Westfield International Air Show 2017

8/3/2017 |

Category:

DEPARTMENT OF THE AIR FORCE

HEADQUARTERS 104TH FIGHTER WING (ANG)

BARNES AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, WESTFIELD MA 

Media Advisory 

Contact:

Lt Col. USAF (US) Eric Armentrout

Lt. Col. Brenda Hendricksen, Public Affairs Office

Maj.  Mary Harrington

413-568-9151 ext. 698-1800

Cell: (413) 454-9590

usaf.ma.104-fw.list.pa@mail.mil

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thousands of attendees anticipated to attend the 104th Fighter Wing Open House in conjunction with the Westfield International Airshow,

August 12-13, 2017

(Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Mass) – The 104th Fighter Wing Open House in conjunction with the Westfield International Airshow, is set to take place on Saturday, August 12 and Sunday, August 13, 2017. Similar to previous air shows, coordinators anticipate thousands of people at the event.

 The airshow will feature the United States Air Force (USAF) Thunderbirds and showcase many aircraft, in a combination of aerial and static displays. Beyond the USAF Thunderbirds, performers will include the US Army Black Daggers Parachute Team, Geico Skytypers, Third Strike Wing Walking, Navy F-18 Hornet, Alabama Boys, and many historic and current military aircraft including the P-51, T-33, AT-28, C-17, B-25, C-47, P-40, F-15, A-10, and more.  Aerobatic acts include Matt Chapman Aerobatics, Jason Flood Aerobatics, and Red Bull Air Race master class pilot Michael Goulian.

 “We held our last open house in 2010, which was a great success. We learned many lessons from the event. The first lesson was that we are blessed with tremendous support from our community, family and friends. Secondly, we are revamping our traffic control for improved parking processes, as well as better entrance and exits from the show. We are working closely with Westfield Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, and other appropriate agencies to ensure another safe and successful event.  Every member of the 104th is excited to showcase our mission to the local community.  We are especially proud of our heritage with 2017 marking both the 70th anniversary of the Air Force and the 104th Fighter Wing,” said Col. James Suhr, Commander of the 104th Fighter Wing.

“It has been seven years since Westfield’s last airshow,” added Command Chief Master Sgt. Maryanne Walts. “While an airshow takes a lot of time and coordination, it is a tremendous opportunity to showcase the capabilities of the USAF and Air National Guard, supported by the men and women of the 104th Fighter Wing. Furthermore, it is a wonderful time to solidify our positive community relationships, and thank so many people for their unwavering support we so dearly need and appreciate.”

Parking lots will be open at 6:30a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday; gate entrances to the air show and Barnes Air National Guard base will open at 8:00a.m. Performances will begin at approximately 10:30a.m. Specific schedule of acts may change depending on various factors including finalized aerial and static displays and weather. Please see our website for more information.  We anticipate continual flying performances all day, until about 4p.m. Attendees can use the GPS address of 825 Southampton Road, Westfield, MA, and will be provided parking instructions upon arrival.

In addition to the flying acts each day, show spectators can enjoy numerous food and drink concessions throughout the show. As with previous events, there will be bag and body checks at the entrances. The initial list of prohibited items includes weapons, alcohol, drugs, drones, bicycles, animals, tents, umbrellas, and any items deemed to be a security risk. See more details about entry procedures and FAQ’s on the air show website, www.westfieldairshow.org.

The Westfield International Airshow is requesting a $10 donation for parking which will go to various charities, to include the Boys & Girls Club, Kamp for Kids, The Carson Center, the USO, Westfield Youth Athletics, Military Family Readiness Group, the Westfield High School Music Program, and more

 The 104th Fighter Wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard is an operational Fighter Wing ready to deploy personnel and equipment anywhere in the world when tasked to provide Air Superiority with its assigned F-15C Eagle aircraft.  In addition, the wing is on guard 24/7 with armed aircraft on Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) defending the northeast corner of the United States against air attack and stands ready to respond to any domestic emergency when called upon by the governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

For more information, including information on acts and answers to frequently asked questions, please visit http://www.westfieldairshow.org

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