airshow circuit with a top notch aerobatic team throughout the years. You will be missed but not forgotten.