El Toro : Air Show Closes Safely After 2 Days of Thrills

The 39th Annual Navy Relief Air Show at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station came to a close Sunday afternoon after being viewed by more than half a million people this weekend.

Near-perfect weather--with temperatures in the mid-70s and a slight breeze--brought out more than 270,000 people Sunday to watch aerial stunts and precision demonstrations by everything from biplanes to supersonic jets.

In a dramatic backdrop for daring feats, most of the day the sun shone through a ring of clouds that formed a rainbow effect. At times it seemed as if the sky divers and parachute jumpers were coming straight from space.

On both days, the capper of the daylong show was a performance by the six-plane Navy Blue Angels, whose formation flying had the crowd on its feet from the front row VIPs to the picnickers hundreds of yard from the runway.

“Our air show was a resounding success,” said Lance Cpl. Steven Savage, a spokesman for El Toro station. An estimated 230,000 people had come for Saturday’s opening show.

No flying accidents were reported. Marine Col. Jerry Cadick survived the crash of an F/A-18 during a loop maneuver last year; a World War II-vintage plane’s crash in 1985 killed its pilot and a passenger.

The California Highway Patrol reported heavy traffic after the show, which ended at 3:45 p.m., but said there were no unusual problems.