YUMA AIRSHOW

Each spring, the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) hosts a free airshow for residents and visitors to Yuma.  We attended the event this past Saturday and spent about 5 hours on the tarmac at MCAS watching the performance of different types of aircraft and saw a display of the military response teams.  There were a few thousand people attending and of course the event was structured and delivered with “military precision.”

The first performance was by an A-10 jet that is capable of exceptional aerial manoeuvres such as steep vertical climbs, loops and spins. 

It was followed by some World War II bombers that flew in formation and did some manoeuvres also; 

a search and rescue demonstration with a huge helicopter; some flybys of F-5N which is used for training and adversary combat tactics; the AV-8B Harrier jet which is the one that is capable of vertical and short takeoffs, can turn a full 360 degrees in a hovering position and can move backwards in a hover.  It’s one of the most amazing aircraft to watch and very loud.

We also saw skydivers, a jetcar on the runway who later raced with a F/A-18E Legacy jet (can’t say who really won) and then an incredible aerial display by the Legacy jet who did vertical climbs, inside loops, spinning climbs and drops and it can move very slow at times to force the enemy to pass him.  It was by far the most impressive part of the show.

The airshow wrapped up with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) demonstration that displays the coordinated use of close air support, armour and artillery and infantry forces.  They are organized for specific missions and it was impressive to see the helicopters, Hornets and Harriers fill the sky while paratroopers dropped and infantry platoons moved in on their objective.  I wouldn’t want to be one of their targets!  So, it was a good day and very different from a civilian airshow such as the one in Abbottsford.  You get pumped up about the Marines—hoo aahh!  Where do I sign up?

FUELING UP IN THE AIR 

EVERYONE IS IN ON THE ACTION

FUELING THE JETS

SLINGING A HUMVEE

HAPPY TO BE DONE FOR THE DAY

We are counting down the last days here and many of our friends (the Quebeckers) left today.  We will join the ranks of the departing on Friday when we start heading back towards home.  We’re not in a hurry and will blog about what we see along the way.