'BACK TO THE BEACH'
The official slogan for the 2022 NAS Oceana Air Show aptly captures the excitement and relief of organizers, participants and fans alike: to finally celebrate a return to the full public air show experience! After a two-year pause -- courtesy of the Covid-19 pandemic -- the air show for 2022 was a complete success! A stretch of superb weather came through to provide the perfect background canvas for all the air and ground displays, not to mention the ‘after-air-show’ bonus of endless beach/boardwalk activities nearby.
Weather conditions for the 2022 air show: Near perfect. The expansive blue skies combined beautifully with a line-up of outstanding performers and unique aircraft on display to provide a fantastic, entertaining aviation weekend! The amazing dedication and hard work from event organizers, community contributors and countless military/civilian personnel on base, resulted in yet another successful – and safe – air show event.
Well done, NAS Oceana and Virginia Beach!
Of course, center stage for the air show excitement is on the flight line of the famous east coast Master Jet Base – but the exhilaration is not limited to NAS Oceana’s legendary runways, ramps and airspace. Leading up to and throughout the air show weekend, the anticipation can be sensed by all, percolating up and down the bustling boardwalk and sun kissed shoreline of Virginia Beach. Every passing flying machine seems to build anticipation for the big event: the routine air operations of NAS Oceana-based Super Hornets, Seahawk helicopters (from nearby NAS Norfolk) transiting along the shoreline, civilian and military aircraft arriving for the air show and -- a most obvious indicator of the weekend festivities to come -- the thundering blue-and-gold of the United States Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels, proclaiming their arrival
at the beach!
IMAGE-PLANE Aviation Media would like to thank the outstanding staff at NAS Oceana Public Affairs Office, for their support and coordination of media access for the air show. As always, they have provided excellent service and we are grateful for the opportunity to provide our readers the visual experience of the 2022 NAS Oceana Air Show.
For our readers: Please note that all photography featured here was taken from areas on the air base that are accessible during the air show by general attendance visitors. As you can see, the viewing (and photography) opportunities are simply incredible! IMAGE-PLANE Aviation Media extends its highest recommendation for the annual NAS OCEANA AIR SHOW! We encourage you to consider making the trip every year to experience this exciting event.
STRIKE FIGHTER WING, ATLANTIC - AIR POWER DEMO 2022
VFC-12 Change of Command Ceremony
Fighter Squadron Composite Twelve
A rare added bonus, woven into the proceedings on the air show weekend at NAS Oceana in 2022: Commander Scotty Golich taxis out in his F/A-18E Super Hornet as flight lead, one last time. Three aircraft from VFC-12 performed the in-flight squadron change of command -- a spectacular and memorable way to salute the outgoing C.O. and usher in the new leader for the unit.
"AMBUSH FLIGHT" -- VFC-12 Super Hornets line up on the air show "hot ramp" in just east of taxiway Alpha-Four, before making their way to the runway for launch during the Friday practice show at NAS Oceana Air Show 2022.
Final pre-flight preparations are made by the busy ground crew and the jet is ready to board. Walk-around checks completed, Commander Scotty "CAWK" Golich gets ready to slip into the familiar comfort of his "office", as he prepares for his final flight as C.O. of VFC-12. The FIGHTING OMARS (nickname for VFC-12 -- derived from their mission to mimic the aircraft and tactics of potential adversary air forces) fly jets decked-out in a wide variety of unique paint schemes, meant to closely resemble the advanced "near-peer" fighter aircraft from air forces that might be encountered in a combat situation.
Callsign: AMBUSH ONE-ONE
This beautifully painted F/A-18E Super hornet is Cdr. Golich's 'ride' for today's in-flight change of command ceremony. AF-03 is pristinely finished in a Russian Air Force Flanker-style camouflage. In 2021, the reserve composite squadron began swapping its legacy F/A-18A+ and F/A-18D Hornets in favour of the larger, more powerful (fleet standard) Super Hornets. They continue their demanding and satisfying role as fleet adversaries: to provide fighter air combat maneuvering and tactics training for the Fleet's strike fighter squadrons (and any other adversary taskings as required).
Flying AMBUSH ONE-TWO in the three-ship flight, is Commander Adam "McKid" Stevens. His ride for this hop is AF-00, affectionately called "Double Nuts". It is finished in a basic F/A-18E scheme but importantly, bares the national insignia of China, to pose as a potential high-tech fighter adversary from that super-power nation. Cdr. Stevens is set to become C.O. of VFC-12 during a formal hangar ceremony over the air show weekend but at this moment, he will demonstrate that honour in traditional Naval Aviator style, as he takes over the "flight leader" position following the pitch-up break maneuver by the outgoing Cdr. Golich, midway through the second flypast of the formation.
The nose wheel is just coming off the runway on the takeoff roll, as AMBUSH ONE-ONE leads a section departure on runway Five Right, parallel to the crowd line at NAS Oceana. A third Super Hornet follows simultaneously, on the companion runway (Five Left). They will join up and parade across the show line on the next pass for a tight, three ship formation.
This is it!
The final FIGHTING OMARS flypast with Cdr. Golich as squadron commanding officer. Leading the second formation pass, his F/A-18E can be seen just starting to pitch-up for the break maneuver that will informally -- yet very dynamically -- mark the moment of his handing over the VFC-12 reigns to Cdr. Stevens.
Cdr. Golich screams skyward in his Super Hornet, as he leaves formation and pulls into the left turn landing pattern for runway 5L at NAS Oceana.
AMBUSH ONE-ONE -- just about to touch down in the September heatwaves. Cdr. Golich has one more duty, while strapped into his jet this day: to proudly trail the "taxi-past" salute of his flight participants (led by the new C.O. -- Cdr. Stevens) as they parade directly in front of the crowd line with canopies open, waving to the exuberant onlookers who share the excitement of this important occasion!
AMBUSH ONE-TWO approaches the landing target at the end of runway 5R as AMBUSH ONE-THREE (background) continues his descending left turn to the "final" approach landing heading. This typical aircraft recovery sequence is practiced constantly by carrier-based naval aviators to replicate (minus the extended tailhook) a landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier.
This perspective illustrates just how close the taxiing jets pass by the crowd line -- plenty-close enough for the exstatic aviation photographers to snap off a few hundred glorious frames!
Cdr. Scotty "CAWK" Golich 'poses' for the waving crowd, stopped momentarily as the ground crew perform safety checks on his Super Hornet.
VFC-12 ground crew expertly guide Cdr. Golich's jet to its resting place for today: the crowded NAS Oceana air Show "hot ramp". While the AMBUSH FLIGHT trio of Super Hornets settle into their parking positions, the flightline is bustling with he start-up of fleet squadron jets which will form the 2022 version of the Master Jet Base's STRIKE FIGHTER DEMO!
Stepping out of the cockpit, Cdr. Golich prepares to descend the tall ladder to be received and congratulated by the attending ground crew.
The "Fini" flight hose-down!
The honour of 'splashing" duty goes to Cdr. Scotty Golich's family members, who are more than happy to spray him down with water jets to commemorate his final flight with the FIGHTING OMARS. Squadron mates gather and cheer on the traditional final flight proceedings, making sure to collect plenty of video and photo evidence of the memorable occasion!!
DON'T MISS ONE OF THE BEST AIR SHOWS IN THE WORLD!
COMING SOON:
THE 2023 NAS OCEANA AIR SHOW
Saturday September 16
& Sunday September 17