The Dayton Air Show Welcomes Back the Blue Angels

Dayton, Ohio—They’re back! The world renowned US Navy Blue Angels will appear on June 28th and 29th at the 2014 Vectren Dayton Air Show Presented by Kroger.

“We are absolutely thrilled the Blues will return in 2014,” said Michael Emoff, Chairman of the United States Air & Trade Show Board of Trustees, the show’s governing organization. “This is incredibly good news for not only the air show but also the entire Dayton community,” he added.

Thrilling audiences for over 60 years, the iconic Blue Angels fly six powerful F/A–18 Hornets during their tightly choreographed, high-energy demonstration. The 110-member Squadron is led by Blue Angel #1 Commander Thomas “Boss” Frosch along with 15 officers and 94 enlisted personnel. 45 members of the team will travel to Dayton from their home base at Naval Air Station (NAS), Pensacola, Fl. to conduct their performances on June 28th and 29th.

The Blue Angels are retuning to the Vectren Dayton Air Show this year with the help of 10 Navy personnel from Ohio and northern Kentucky who are serving coveted assignments on the jet demonstration team. The air show will also be a homecoming of sorts for two cadets on the Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team.

Lt. Cdr. John Hiltz, a native of Fort Mitchell, Ky. and a 1998 Covington Catholic High School graduate, will make his second flying appearance at the air show. Flying as Blue Angels No. 2, Hiltz will have his own cheering section with more than 100 family members and friends planning to attend.

Others on the Blues team from Ohio and northern Kentucky are AZ1(AW/SW) Yvonne Dumas of Columbus; AME1(AW) Bryan Hamilton of Owensboro, Ky.; AE2(AW) Mark Lombardi of Cleveland; AM1(AW) Robert Meagher of Norwood; AME1(AW) Willis Munger of Berlin Heights, near Sandusky; Staff Sgt. Adam Miller of Otway, near Portsmouth; AT1(AW) Serena Stiff of Owensboro, Ky.; AD1(AW/SW) Bryan Thomas of Delta, near Toledo, and AM1(AW) Joseph “Bo” Tullis of Miamisburg.

Performing with Wings of Blue will be Air Force Academy Cadet First Class Cameron Potts of Dayton, a 2011 Carroll High School graduate. He’s a member of Cadet Squadron 17, Class of 2015 and majors in geospatial science.

Also with the team is Cadet Ryan Haas of Crescent Springs, Ky., near Fort Mitchell. Haas, a 2011 St. Xavier High School graduate, is attending the academy with his sister Sarah.

The Air Force and Navy teams will join the U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier demonstration squadron, which will fly one “Jump Jet” and have another on static display. Civilian performers will include Sean D. Tucker, Patty Wagstaff, the North American AeroShell Aerobatic Team, the F-86 Sabre and the Shockwave jet truck. The one- of-a-kind Wright “B” Flyer, a lookalike of the Wright brothers’ first production airplane, will open the show each day.