Truckee Tahoe AirShow Returns in Full Force

The free Truckee Tahoe AirShow & Family Festival (TTAS&FF) 2014 “Women in Aviation” themed event will blaze across the Truckee sky on July 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Truckee Tahoe Airport.

The featured women in aviation line-up includes three-time national Aerobatic Champion and National Aviation Hall of Fame member, Patty Wagstaff; female pilots and jumpers from the U.S. Air Force Parachute Team “Wings of Blue”; Retired Flying Tiger/Fed Ex captain and Truckee local, Sandy Wiederkehr as the Air Show’s Grand Marshal; Jeanne Slone, author of “She Flew Bombers” and Julia Hamlin, pilot from Cessna’s Discover Flying Challenge.

The Air Show plans to make event goers’ hair rise from the sights of planes swirling and thundering in the sky. Highlighted aerobatic performers include Dan Buchanan who six months after an accident that left him unable to walk ever again began flying his NorthWing designed hang glider. And here’s more….

Jon Melby’s attention grabbing performance style in his awesome looking black and yellow factory Pitts “Muscle” Bi-Plane reminds those of a time long ago; Kent Pietsch, “Jelly Belly” sponsored pilot, flies an Interstate Cadet Airplane, and executes three different acts leaving spectators mesmerized; RedStar Formation Team, a show pleaser for the past two years, is a Precision Warbird Mass Formation Display Team highlighting precision flying capabilities. The OV-10 Bronco flying performance captivates spectators with its white shark teeth painted across its front. And the show most recently added to its lineup a one of a kind Sailplane powered by a jet engine!

This event might just be the most family-friendly event in the Truckee North Tahoe region. Event offerings include free admission, free parking, world-class aerobatics, parachute demonstrations, static aircraft displays, Vendor Village, Kids’ Zone, food court, free speaker forums, pre-event dinner on Friday, July 11 and free flights for kids ages 8-17 on Sunday, July 13. Sign-ups take place Saturday at the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) Building at the Airport.

“We’re going to blow people away this year with some of the best aerobatic pilots in the world. We are definitely no longer a small show,” says Air Show Chairman Tim LoDolce. “And at a time when military acts at air shows are scarce, we’re thrilled to have confirmed the U.S. Air Force Parachute Team ‘Wings of Blue’. They are without a doubt going to be a huge crowd pleaser.”

The selection process to confirm “Wings of Blue” is highly competitive. In 2013, no military aircraft participated in any U.S. air shows, and performance engagements for 2014 are limited. Take note too. The parachute team will also include Truckee High School Alum, Lt. Col. Brian Mulloy, who grew up in Glenshire. He’ll be part of the jumping team and greeting those in the crowd.

The Truckee Tahoe Airport is the “Golden Wings” sponsor of the 2014 TTAS&FF giving the Air Show as a gift to its community. All proceeds from sponsorships, vendor fees, pre-event dinner ticket sales, food and beverage sales and miscellaneous items go directly to local youth through the three main non-profit organizations that produce the event. They include the EAA local Chapter 1073, KidZone Museum and Truckee Optimist Club.

Other major sponsors to date include Clear Capital, Tahoe Mountain Resorts Foundation, KRNV My News 4 Reno, Suddenlink and the Sierra Sun.

For more information on the show and for tickets to the pre-even dinner on July 11, please visit www.truckeetahoeairshow.com and the Air Show’s Facebook page www.facebook.com/truckeetahoeairshow.