Shaw Air Expo and open house: it’s all wrapped up

An F-16CM Fighting Falcon assigned to the 79th Fighter Squadron flies over U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron jets at the Shaw Air Expo and open house, May 22, 2016, at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C. The F-16 flew with three other F-16’s, two A-10 Thunderbolt II’s and several AH-64 Apaches and UH-60 Black Hawks as part of a combined forces combat airpower demonstration. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jonathan Bass)

Shaw Air Expo and open house: it’s all wrapped up

Published May 25, 2016
By Senior Airman Jonathan Bass
20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- A historic weekend here wrapped up just after 5 p.m., May 22 2016.

The Shaw Air Expo and open house, “Thunder Over the Midlands,” brought in an estimated 100,000 visitors for the two-day event.

“Airshows are a great way for the Air Force to showcase our people and capabilities to the local community,” said Lt. Col. Paul Batish, 20th Fighter Wing Inspector General.

Batish acted as the air operations director during the event, as the director he was directly responsible for both the static and flying aircraft at the expo.

The show was headlined by the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, and the U.S. Army Special Operations Command Parachute Demonstration Team, the Black Daggers.

“Airshows are a wonderful retention tool,” said Batish. “It’s a motivational weekend for people to get ‘re-blued’ and to see what the fruits of their labor are able to accomplish.”

The show featured not only Air Force demonstrations but was in fact a joint coalition event. The U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demonstration Team, and the Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 Hornet Demonstration Team, flew over the skies of Shaw, showing the combat capabilities of the forces.

“Visitors to the air expo had a unique opportunity to see the U.S. combat capabilities dating back to WWII and as current as our F-16’s we fly today,” said Derrick Rhems, 20th Force Support Squadron marketing and promotions director.

The up close and personal presentation of aircraft provided the crowd of approximately 100,000 guests to see how, for 75 years, Shaw has exemplified the Air Force’s mission of flying, fighting, and winning, he added.

“This was an opportunity for not just us in the 20th FW but really Team Shaw and our Army partners to showcase what Team Shaw can do,” said Batish.