Air Expo Attracts 23,000 Visitors

PATUXENT RIVER, Md. (Nov. 3, 2016)—Planes twirled, climbed, dove, spun, glided, thundered, and hovered in the clear blue skies above the crowd at NAS Patuxent River Saturday and Sunday during Air Expo 2016.

The event was open to the public and about 23,000 visitors—some never having been aboard Pax River before—passed through the gates to witness the aviation capabilities of today's military and be reminded of its past history.

Jasmine Corgill drove more than four hours from Virginia with her husband and three children, and she was glad she did.

"Honestly, we weren't sure we would come when we heard the Blue Angels had to cancel," she said, as she watched her youngest toss a balsa wood glider into the air while her other sons posed for a picture in front of a row of helicopters. "But we decided to come anyway and we're so happy we did. It's a great show and there's plenty to see. The kids are having a blast getting up close to all the planes; we've never seen so many in one place before."

Visitors toured open aircraft, picked up trinkets from exhibitors, shopped for t-shirts, played in the Kids Zone, took photos of the many military and civilian aircraft on display, and enjoyed a variety of food and beverages for sale. But at 12:30 p.m., the crowd surged forward toward the airfield for the opening ceremony and the beginning of the aerial performances.

The national anthem, sung by Lt. Clay Martin, Pax River Search and Rescue, and Lt. Cmdr. Sadie Henry, Aviation Medicine, was followed by NAS Commanding Officer Capt. Scott Starkey's welcoming remarks. From that point on, for the next five hours, everyone's gaze would be upward.

The U.S. Army Special Operations Command Parachute Demonstration Team The Black Daggers started it off by hurling themselves from a helo 12,500 feet up and free falling for two miles at 120 miles per hour. After that, it was one act after another—from military warbirds to civilian aerobatic planes to military flight demonstrations—taking over the skies and thrilling the spectators below.

One of those spectators was northern Virginia resident and photographer Steve Ember, who had his zoom lens at the ready to capture images of the spectacle overhead.

"A couple weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of shooting the Navy's Blue Angels over Baltimore and it was also the first time I had seen the Geico Skytypers team," explained Ember, a self-proclaimed aviation enthusiast since childhood. "I hadn't been to [an air show] in so many years and that afternoon reawakened my interest. So, naturally, when I learned of the Patuxent River Air Expo, I had to come."

Aerial acrobatics aside, Ember was also impressed with Pax River itself.

"My first impression was the sheer size of the base but, beyond that, I was genuinely impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of the base personnel I met while touring the static displays," he said. "It was really exciting to see such an extensive collection of aircraft spanning the years since World War II. Another highlight for me was being able to tour the P-3 Orion. The only thing missing from the experience was hearing the unique sound of those four big Allison turboprop engines."

While the crowd enjoyed the show and displays, a small army of Pax River staff volunteered their time to work in a variety of capacities, making sure everything went as smoothly as it could that weekend.

Annie Courtney, performance assessment representative with the Public Works Department, has worked at Pax River since 1988 and has volunteered at several air shows through the years.

"I'm handing out keys for rental cars and golf carts, checking them in and out as others need them," said Courtney, from her station in Air Operations, Building 103. "I love this base and I always want to be part of what goes on here, so if volunteering helps me do that, then that's what I'm going to do."

Perhaps no one was happier with the event than Lt. Martin, who as the installation Air Expo coordinator, was involved with every aspect of the show from its initial planning stages straight through its execution.

"It was a fantastic event," Martin said. "Our team here at Pax River really pulled together to make this event possible, and everyone carried out their responsibilities professionally and flawlessly. I'd especially like to thank all those who volunteered during their time off to come help out with parking and airshow production—we couldn't have done it without them. It was a great weekend, and one that the good folks in Southern Maryland will be talking about for quite some time."