Aviation Nation came back with a bang! Canceled last year due to funding cuts, this year’s Open House at
Nellis AFB was eagerly anticipated. The two‐day show offered visitors the opportunity to not only watch a
world‐class air show, but also take in acres of aircraft on static display, and perhaps more importantly, to in‐
teract with the many Airmen on base. With the budget sequestration still in effect and Air Combat Com‐
mand’s support for the Tactical Demonstration Teams limited to the F‐22 Raptor, it was one of the few air
shows in the US where one could experience the raw power of modern combat jets in action, and the only air
show where both fifth‐generation fighters flew in formation. It also had warbirds and civilian aerobatic acts,
providing something of interest to just about every air show enthusiast.
Access to the air show is via bus shuttle from the parking lots of the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It always
pays to get there early, since air show enthusiasts, especially photographers, start lining up much earlier than
the scheduled opening time. This year the gates were scheduled to open an hour later than in previous years,
although the flying schedule remained the same. This, combined with the much larger crowds, contributed to
long delays getting on base Saturday morning. Fortunately this was remedied on Sunday when the buses be‐
gan running around 0900. Security checks were conducted at the parking lot so once you disembarked at the
flightline you were free to proceed directly to stake out a location along the flightline. New this year were the
box seating arrangements: for a fee you could arrange reserved seating in one of the many areas set up at
show left or even seating with catered dining in a chalet. Then it was off to view the many aircraft and vehi‐
cles on static display and talk with the many Airmen in attendance before the flying started.
The air show began at 11:00 with the singing of the national anthem. With impeccable timing a formation
flight of the Air Force’s two newest fighter jets flew over from behind the crowd just as the singer finished. It
was the first public display of the F‐35A at Nellis and the first time the Lightning II and F‐22 Raptor had flown
in formation at an air show. What a sight! Although this single flyover was the extent of the flying demon‐
stration for the F‐35A it was clearly the darling of this year’s Open House. Spectators ran forward to the
fences ooh‐ing and aah‐ing as Maj. Brad Matherne, 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron F‐35 test director,
landed and taxied by. Visitors also crowded several deep around the Lightning II on static display, peppering
the pilots and ground crew with an endless stream of questions. Taken off‐guard by the unannounced fly‐
over, many photographers in the audience made sure not to miss the photo on Sunday morning. Chuck Cole‐
man started off the day’s flying in his EXTRA 300 and put on a high‐octane demonstration of precision aero‐
batics that woke up the crowd and prepared them for the non‐stop action ahead.