What to do in the midstate? Thunder Over Georgia Air Show continues Sunday

The two-day Thunder Over Georgia Air Show returns Sunday with action-packed aerial and ground demonstrations, static aircraft displays, food and music.

About 200,000 people are expected to be shuttled on and off Robins Air Force Base during the course of the event that’s projected to pump more than $24 million into the local economy.

The general public will not be allowed to drive on base but can catch continuously operating shuttles from two off-site parking lots: the former Boeing facility at Middle Georgia Regional Airport, 1821 Avondale Mill Road, and Anchor Glass, 1044 Booth Road at the corner of Ga. 247.

The parking lots open at 8 a.m. Sunday, with shuttles to start transporting spectators at 9 a.m. The opening ceremony is at 10 a.m.

Admission and parking are free.

The Thunderbirds headline the event and are joined by more than 20 other acts — including Air Combat Command’s F-22 Demonstration Team and the Army’s Special Operations Command’s Black Daggers Parachute Team.

Maj. Whit Collins, a 2002 Houston County High School graduate, is expected to take to the skies again Sunday with the Thunderbirds. He’s Thunderbird No. 4.

“It’s very different from the air,” said Collins when asked how his hometown looked form the air in an interview that Robins posted on its Facebook page. “I was trying to pick out all the roads.

“I picked out Watson and Russell pretty quickly.”

Collins also spotted Ga. 96, noting how much has been built along it.

“When I lived in Bonaire, it was pretty much farm fields,” Collins said. “There was a Sonic, a gas station and a food store.”

Mark Kirsch, a motivational speaker and strongman, pulled a C-130 aircraft Saturday by his own body strength using a harness, a rope and his bare hands.

He’s expected to do it again Sunday.

“I want people to see if you really stay determined and focused, you can do the impossible,” Kirsch said Saturday. He also shared his message this past Wednesday with students at Huntington Middle School in Warner Robins.

Kirsch’s message impressed Jay Westbrook, a general contractor and a home and commercial builder from Kathleen.

“I believe strongly in that message because, you know, I’m a Christian, and I just believe that we can do the impossible through Christ, so I’m truly believing that he’s going to be able to do it,” Westbrook said as he watched Kirsch at the air show.

On his third attempt, Kirsch pulled the aircraft to the obvious amazement and loud cheers and applause of the crowd.

As for Kirsch, he belted out a scream of victory.

James Savage, of Sparta, came to the air show for The Thunderbirds and to see the “old war birds.”

“It’s amazing the air power that we have — just to see it,” said Savage, a retired truck driver and Vietnam War veteran.

Five-year-old London Osayameh also enjoyed the air show Saturday.

When asked what’s been her favorite so far, London replied, “The monster truck that shoots fire.”

That’s Shockwave, a race truck that was custom-built with three J34-48 Pratt & Whitney jet engines from a Navy T2 Buckeye aircraft, according to a Robins news release. That truck shoots out fire and smoke as it travels at speeds of 350 miles per hour or greater.

London was at the air show with her grandmother, Diane Osayameh, who said she was enjoying everything that the air show had to offer.

“I like to see all things, especially different types of airplanes,” Osayameh said. “It makes me excited, and my son works out here, so that’s another reason why I’m here.”

Her son, Dexter Osayameh, a civilian employee, works on aircraft at the base.

This story was originally published September 28, 2019 at 8:29 AM.