California International Air Show 2004 - Salinas - CA - USA

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Shhhh....I think I have them convinced!  You know what Sagar, it might have been a 727.  But heck, there really isn't that much of a difference is there?

[skyeness]

Are there not going to be any Friday evening events this year?  Not that I'm really complaining because its easier to get the static photos without all those early spectators hanging around....

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Unfortunately, we won't be having a Friday show this year but hope to resume next year with the Wall of Fire and other favorites.

On another note, you guys gotta pick up a program this year!!!  I just got the proof from the designer and it is completely different than previous years and hopefully will set a new standard for air show programs.  It's nothing like the cookie cutter style with the same pics and press release text as what most people are used to. 

[skyeness]

Now that its almost here, any information on what types of aircraft are expected to be on display or what time they might be arriving?

[taka]

Hi All,

I was listening to a local radio station this afternoon, and guess what.  They said, Blue Angels are already in Salinas !!!!
I was planning to go for only one day, but now it has completely changed my weekend plan!! 

[taka]

Everybody must be exhausted at Oceana  
Besides, weather wasn't very friendly on Saturday.   I hope it's going to be better today.

[Bernardo Malfitano]

Weather today was prohibitively un-fine. Blues and A-10s didn't even get off the ground, and the acts that did (starting a couple hours late) were very abbreviated.

The Salinas folks clearly worked so hard to put this together, and the announcers tried so hard to keep the spectators entertained during the very long "hmmm, can we go up? Not yet" pauses, it was a real shame that Sunday's show ended up being not so great. But oh well. You win some, the weather wins some.

And as Gordon was sure to remind everyone, life with a low cloud ceiling is not so bad if you take into account the fact there were no hurricanes, earthquakes, volcanos, tornados, snow or sleet to be put up with today at Salinas... Still, if it weren't such a short drive away, I'd be kinda mad...

Pictures soon.

[g0_command0]

i heard the blues got into a near accident is that true? it was during a practice or something...or the person who told me hear wrong

[Bernardo Malfitano]

I didn't hear anything like that. Might've happened, though. They'd been there 3 days by the time I went.

Y'know, now that I read what I wrote, it sounds too negative. All those things were true, but they did get quite a few acts in the air, and those were very good, like Sean Tucker and Kent Pietsch and the Red Barons (on their second flight). The Snowbirds did do a few passes in their huge formations, and Blue Angel number five made an awesome pass pulling a lot of vapor (this was right after he reported on the unfavorable weather, so maybe he was doing what he could to make sure we did not go away too disappointed).

The departures were cool. Especially the SuperHornet. It was late enough that I could see the awesome glow of those afterburners, and he kept real low after takeoff, flying 50m from me at 10 or 15m altitude (it was just me and 2 other photogs fighting the cold at 5:30 PM in one of the taxiways). I'd never seen anything like that before, both in the afterburner-at-night department (they really ought to have more night shows over here) and in the really-loud-and-fast-jet-really-close category. I took a picture but it does not even begin to convery what it was like. I wish one of you could have been there to capture it better.

And Tyson... where WERE you?

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As far as Salinas goes, it all started with Friday night's Butch Voris tribute which was spectacular.  Speakers such as Rear Admiral Turcott, Wayne Handley, BA#1 Russ Bartlett and others talked about the history of Butch and the fun stories that are to be found in his new book, The First Blue which was debuted at Salinas this weekend.  Butch Voris was on hand throughout the weekend to sign autographs and meet with airshow spectators.  For those involved, a small twilight show was put together consisting of a rare nighttime JATO launch from Fat Albert and a wonderful display by the Canadian Forces Snowbirds.

Saturday, with the exception of the typical valley haze, the weather was perfect!  Mid-seventies, not a cloud in the sky and just enough moisture for some good vortices.  Attendance was record setting and airboss, Gale Rawitzer along with Willie Turner kept the show in perfect order with the timeline.

Sunday's coastal fog just didn't want to go away.  We had sunny skies for about a half-hour allowing the Snowbirds a couple rounds of the Valley along with Sean D. Tucker, Red Barons and Michael Goulian to race Smoke n' Thunder.  Blue Angel #7 which was to be the #5 plane for the routine, launched with Sean D. Tucker in the back seat to check the ceiling.  Unfortunately, the coastal clouds were just too low for the show to safely proceed.

Despite the weather, the show was a complete success.  According to Executive Director, Harry Wardwell and Airshow President Karen Curtis, the Salinas Airshow Programs are completely sold out and attendance records are closing in on becoming the second highest since it's inception.

...personally, I had a blast!

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High over the Salinas Valley, the Red Baron Squadron had their media flights.  Wayne Handley was kind enough to bring the Extra 300L as a fifth photoship.  In order to get this shot from the enclosed cockpit of the Extra, the pilot has to fly inverted and the photographer has to shoot forward and down...er, up, and rotate the image in post production.  During one of the flight rotations, Wayne flipped the plane upside down while I was adjusting the camera's controls.  Once I looked up (down) for the formation, Wayne started cracking up over the com.  "Tyson, they're on the other side of the plane now...hehe."  Apparently I wasn't the first person to suffer this slight dissorientation of a lost formation!

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Allen Silver and I have been trying to get a particular shot for over two years.  Although we're getting close, this wasn't it!  He and I briefed before the Friday practice show and we both agreed that the best position would be at the East end of the landing 'X' with Allen landing in a Westerly direction.  I was sitting on the ground with my 17mm when he came swooping overhead.  Anyone who has shot with a wide angle and insisted on composing the shot without removing the camera from their face is generally in for a big surprise when they realize how close they really are to the subject.  Allen and the group of people on the flight line were apparently quite shocked at my brazen attempt to get kicked...how little I knew!

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Some Blue Angel pics.  I decided to photograph them on the ground because they were moving just too darn fast in the air.

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Murray Soloway is one of the original designers of the Vought F-4U Corsair.  I have the fortune of calling him my grandfather.

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...and the crowds go wild...whatever