The skies were clear and the temperature in the mid-70s on Saturday. Perfect conditions to draw a crowd to the opening day of the Shop ’n Save Westmoreland Airshow.
And did it ever draw a crowd.
“This is huge. This is probably the biggest turnout we’ve ever had, and probably the best weather we’ve ever had,” county airport authority Executive Director Gabe Monzo said. “People were in the covid funk, and just the chance of coming out and doing something like this and seeing all the aircraft, it’s a great thing.”
Upward of 30,000 visitors were at the air show in Unity, according to Monzo.
For Elderton resident Dave McFarland, attending is a family affair.
An Army veteran, he has visited the Latrobe area show a few times and has traveled with his now-adult son, Patrick McFarland, to air shows across the region since Patrick was 5 or 6.
On Saturday, Dave, Patrick and grandchildren Logan and Amelia stood with their eyes on the skies as performers in a variety of aircraft showed off their best aerobatic feats. Dave McFarland was most excited to see the Thunderbirds and the A-10s.
“I’ve been here in the past for a couple times, but this is the first time bringing (the grandkids),” he said. “I flew helicopters in the Army, so I love aviation.”
A nine-person staff and larger group of volunteers work year-round to make the event happen, Monzo said. They work with the International Council of Air Shows to find professional performers, who hail from throughout the country.
“This is a yearlong process, when you do something like this,” he said. “It’s something you start probably years before. Being that we did it so many times, it helps. Between the staff that we have here now, there’s probably hundreds of years of experience.”
Supporting the military is a big part of the air show, Monzo said.
“They work hard at this, and it’s a recruiting effort for them,” he said. “We’re proud to be able to do it.”
Along with the returning USAF Thunderbirds, a new highlight of the air show this year is the USMC MV-22B Osprey, a plane that can take off vertically like a helicopter.
“There’s only four air shows in the country that have the Osprey performing,” Monzo said. “This is the first time it’s ever been here.”
The excitement brings people back year after year and benefits the county and the airport, he added.
“I think it’s great for Westmoreland County to bring all of the people here,” he said. “This is our marketing. This is to show people what we have here. Just the thought that we’re in business today, moving $80 million airplanes up and down the ramp in front of these people. … The air show is great, but when you talk about business, this is what drives Westmoreland County. We’re happy to bring it, and happy to strut our stuff, so to speak.”
Flags program
Saturday’s show saw the return of the Flying of the Flags program, held for the first time at last year’s show. This year, families brought trifold funeral flags from veteran loved ones to be flown for a ceremonial flight in a World War II-era TBM Avenger bomber.
This year, 10 flags were flown.
Billy Rupert and Shelly Shaw of Smithton brought their fathers’ flags. Rupert’s father, Kirg Rupert, served in the Navy in Vietnam, and Shaw’s father, James D. Shaw Sr., served in the Air Force in Korea. The two learned about the program a few days ago from a friend.
“It’s a very big honor,” Rupert said. “We actually got to load the flags (into the plane).”
Jerry Smith of Irwin brought the flags of his father, Joseph Smith, and father-in-law, Dean Wilson, to participate in the flight. Normally, the flags are displayed in a box over Smith’s mantle.
“(My dad) was a U.S. Navy veteran in World War II, in the Naval Air Corps, and flew a patrol bomber down in the Caribbean,” he said. “They were sub-chasers; that was their mission. My (father-in-law) was in the Army, and he was in the European theater in World War II.”
He learned of the flag-flying program when he was looking into the air show, and he was immediately interested in participating.
“I saw it and I said, I’ve got to do this. It’s a special thing,” he said. “I wanted to do it because they were using a Naval aircraft, and (my dad) was in the Navy, so I thought, he’ll get a ride in a Navy airplane.”
The air show continues for a second day Sunday.
