MacDill grounds 2006 air show
A war and troops deployed around the globe make the burden too great for the base.
By BRADY DENNIS
Published November 19, 2005
TAMPA - Saying the global war on terror and other military commitments have stretched troops too thin, MacDill Air Force Base officials announced Friday they will not host the annual air show in 2006.
"The biggest factor is just our enormous military commitment load right now," said Capt. Danny Cooper, spokesman for the Air Force's 6th Air Mobility Wing. "It was too much to ask of the troops to do this. It's a huge commitment on everyone's part."
He said base leaders had wavered over whether to hold the popular event, which annually attracts more than 750,000 people over two days, but Col. Maggie Woodward ultimately decided to call it off.
"It's a disappointment. It definitely was not an easy decision," Cooper said. "There's not a single person out here who's not proud to show people what we do."
Base personnel provide the bulk of manpower needed to stage the air show, which requires extra security measures as MacDill opens its gates to the public. But with so many troops deployed around the globe and others swamped with work at home, including several inspections scheduled for early 2006, Cooper said the air show only would have added to the burden.
"It's what's best for our troops," Cooper said.
Cost was not an issue in the decision, and officials stressed that it is not permanent.
Friday's decision marks the third cancellation of the popular event in recent years. The air show also was nixed in 2002 and 2003 because of security concerns after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.
The tradition of the air show stretches back decades. In the 1950s, MacDill held a one-day air show every other year as an open house for the public. It featured flying acts and aircraft displays.
It grew to become AirFest in 1987, a two-day event that drew hundreds of thousands of enthusiasts who set up lawn chairs to watch B-25 flyovers and F-16 demonstrations. The highlights were the world-famous Thunderbirds and Blue Angels, which took turns making appearances each year.
Ivan Feo of Safety Harbor was one of the regulars who arrived with his lawn chair each year before dawn. He has attended the annual show since moving to the area in the late 1980s.
Over the years, he has taken his son and daughter and dozens of co-workers and friends. He has called the air base and requested posters to help advertise the show weeks in advance. Now he'll have to make other plans come spring.
"Of course it's a disappointment," said Feo, a former member of the Air Force. "But we'll survive. It's understandable that the military has more to do than just try to entertain."
Kim Scheeler, president of Tampa's Chamber of Commerce, empathized with the military's dilemma. He said he knows many officials at MacDill who anticipate putting on the show each year.
"It's one of those things everybody loves," Scheeler said. "I know it's a disappointment. At the same time, we all understand they are in the middle of fighting a war."
Cooper said the base hopes to resume the air show in 2007.
"We couldn't be thankful enough for the support we get from the community," he said. "This is one thing we're able to do from time to time to give back. That makes it such a tough decision" to cancel the event.
If and when the show does go on, Feo said he will be waiting at the gate before the sun rises. "I'll be there, and I'll be there with the same crew I've been with the last 15 years," he said.