Bill, check those dates again. My calendar shows Fri & Sat. Here's the text of the article.
Air show enlists Blue Angels
Big crowd expected for the inaugural event at Mather Airport in March
By Robert D. Dávila -- Bee Staff Writer
Published 2:15 am PST Saturday, December 3, 2005
Story appeared in Metro section, Page B1
Sacramento County is enlisting the Navy's top guns to launch a major air show next spring that organizers hope will become an annual attraction for tens of thousands of aviation buffs.
The legendary Blue Angels flight demonstration team will headline the inaugural California Capital Airshow, set for March 18-19 at Mather Airport in Rancho Cordova. The program also will feature other aerial performers, aircraft displays, aviation-related booths, concessions and other activities.
"We expect that this will become a signature event in the Sacramento region for many years to come," said G. Hardy Acree, director of the Sacramento County Airport System, in a written statement.
More than 100,000 visitors are expected to attend the air show at Mather, a former Air Force base, organizers said. Last May, a ground display of aircraft during a one-day celebration of Mather's 10th anniversary as a civilian airport drew 6,000 to 8,000 people, county officials said.
The California Capital Airshow is sponsored by the county airport system and Heritage Credit Union. The Board of Supervisors agreed in August to spend $100,000 for a contractor to organize and coordinate the event. Additional costs will be covered by recruiting sponsors and through ticket sales, airport spokeswoman Karen Doron said.
The air show is expected to become a popular family attraction for the region while raising the profile of the county and Rancho Cordova, officials said. In addition, the influx of visitors will generate revenue for local hotels, restaurants and retailers.
"Air shows that have jet team support, such as the California Capital Air Show, are economic drivers for the region," Board of Supervisors Chairman Roger Dickinson said in a news release.
The Blue Angels' aeronautic acrobatics draw legions of fans at air shows around the world. Flying F/A-18 Hornets in solo and formation routines, pilots dazzle spectators with about 30 maneuvers in demonstrations lasting over an hour.
The popular group, formally known as the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, is celebrating its 60th anniversary next year. A schedule released this week calls for the Blue Angels to perform at 36 air show sites in 2006 in the United States, Canada and the Netherlands.
The California Capital Airshow is the second stop on the group's tour next year, following a performance at a naval air facility in El Centro. The Blue Angels squadron is based in Pensacola, Fla.
