Airshow comes to Nevada

Bob Richards Airshows performs in this file photo.

For the first time in more than 20 years, Nevada will host an airshow at the Municipal Airport Saturday, Sept. 16.

“Tourism has sponsored the bike race for the last couple years,” said Sharon Kegler who is co-coordinating the event with Mark Mitchell. “This year Mark … wanted to do something that could benefit more of the community, bring more of the community out and involve them.”

The gates open at 9 a.m. and the show begins at 10. But the fun actually starts at 8:30 when the KC Flight Formation Team will “Wake the town,” according to Kegler.

During the Wake the Town event, the KC Flight Team will be taking up to six VIPs with them. Kegler and Mitchell decided to honor veterans and active-duty military and are taking nominations for those seats.

When the pair began planning the show, they figured they’d only be able to afford one aerial act. But as time went on other groups offered to fly at a discount and one act signed on voluntarily.

A helicopter with Alpha Air will arrive and begin offering rides at 9, and the Skydive KC group will arrive with the U.S. Flag.

Bob Richards Airshows will be flying Pitts Specials, there will also be an Xtra 300 acrobatic plane and a GB-1 Gamebird flying in the show.

A Stearman biplane will also be offering rides.

During the show, there will be a ping pong ball drop for the children. Each ball will have a number corresponding to a prize and the hope is that every child will get a prize.

The Nevada Parks and Rec is hosting a Kids Zone tent which will feature face painting and airplane making among other activities so they have something to do when there are no planes flying.

Several aircraft will be on display including crop dusters and the air ambulance.

“We’re trying to get a plane called a Storch,” said Kegler.

Several groups will be offering food at the show.

“Hamburgers, hot dogs, pulled pork sandwiches,” said Kegler adding the city will be selling soda and water.

Admission and parking are free, no outside coolers are allowed. But the public is encouraged to bring lawn chairs. They expect to wrap up the show around 1:30 p.m.

“If it turns out very well, we’re going to hope to do it again next year or the year after and maybe even be able to get some more military airplanes,” Kegler said. “Hopefully we’ll take off, be something the community really likes.”