THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 9, 1994 TAG: 9409080180
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 04 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 46 lines
Oceana Naval Air Station opens its gates to the public this weekend to showcase some of the world's top aeronautical acrobatics and open the 21st annual Neptune Festival's three-week run in Virginia Beach.
The Canadian Snowbirds headline this year's air show, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 9 a.m. both days. Admission is free.
The Snowbirds, comprising nine red, white and blue jets, will perform 45 separate maneuvers over 28 minutes with a maximum of 10 seconds between each sequence. The performance is narrated and set to music and features live cockpit broadcasts, allowing the audience to listen in on some of the execution commands as they happen.
Other featured performers include the Sky Hawks, the Canadian Forces parachute team; Formula V Air Racing; Les Shockley's Triple Engine Jet-Truck, ``The Shockwave''; the award-winning French Connection, a civilian acrobatic team; and maneuvers by an F/A-18, F-14, A-6 and MiG 15.
More than 100 static displays also will be on hand along with carnival rides for children.
The air show marks the first of four weekends of fun and entertainment planned for this year's Neptune Festival. A junior tennis tournament gets under way Saturday at Owls Creek Municipal Tennis Center, and Neptune's Grand Ball begins at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Cavalier Hotel Beach Club.
Activities planned later include Country Fair Day Sept. 17 at the Farmers Market, Heritage Day Sept. 25 at the 24th Street Park, golf and surfing tournaments, a prayer breakfast Sept. 27 featuring William J. Bennett, and the Boardwalk Celebration Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, which includes an arts and crafts show, parade, sandcastle classic, fireworks and musical offerings.
Roger M. Pierce, co-owner of Orbital Technologies, will preside over this year's festivities as King Neptune XXI.
For a listing of Neptune Festival Events, call 427-3580, Ext. 878. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
The Sky Hawks, a Canadian parachute team, will perform Saturday and
Sunday.
by CNB