Despite Heat, Enthusiasm Takes Flight at Air Show

Death-defying aerobatics bedazzled and amazed thousands of spectators who braved sizzling heat Saturday to witness the opening day of the Aviation Expo 98 at Van Nuys Airport.

Gasps and cheers arose for each of a series of aerial acts performed continually during a two-hour morning show. The crowd emerged from the shade of tents and aircraft wings to watch the performances, then quickly ducked again for shelter from the burning sun as the temperature reached 100 degrees.

Many in the crowd had gone home before the 2 p.m. show, which lasted about 75 minutes and ended with the day’s grand finale. The finale, which featured three of the nation’s leading aerobatic pilots performing in concert, kept people in the audience frozen in place and shaking their heads in astonishment.

“I really liked the cyclone [maneuver] when they went all the way up, spun around and came down,” gushed 11-year-old J.C. Keiser of Virginia, who is visiting his uncle in Van Nuys.

The performances will be repeated today at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Show officials estimated about 100,000 spectators attended the event Saturday and said a larger crowd was expected today. However, American Red Cross and Fire Department officials said they thought the turnout was smaller than expected because of the heat.

Parents who brought children and infants to the show said they planned to stay only a few hours, heeding warnings issued by health officials for safety measures that should be exercised during the heat wave.

Despite the temperature, most people at the show came well-prepared, emergency workers said. Broad-brimmed hats and umbrellas were evident everywhere, with almost everyone toting individual water bottles.

Red Cross volunteers said they expected to treat from 70 to 80 people each day for minor injuries, but were surprised by the slow pace of people seeking help at Saturday’s show. Twenty-three people were treated and released, most for heat-related illnesses, said Battalion Chief Butch Rose. In addition, two people, a 63-year-old woman and a 53-year-old man, fainted from the heat and were taken to area hospitals. A third person, a 47-year-old man, suffered a heart problem not related to the heat and was flown by helicopter to Northridge Hospital, fire officials said.

Large canopy shelters, misting tents and water tanks were scattered about the show. Many visitors cooled down by launching water fights, often mistakenly striking passersby who didn’t appear to mind. The morning lines of people waiting to walk through airplanes had shifted by the afternoon to a stand manned by the Department of Water and Power, which was handing out free bottled water.

Like most air shows, Van Nuys’ boasts a traditional patriotic theme, with heavy emphasis on military air power. Many spectators say they attend the show because they served in the military, work in the aerospace industry or are wannabe pilots and leap at the opportunity to inspect the aircraft up close.

Crowds of people of all ages began camping out on the perimeter of the airport as early as Thursday, watching for the planes to arrive for the show. Even larger crowds are expected Monday morning, when many of the military aircraft will depart within minutes of each other.

Don Oliver, 60, of Van Nuys has been hanging out at the airport since 1956, when he served in the Air National Guard, and has attended every air show at the field since they began in 1963. He makes the annual show a five-day ritual, sitting atop a roof next to the runway from Thursday through Monday, returning home each night to sleep.

Wearing a wet wash rag on his head, a toothy grin and his eyes fixed on the performers, Oliver said, “I can never get bored with the air show. They always come up with something new.”

In addition to the aerobatics, a “sky sailing” performance by hang glider Dan Buchanan, a paraplegic, served as a departure from previous entertainment.

Standing under a misting tent with his family was 11-year-old John Voshell of Valencia.

“This show is absolutely excellent,” he said.

Times correspondent Michael Baker contributed to this story.