Page 5 - Aerotech News and Review, January 8, 2021.

A different kind of air show

by Stuart Ibberson
editor
In January 2020, aerospace enthu-
siasts had two major air shows in the
Antelope Valley to look forward to.
Scheduled for March 22 and 23, the
LA County Air Show promised excite-
ment with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels
as the headline act.
And in October, Edwards Air Force
Base was scheduled to hold their first
air show in more than 10 years, with
the U.S. Air Force Blue Angels.
But then the world stopped as COV-
ID-19 spread, and air show organizers
had to make the difficult decision to
cancel. But even as the LA County Air
Show was canceled, there was hope The U.S. Air Force Academy Wings of Blue Parachute Team helped kick off
that life would be back to ‘normal’ by the opening ceremonies of the 2020 Aerospace Valley Air Show on both Oct.
the time October came around. Photographs by Melinda Rodriguez 9 and Oct. 10 with their parachute landings. Each team member carried either
In June, it became obvious that it A C-17 Globemaster III flies over Palmdale, Calif., as part of the 2020 Aerospace a service flag, the POW/MIA flag or the U.S. Flag.
would not be possible for Edwards to Valley Hybrid Air Show Oct. 10. Air Force and NASA aircraft from Edwards Air
host a traditional air show, with thou- Force Base, Calif., and Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., took part in the The 2020 Aerospace
flying portion of the air show.
sands of people in close quarters on Valley Hybrid Air Show
the flightline. featured an Olympic-style
It was then that Brig. Gen. Matt STEM part of the ‘hybrid’ air show ing of the sound barrier. And then the panel that included Brig.
Higer, 412th Test Wing commander, that ran Oct. 5-8. aircraft took off. Flyovers of Southern Gen. Matt Higer, 412th
made the announcement that the Ed- And then Oct. 9-10, the flying California communities continued for Test Wing commander.
Numerous guests,
wards air show would become a hy- started. With a live stream feed that about two hours. including the Air Force
brid event. At the time, no one could featured Higer and different people Air Force and NASA aircraft flew Test Center commander,
imagine what a ‘hybrid’ air show from Edwards, the air show opened over Rosamond, Lancaster, Palmdale, the Air Force Test Pilot
would look like, but many people got both just like any other Edwards air Mojave, Tehachapi, Bakersfield, Cali- School commandant,
to work to create a once-in-a-lifetime show. Starting with the National An- fornia City, Boron, Ridgecrest, Hespe- and the 412th Test Wing
event that would, as Higer said, take them and a parachute jump by the ria, Apple Valley, Victorville, Barstow, command chief master
the air show to the people. Wings of Blue Parachute Team from Fort Irwin and the Naval Air Station sergeant, were on hand
More than 10,000 students in grades the U.S. Air Force Academy, and then at China Lake, bringing the air show to narrate the air show.
K through 12 logged on to the virtual proceeding to the traditional break- to the people as Higer had envisioned.

WE’RE ALL IN

THIS TOGETHER.

At Kaiser Permanente, we don’t see
health as an industry. We see it as a
cause. And one that we very much
believe in. During this extraordinary
time we are especially thankful to the
heroism of our frontline workers. And,
we would like to express our deepest
gratitude to all of our outstanding care
teams and individuals who deliver on
the Kaiser Permanente mission each
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members and the communities we
serve. We are here to help you thrive.
Learn more at kp.org.

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