Hollister Mayor Victor Gomez admits he doesn’t do many things
that are ordinary. On Saturday morning as he steps out of a flying
airplane, nothing will ring more true. The mayor will jump out of a
plane to kick off the inaugural Hollister Airshow at the Hollister
Municipal Airport on Memorial Day Weekend, an event that the city
hopes to grow in the upcoming years, depending on this year’s
success.
Hollister Mayor Victor Gomez admits he doesn’t do many things that are ordinary. On Saturday morning as he steps out of a flying airplane, nothing will ring more true.
The mayor will jump out of a plane to kick off the inaugural Hollister Airshow at the Hollister Municipal Airport on Memorial Day Weekend, an event that the city hopes to grow in the upcoming years, depending on this year’s success.
Air show coordinators asked Gomez to skydive after determining they wanted to start off the two-day air show with a bang. After a talk with his wife, Gomez thought that it would be a perfect way to start a new tourist attraction.
The skydiving stunt is something Gomez has never done, he said.
“Jumping out of an airplane is not a normal thing to do but I hope it shows people that I’m dedicated to this event,” he said.
Gomez will be the first in a series of acts that will span the event that will take place on back-to-back days, five hours on both Saturday and Sunday. It includes fly-bys from World War II firefighters as well as aerobatics from a number of high-profile performers, including Dr. “D” Frank Donnelly, Vicky Benzing, Jacquie Warda and Eddie Andreini.
With a modest budget of $15,000, the air show coordinators and Airport Director Mike Chambless had hoped that the performers would take a pay cut, and they did, Chambless said.
“All of the acts had to work with us so we could afford them,” he said. “That allowed us to get some really great acts.”
See the full story in the Free Lance on Tuesday. Below is a schedule for the air show.
Schedule of Events:
10 – Gates open to public
11:30 – Airshow opens with Flag Jump/National Anthem
11:40 – Stearman primary trainer formation fly-bys
12 – Skydiving formation demo
12:20 – Non-aerobatic glider training demo
12:35 – Dr. “D” Frank Donnelly
12:55 – Vicky Benzing
1:15 – BT-13 basic trainer fly-bys
1:35 – Jacquie Warda
1:55 – Eddie Andreini
2:15 – Amigos AT-6 team take-off and departure (Saturday only)
2:25 – World War II fighter formation fly-bys
2:50 – Airshow closes
3 – Airport open for normal operations
4 – Gates closed to the public
All prices and times according to Hollister Airshow website: hollisterairshow.com
