Air Force captain getting ready to soar at this weekend's Westmoreland air show

Air Force Capt. Melanie “Mach” Kluesner will be hurtling through the sky over Westmoreland County at more than 600 mph this weekend.

She’ll have a touch screen at her fingertips to help her maneuver an F-35A Lightning II jet and even more technology in the visor of her helmet. But, before she hops into the cockpit, she will do a little bit of what she referred to as “chair flying” — sitting in a chair and going over the routine with her demonstration team.

“It’s just unlike anything else you can do in life,” she said Friday in preparation for this weekend’s Shop ’n Save Westmoreland Airshow at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Unity. “This is such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fly a jet this powerful.”

Visitors are expected to flock to the airport Saturday and Sunday to watch her and other pilots show off their aircrafts’ acrobatic abilities and power. Ground displays will include planes, a monster truck and other attractions, as well as food and vendors.

If weather becomes a factor, there is plenty of extra time worked into the daily schedule so crowds can get the maximum experience possible, said David Schultz, director of the show and air boss. To be able to fly, there needs to be at least 1,500 feet of clearance between the ground and the bottom of the clouds, as well as a visibility radius of 3 nautical miles with light to no precipitation.

There is a chance of rain and storms both Saturday and Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Gates open at 9 a.m. each day, and opening ceremonies are scheduled for 12:20. Gates close at 4 p.m.

“Moderate precipitation and heavy precipitation can do damage to the aircraft, and we don’t want to have that happen, whether its military or civilian, because there’s a lot of money in these airplanes, and these guys have to get home for Monday to start work … for civilians,” said Schultz, who is president and chief executive officer of David Schultz Airshows.

If bad weather does arise, the show can be paused, delayed or accelerated, he said.

“With our radar system, we can see all the way out into mid-Ohio, so we’re able to trim that, be able to look at that for the protection of the assets flying as well as the crowd coming out,” he said.

On Friday, a group of local children who have been involved with the Shop with a Cop program around the holidays got to meet members of the demonstration team and watch a practice session. Trooper Steve Limani, who organizes the program, said it’s the third year the group has visited the air show.

“It expands our interaction with the kids,” he said.

Kluesner, a Memphis native, has been a pilot for nine years and commander of the demonstration team since March. She knew she wanted to fly a plane at a young age. That interest was spurred by both of her parents, who served in the Air Force as pilots.

She’ll be showing the air show crowd the combat capabilities of the F-35A and travel just under the speed of sound while working the touch screen controls.

“The key with that is it’s a lot of technology, and you have to know how to use it so that you’re not distracted doing what you need to be doing,” she said. “It’s a lot of information to take in. That’s probably the hardest part of learning to fly this jet, looking at the right thing at the right time.”

Kluesner hopes to provide inspiration to a future generation of pilots.

“It may sound corny a little bit, but what’s really special is that I’m doing it while I’m serving my country,” she said. “It’s an awesome job, but the meaning behind it makes it that much more special.”