RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@ STARBULLETIN.COM Lt. Justin Otto of the Blue Angels received a lei from Kerry Cecil after the pilots arrived yesterday at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay for performances this weekend.

‘Angels’ scream
into Kaneohe

The Navy jets arrive from California
for shows this weekend

Seven blue and gold FA-18 Hornet jets roared through the clouds in a diamond formation from the oceanside of Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe Bay yesterday afternoon.

Pilots of the Blue Angels team broke formation over Hangar 5 and each jet took turns landing on the runway.

The U.S. Navy's Blue Angels traveled six hours from Salinas, Calif., to Oahu yesterday to perform high-speed aerobatic maneuvers at the 2004 Kaneohe Marine Corps-Navy Air Show Saturday and Sunday.

Hawaii is one of 69 U.S. and Canadian locations to see Blue Angels' shows this year. The team last performed in Hawaii at Barbers Point in 1995 and at Kaneohe Marine Corps Base in 1982.

Gates to the air show will open to the public from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. The event will start at 11:45 a.m.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@ STARBULLETIN.COM The group approached for a fly-by formation, above.

Pilots of the Blue Angels team are expected to meet the public after their 45-minute show.

Between 50,000 and 65,000 people are expected to attend. Air show coordinator Lt. Col. John Christensen advised people to carpool to the event.

The Blue Angels team -- made up of 16 officers and 110 enlisted members -- was established by chief of naval operations Adm. Chester W. Nimitz on April 24, 1946. Its name was picked up by the original team in 1946 who were traveling to New York and came across the name of the city's famous Blue Angel nightclub in New Yorker Magazine, according to the Blue Angels' Web site.

The air show will also feature demonstrations by F-15, F-16 and C-17 jets.

National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee Patty Wagstaff will also execute vertical snap rolls, torque rolls and tailslides close to the ground. Wagstaff is a six-time recipient of the "First Lady of Aerobatics" Betty Skelton Award and is the first woman to win the title of U.S. Aerobatic Champion.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@ STARBULLETIN.COM The Navy Blue Angels arrived at Marine Corps Base Hawaii at Kaneohe yesterday for shows this weekend.

Greg Poe, finalist in the World Freestyle Sport Flying Championships, will also demonstrate aerobatic maneuvers at the airfield. Poe has been an aerobatic competitor since 1988. His custom-made Crucial Edge 540 is considered the top aerobatic airplane in the world today.

Eric Beard will fly his Yak 54 named "Russian Thunder" that is twice the size of monoplanes. It is one of seven flying Yak 54s in the world.

Two pilots from Hawaii will also participate in the air show. Hank Bruckner, owner of Kaimana Aviation, first began flying aerobatics in 1993. He acquired a CAP-10B in 1996 and upgraded the airplane to a CAP-10C with new wing and aileron features.

Clint Churchill, owner of Acroflight Inc., flew F-15, F-4 and F-102 jets while he served as a commander in the 199th Fighter Squadron and Hawaii Air National Guard. Churchill has performed at 15 air shows in Hawaii and provided aerobatic rides to more than 300 people.

Kaneohe Marine Corps-Navy Air show welcomes Blue Angels What: 2004 Kaneohe Marine Corps-Navy Air Show featuring the Navy's Blue Angels When: Saturday and Sunday. Gates open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. The show will start at 11:45 a.m. each day. What you need to know: >> Admission and parking are free. >> All bags will be inspected and attendees will be searched before entering. >> Prohibited items at the air show: large bags, backpacks, ice chests, coolers, pocket knives, weapons, toy weapons, alcoholic beverages, pets, glass containers, bicycles, roller skates, roller blades, scooters and skateboards. >> Permitted items: cellular phones, handheld portable televisions, radios and VHF scanners, fanny packs and purses, food and beverages, cameras and camcorders, folding chairs and lawn chairs, umbrellas and sunshades, baby bags and strollers if attending with an infant or small child, and wheelchairs. >> Officials recommend people to wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, hats and sunscreen for sun protection. Comfortable footwear is also recommended. Water will be available at the air show. >> Car-poolers with three or more passengers will be given preferential parking closer to the event. Additional parking is available at Bellows Air Force Base. Shuttles will pick up and drop off attendees between Bellows and the air show throughout the day. >> Lawn chairs and strollers are recommended.