“We went to see them fly four years ago in Indiana, but they couldn’t get flight clearance due to weather; it was so disappointing,” Keller said.
As a proud military brat, Keller said she loves the culture of the U.S. Air Force and Thunderbirds; the camaraderie, teamwork, and pride.
“I love watching them do their thing,” she said. “I love the pilots, I love the tricks, the sounds, the speed, everything.”
It was 17-year-old Natalie’s first time seeing the Thunderbirds perform.
“My mom was saying all week how awesome it would be, so I’m very excited,” she said minutes before the squadron took to the air.
And there was no disappointment for the pair as the Thunderbirds performed a flawless act again for the crowd and the last for this year’s two-day Air Show.
The Air Show was off to a muggy start Sunday morning, as temperatures hovered just under 90 degrees by the time opening ceremonies began at 11:30 a.m.
Highs are expected to reach 96 degrees, according to the National Weather Service, with heat index values as high as 106.
The area was under a heat advisory this weekend, with Sunday’s temperature 10 degrees above the average daily high.
Sunday’s feature flying show kicked off with a streamer drop by the GK DHC-8 turboprop-powered airliner.
Mansfield residents Greg Owens and Bert Claypool were happy to brave the heat to attend the Air Show, a tradition they enjoy every few years.
Owens, whose father was a flight instructor, said he’s been a fan of aviation since he was a child.
“I got my first plane right when I was about four, so I’ve been hooked for a lot of years,” Owens said. “My dad used to bring me to the Air Force Museum every two or three years.”
When asked how they’ve prepared for the day’s scorching heat and humidity, Owens gestured to the Budweiser in his hand and foldable seat hung on his shoulder.
“We’ve got a beer and a chair!” he said.
On site at the Air Show are multiple cooling stations, with industrial size misting fans offering a cool breeze for passersby and air conditioned RTA buses parked for patrons to enter and cool off.
The site has a medical tent and ambulance parked nearby, along with free water refill stations. Food and drink vendors were also plentiful.
Officials urged attendees to remain vigilant about the potential for heat-related illness.
Dr. Brandon Amburgey, the show’s chief medical officer, said event medical personnel treated about 60 people total for heat- and dehydration-related ailments on Saturday as that day’s high temperature reached the lower 90s on the unforgiving tarmac of Dayton International Airport. And about seven people needed to be transported to area hospitals.
Darke County resident Jody Key was at the Air Show to enjoy the flight performances and to support her sister, a firefighter who was on site to provide medic support.
Key sat in a slice of shade provided by the wing of the C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft for a brief reprieve from the scorching afternoon sun.
With a brother who is retired from the U.S. Air Force, Key said she’s been interested in aircraft and aviation most of her life.
“The Thunderbirds are one of my favorites, along with the Blue Angels,” she said. “I love how loud the Thunderbirds are, like that they can break the sound barrier.”
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