Thunderbirds take off at Point Mugu

A crowd of nearly 74,000 people watched as the Air Force’s premier precision flying team, the Thunderbirds, performed Saturday during the first day of the Naval Base Ventura County Air Show.

Though organizers had worried about low-lying fog that lingered into early afternoon at Point Mugu, about 20 vintage, custom and military aircraft performed throughout the day.

“The weather cooperated, and we were really happy to have all of the planes fly today,” said base spokesman Vance Vasquez. “It really helps the community to see what we do here. Today they got to see some of our best high-tech stuff.”

Many children and families were among Saturday’s crowd, attracted by the six-hour display of dancing aircraft as well as carnival rides, food and souvenir booths.

“It’s a great family day,” said Los Angeles resident Donielle Arbon, who brought her 2-year-old son, Griffin, to the show.

Amy Alexander of Newbury Park said the Thunderbirds were her favorite part of the show.

“I really like it when the jet goes straight up in the air,” she said.

Eric Schonning of Camarillo said he hadn’t been to the air show in several years, but it was as good as he remembered.

“I liked the heritage flight,” Schonning said, referring to a flyover of two modern Air Force jets, the F-22 and F-15, along with a P-51 Mustang from World War II.

Last year’s air show was canceled when organizers could not secure an aerobatic team.

This year, the precision stunt flying team included two female pilots: the first female Thunderbird, Maj. Nicole Malachowski, who flew right wing, and Maj. Samantha Weeks, the Thunderbird squadron’s first female solo pilot.

Weeks, 31, whose father is a retired Air Force master sergeant , said that when she was 6 years old, she got to lounge around in a tanker plane during an airborne refueling operation, which convinced her that she wanted to grow up to fly fighter jets.

“It’s definitely the thrill of my life,” Weeks said. “It’s a phenomenal, fun, exciting time. It’s a lot of hard work ... but it’s a job I love doing.”

For Maj. Chris Austin, 35, a Huntington Beach native, the air show was a homecoming of sorts. He said he expected about 50 family members from throughout the state to watch him fly this weekend. The show continues today.

Another thrill for Austin was a chance to squeeze in a visit to the beach to go surfing, a welcome change from the Thunderbird base’s desert location outside Las Vegas.

Surfing “will be part of my mental preparation,” he said.

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greg.griggs@latimes.com