Brazilian Air Force Smoke Squadron Added to 2009 Vectren Dayton Air Show Lineup

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 21, 2009
For more information contact:
Michael Emoff, Chairman, United States Air & Trade Show Board of Trustees, 937-221-7820
Brenda Kerfoot, General Manager, Vectren Dayton Air Show, 937-898-5901 ext. 133

Brazilian Air Force Smoke Squadron
Golden Knights - C-17 Globemaster - Sean Tucker
Added to 2009 Vectren Dayton Air Show Lineup

Dayton, Ohio – Vectren Dayton Air Show officials announced today that the Força Aérea Brasileira
Esquadrilha da Fumaça (the Brazilian Air Force Smoke Squadron) will appear on July 18th and 19th at the 2009 Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger. Vectren Dayton Air Show spectators were delighted by the team’s appearance in 2007 with their graceful maneuvers in seven Embraer T-27 Tucano jet-prop aircraft. Led by Lt. Col. José Aguinaldo Moura, the Fumaça will travel to Dayton with a Brazilian Air Force C-130 Hercules support aircraft. In total, nearly 45 personnel from the Brazilian Air Force will participate in the July show at the Dayton International Airport.

Air show officials also confirmed today that Dayton has been selected for a U.S. Army Golden Knight Parachute team performance in 2009. The Ft. Bragg, NC based team is the Army’s elite demonstration and competition parachute team. This will be a special year for the Knights as they mark 50 years of performances before millions of spectators.

Another “big” announcement to the lineup for 2009 will be an amazing demonstration of the massive USAF C-17 Globemaster III. Giving its debut performance in 2008, the C-17 was a huge hit for spectators by showing off its versatility despite being nearly 200 feet long and 55 feet high. This newest, most flexible cargo aircraft in the Air Force hails from the 97th Air Mobility Wing at Altus AFB, Oklahoma.

Last but certainly not least, the 2009 show will also feature an encore performance by aviation legend, Sean D. Tucker and his custom-built Oracle Challenger II biplane. A 2008 National Aviation Hall of Fame Inductee, Sean leaves audiences breathless as they witness his extraordinary skill while executing a thrilling aerobatic routine. Twice during his performance, Sean will fly the aircraft backward – straight down – tail first – at more than 100 mph.

“Complicated logistics involved in an international tour make it very unusual to have a team return to
the United States within two years,” stated Michael Emoff, Chairman of the United States Air & Trade Show Board of Trustees, the governing organization of the show. “We are ecstatic that the Brazilian Air Force has elected to send the Fumaça back to Dayton in 2009; they along with the Golden Knights, the C-17 and Sean are a fabulous addition to a great show lineup,” Emoff added.

Announced in December, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will headline the 2009 Vectren Dayton Air Show and will be commanded by Lt. Col. Greg Thomas, a Cincinnati native and graduate of Anderson High School in Cincinnati and Wright State University in Dayton. He met his wife, the former Michele Sipes, a Dayton native and graduate of Centerville High School, while attending Wright State. Lt. Col. Thomas and Mrs. Thomas both have family currently living in Dayton, Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky; the Thomas’ are excited to return to Dayton in July for the Air Show.

Also announced in December, Tora Tora Tora, an eight aircraft dramatic reenactment of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and Patty Wagstaff, three-time US National Aerobatic champion and 2004 National Aviation Hall of Fame Inductee, will also appear on July 18th and 19th at the Vectren Dayton Air Show. Air Show officials noted that while this is already an impressive line-up, more announcements are expected to be confirmed in the next few months.

A final important point emphasized today is last month’s announcement that children’s and senior ticket prices will be lowered in 2009. The Board of Trustees wanted to make sure the show was affordable to families. To do so, the Board decided to lower the Child/Senior Citizen General Admission ticket by one dollar and continue the popular Family Four Pack. The new Child/Senior Ticket will be $12 in advance and $15 at the gate. The Pack includes 4 show tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 Pepsis, 1 souvenir program and free General Admission parking for only $64.95, a 40% savings off the full gate price. All ticket packages including the popular Pavilion seating area and Blue Sky Chalet tickets are all on sale through the show’s web site, www.daytonairshow.com. Beginning June 8th, deep discount advance tickets will also be conveniently available exclusively at Kroger stores in the Dayton-Cincinnati region.

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Founded in 1975, the Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger is one of America’s premier air shows. The Air Show showcases world-class aerobatic champions, military jet demonstrations and entertainment for the whole family celebrating Dayton’s aviation heritage as home of the Wright Brothers, National Museum of the US Air Force and Wright Patterson AFB. For more information visit www.daytonairshow.com