OC Air Show Plans Proceeding ‘Smoothly’

OCEAN CITY – The OC Air
Show is progressing smoothly, officials reported this week, as planning for the
first annual air show forges ahead with secured dates and anchor demonstration
teams.

“We are pleased to tell
you that this is going smoothly,” said Special Events Director John Sullivan at
a regular session of the Mayor and City Council this week. Bryan Lilley, OC Air
Show, LLC also joined Sullivan at the meeting, giving the Mayor and Council an
update on the planning and timeline of the air show.

The OC Air Show will
occur June 10-11 over the beach, centered on 16th Street. A rehearsal day
will be held on June 9 along with an open house/media day at the Ocean City
Airport.

Ground displays will be
set up at the north end of the Inlet parking lot as well as along 15th-17th
streets from Baltimore Ave.
to the Boardwalk.

Lilley announced the US
Army Golden Knights skydiving aerial demonstration team and the US Air Force
Reserve Biplane single aircraft aerial demonstration team will be in
attendance. Anticipated flybys include the US Air Force, US Navy, US Army,
NASA, and Heritage Aircraft.

 “We’ve been engaged in discussion with the Air
Force, Navy and the Army. We have indication on a tentative basis which
aircraft we will receive from all of the above,” Lilley said.

The Ocean City Airport will be playing a major role in
the event as well, with an open house/media day at the airport. Most of the
aircraft will be flying out of the airport, a variety of aircraft will be on
display for the public and pilots will be available for questions.

Councilman Jay Hancock
said the event sounds great.

“I just want to
reiterate my support for this, it’s an excellent idea… it’s not car oriented. I
think it’ll provide the lead hopefully to something that will become a bigger
event,” said Hancock. “It’s going to be a learning curve because its something
we haven’t done before. I hope everything goes well and I certainly support
it.”

As partner to the event,
the town has been asked to provide $50,000, with the promise to receive back
the first $50,000 of profit as a return on investment. Lilley told the town its
money would be spent on a US Jet contract, P-5 Mustang demo team fee, aircraft
fuel and oil, smoke oil, advertising, public address system and other
miscellaneous items.

The council adjourned
the meeting to go into closed session and review the Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU), which included the plan and timeline for the show. After
reopening the regular session, the council voted six in favor with one
abstention to approve the MOU and move forward with the OC Air Show.
Councilwoman Margaret Pillas abstained, noting that she would not vote until
all budgetary items had been presented.