BIGGER, BETTER AND SOONER…Van Nuys Airport’s Aviation Expo 2000 Has Something for Everyone
(Van Nuys, CA)- The Van Nuys Airport Aviation Expo, slated for the weekend of June 24 and 25 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature a NASA astronaut appearance and aerobatics by the most impressive lineup of aerial performers in the show’s 38-year history.
At least 300,000 spectators are expected to attend the free air show, scheduled a month earlier than usual, to enjoy all-day flying demonstrations and displays of some of the world’s most celebrated military and vintage aircraft. A flyover by the awesome, rarely seen B-2 Stealth Bomber on Saturday at noon, high-energy aerobatics routines and military and civilian skydiving displays are just some of the show’s highlights.
"Expo is an important San Fernando Valley tradition," said Van Nuys Airport Manager Selena Birk. "Every year, concession proceeds from the air show raise thousands of dollars for local nonprofit youth and service organizations, and we have two new fundraising events this year."
One of the new fundraisers will be a book drive sponsored by the Los Angeles Times and Van Nuys Rotary Club. For every new or gently used book brought to the Expo, Scholastic Books will donate a new one for Van Nuys’ kindergarten through third grade students. Special Olympics of Southern California will also benefit through an exciting "Plane Pull" competition on Saturday. Teams of up to 20 participants, with donors paying $25 per team member, will test their strength by pulling a Boeing 727 a distance of 12 feet in the shortest amount of time.
Aerobatic champions Sean D. Tucker and Patty Wagstaff will be among the show’s headline performers. Tucker will demonstrate his spectacular "Skydance," featuring his trademark inverted triple ribbon cut. New this year will be Wagstaff in her EXTRA 300S, executing low-level routines known for their precision, beauty and complexity. She’s also the first woman to win the U.S. Unlimited Aerobatic Championship.
Other performers and events will include Australia’s Dave Benson, also new this year, who holds a Guinness world record for skydiving with flags as large as 13,000 square-feet, as well as paraplegic hang glider pilot Dan Buchanan and the prestigious U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team.
Many of the military’s most advanced top gun aircraft will be on display, including the F-117A Stealth Fighter, B-1B Lancer Bomber, F-14 Tomcat, AV-8B Harrier, F-16 Falcon, F/A-18 Hornet and, for the first time, the immense C-17 Globemaster III cargo plane. Equally impressive will be displays of vintage aircraft in pristine condition, such as the Lockheed Constellation, the Grumman F6F Hellcat and F8F Bearcat, the Russian Yak-3 and the North American AT-6 Texan.
The Expo’s theme, Then, Now and Beyond, will commemorate the evolution of flight into the 21st century. This year’s honorees are NASA Astronaut Marsha S. Ivins, who has logged over 1,000 hours in space on four space shuttle missions, and the legendary "pilot’s pilot," Robert "Bob" Hoover. Already an experienced aerobatics pilot by age 16, he has flown or tested over 300 types of aircraft and received nearly continuous honors during his life and career. At 78, he continues to fly.
The pedestrian entrance for the air show is located at 8030 Balboa Blvd. Plenty of free parking and shuttle bus service are available at four remote lots. Handicapped parking only is available on-site at 8050 Balboa Blvd.
Aviation Expo 2000 is co-hosted by the San Fernando Valley Chapter of the Ninety-Nines, a nonprofit international women pilots organization founded in 1929. Sponsors include AT&T Wireless, Budweiser, Chevron, Daily News, KLOS Radio, KNX NEWSRADIO, KFWB NEWS 980 AM, KTTV FOX 11, Los Angeles Times Valley Edition, Office Depot, Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, Citibank, Grand Pacific Resorts, Van Nuys Harley Davidson, 10-10-220 and Universal Studios.
For more information on Aviation Expo 2000, call the Expo Hotline at (818) 773-3293 or visit the Van Nuys Airport section of Los Angeles World Airport’s Web site at www.lawa.org.
