Atsugi's Wings air show goes on
despite lack of aerial display
Story and photos by Rick
Chernitzer, Stars and Stripes
Shea Prescott, 13, from
Atsugi, performs as a Taiko drummer Saturday at the start of the base's Bon Odori
festival. |
ATSUGI NAVAL AIR FACILITY, Japan — Atsugi’s annual Wings air show, held this
weekend, featured a new maneuver: no air show.
Area residents had complained of noise from the air show, forcing base officials to
cancel the traditional aerial display.
Instead, this year’s Wings was combined with Bon Odori, an annual summer festival
throughout Japan, to replace the flying jets, according to base commander, Navy Capt.
Kevin McNamara.
"We put the show and Bon Odori together, and I think it works well, we have a good
crowd," McNamara said Saturday on the flight line. "Obviously, [holding an
aerial demonstration] has been an issue the Navy has been looking into, and a decision was
made to not fly this year."
Ayase Mayor Kazuyoshi Mikami accepted the base’s invitation to attend the show
because of that decision. In the past, the mayor has declined the invitation, according to
his spokesman.
Master Sgt. Douglas
Harriman, a.k.a. "D.H. the Clown" creates ballon animals. |
"This year, the base canceled the flight demo, so I accepted their invitation to
the air show," Mikami said. "[I feel the] flight demo causes noise problems and
the possible danger of an air crash for local residents. We will continuously request to
cancel the flight demo in future air shows."
While the mayor was happy to have no air show this year, many attendees cited a lack of
aircraft overhead as a major disappointment.
"Last year, the flight line was covered with people walking around, we could see
it from our apartment window," said Kelley Jefferies, an Atsugi resident, "but
not this year."
"I didn’t expect as big a turnout this year. The flying makes all the
difference," said Petty Officer 1st Class Tim Linares from Atsugi’s Aircraft
Intermediate Maintenance Department. "But I suppose combining it with Bon Odori makes
up for the people who might not have otherwise come."
Cmdr. Seamus Flatley,
executive officer of the VF-154 "Black Knights," autographs a T-shirt Saturday
at the squadron's booth on Reid Field. |
Many Japanese visitors, on the other hand, said they scarcely noted the lack of an air
show.
"Atsugi’s air show is my favorite, because many kinds of aircrafts,
especially carrier-based aircraft, are assembled here," said Kunihiro Kojima, 40.
"I miss the flight demonstration, but I understand the reason to cancel it because of
the noise problem to local residents."
Mitsuo Onishi, from Sagamihara City, enjoys attending base festivals, and said he
noticed a smaller crowd than in several Wings shows he’s attended in the past.
"Airplane noise sometimes bothers me," he said, "but I personally like
to see the flight demonstrations."
Bill Hall, a vendor
selling airbrush paintings on T-shirts, creates a design at his booth Saturday. |
Despite not being able to fly, many of the aircraft squadrons based at Atsugi had their
pilots out in full uniform, signing posters and T-shirts.
"This is a rock star status weekend for us," said Cmdr. Seamus Flatley,
executive officer of the VF-154 Black Knights.
Also, static displays of U.S. and Japanese aircraft were parked on the tarmac, allowing
visitors a photo opportunity by their favorite aircraft.
"It’s been so busy," said Senior Airman Christopher Schell, a C-5 Galaxy
crew member. "From what I was told, it’s been like this since we opened this
[Saturday] morning."
Naoko Sekioka contributed to this report.
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