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17^th Annual Thunder in the Valley Air Show

Saturday, March 15 - Sunday, March 16, 2014 - Columbus Airport

The Thunder in the Valley Air Show began in 1997 as a local fly-in for aviation enthusiasts and has grown to become one of the largest outdoor family events in the Chattahoochee Valley.  The air show brings in top performers from across the United States, all paid for by local and regional sponsors whose products and services are exposed to an average of 10,000 guests each day of the show, and included in advertising that reaches hundreds of thousands before the event.  National attention has been given to the Thunder in the Valley Air Show by the International Council of Air Shows for excellence in marketing. 

Gates will open at 10:00 a.m. and close at 5:00 p.m.

Performers include:

FRANKLIN?S FLYING CIRCUS

Franklin?s Flying Circus features pilot Kyle Franklin in his Demon-1 biplane. Known as ?Dracula,? this high-performance machine is powered by a fuel-injected engine of more than 500 horsepower, and has nearly full-span ailerons that enable a roll rate of more than 300 degrees per second. The Flying Circus also includes the Wing-Tip Draggin? Comedy Act, in which Franklin flies as runaway pilot Ben Whabnaski. Most pilots only put a wingtip on the ground during ground loops; Franklin does it so often, his aircraft has skid plates fastened to the wing! Franklin also will perform a new ?Immortals? extreme
finale act with the Indy Boys? Paul Stender.

INDY BOYS JET POWERED SCHOOL BUS AND JET OUTHOUSE

Indy Boys, Inc. is motorsports entertainment at its most extreme. Vehicle builder and driver Paul Stender has created some of the fastest and most unique jet-powered vehicles, including the 367 MPH Jet Powered School Bus and the 70 MPH Jet Outhouse, both which will appear at Thunder in the Valley.

GEORGIA STATE PATROL AVIATION DIVISION

The Georgia State Patrol Aviation Division, comprised of more than a dozen helicopters and a team of highly skilled pilots and support personnel, provides public safety aviation support to Georgia citizens. The team will conduct a Water Drop demo featuring two fire suppression techniques, the Straight-In Drop and the Zero Airspeed Precision Drop. Each is used to disperse water from a Bell 407 helicopter carrying more than 200 gallons in a
?Bambi Bucket.? The Aviation Division, in partnership with the State of Georgia SWAT team, also will demonstrate a strategic SWAT insertion from a Bell UH-1 Huey helicopter.

U.S. ARMY MANEUVER CENTER OF EXCELLENCE BAND

The U.S. Army Maneuver Center of Excellence Band will return to Thunder in the Valley. For more than 50 years, the band has taken great pride in entertaining the Soldiers, military families and civilians of the Fort Benning, Columbus and Phenix City communities. The Band?s performances create esprit de corps among Soldiers and veterans, as well as provide patriotic spirit within the civilian community. Watch for details soon on more exciting acts that will be performing at Thunder in the Valley!

Plus flying demonstrations by historic military aircraft, civilian aircraft on display, airplane and helicopter rides, a military encampment experience, a children?s carnival and great food. 

General admission is $10 in advance and military admission is only $8 in advance. Day-of-event tickets are $15. Children age six and younger are always free. Scouts in uniform (adults and kids) free.

 More ticket information:

Tickets for the Thunder in the Valley Air Show will go on sale January 31, 2014 at Columbus area McDonalds, Cricket Wireless ? Macon Road, Flightways Columbus (Columbus Airport) and MWR Tickets and Travel at Ft. Benning, GA.  Military discount tickets can only be purchased through the MWR Tickets and Travel at Ft. Benning.  

All tickets are good for one of the two show days, but not for both days. (Attendance on both days would require two tickets.)  The Air Show is scheduled rain or shine.  There will be no rain dates and no refunds.

 
Parking Information:

There is free parking for the Thunder in the Valley Air Show at Columbus State University; includes shuttle service.  Limited parking is available at the Airport for $15.00 and Wal-Mart (Airport Thruway) for $10.00. For safety concerns ?no parking? rules will be enforced on Airport Thruway and Moon Road.

Sponsors for the 2014 Thunder in the Valley Air Show include:

Columbus Airport,  Aflac, Wells Fargo, Pratt & Whitney, KIA Autosport, WTMV News Leader 9, PMB Broadcasting, Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, MyCare Urgent Care and Occupational Medicine, Stand and Stretch, Chattahoochee Gutter, Davis Broadcasting, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Pepsi, Advance Disposal and dozens of other community-minded individuals and organizations.

The Thunder in the Valley Air Show is a non-profit, family, fun event that is both alcohol and tobacco free.  Proceeds from the 2013 Air Show went to organizations in the Chattahoochee Valley ? Chattahoochee Council Boy Scouts of America, Big, Brothers, Big Sister of the Chattahoochee Valley, Russell County Child Advocacy Center, Easter Seals West Georgie,  Northside High School?s FCCLA, Smiths Station High School?s National Honor Society, Bradfield Center, Ft. Benning trainees, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Columbus High School Soccer, Wounded Warriors, Storybook Farm, Columbus State University?s ROTC Program, Central High School?s NJROTC Program, Safe Kids Columbus, Explorer Post, Chattahoochee Council, Youth for Christ, Georgia Industrial Children's Home and Girls Inc. 

For more information on the event or how you can become a sponsor, visit www.thunderinthevalleyairshow.com