Dover’s Open House free to public in June

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Shen-Chia Chu
  • 436th AW Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Dover Air Force Base will open its gates to the public June 20 - 21 starting at 9 a.m. for the 2009 Dover Air Force Base Open House and Air Show.

The open house is free and will feature such flying acts as the Air Force Thunderbirds, Air Force Academy Wings of Blue Parachute team and Navy Tactical Demonstration Team.

"I can still remember when I got my first opportunity to see a Thunderbird air show and I thought it was amazing," said Senior Airman Randy Ward, 436th Operations Support Squadron unit deployment manager. "I'm excited and can't wait to see the Thunderbirds again."

In addition to the flying acts, Open House attendees can tour many of the air craft.

"There will be static displays people can tour on the ground and then around lunch time we will begin the flying acts," said Maj. Theresa Pisano, Open House director. "There will be displays, food vendors and a kids zone."

This event gives the public a chance to see what the military has to offer, according to one Airman.

"I feel this is an awesome way to introduce the public to the military way of life - having the chance to touch military aircraft up close," said Master Sgt. Kirk Van Volkenburg, 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron security and program manager, who has helped at the last two air shows at Dover.

"We ran the air show transient maintenance and helped the crew members on the aircraft," said Sergeant Van Volkenburg. "It is a lot of hard work and there is so much planning and logistics involved, but it's definitely worth it."

Free parking is scheduled to be at the Bergold Farms parking lot. Eagle Heights residents will be able to catch a bus from Base Housing.

"There will be one route from Bergold farms and two different routes from base housing," said Major Pisano. "We plan to have the route posted roughly a week or two before the open house."

There will be a practice day June 19 open to Department of Defense ID card holders.

For the latest information on the Open House and a list of prohibited items, visit www.dover.af.mil/library/openhouse.asp