Fall 2023

110 C A R M E L M A G A Z I N E • F A L L 2 0 2 3 Flying High The 42nd Annual California International Air show in Salinas B Y M I CHA E L CHAT F I E LD O N O CTOBER 7 AND 8, THE SKIES ABOVE S ALINAS WILL COME ALIVE WITH A COLORFUL AND DIVERSE COLLECTION OF AIRCRAFT WHEN THE C ALIFORNIA I NTERNATIONAL A IRSHOW COMES TO TOWN FOR THE 42 ND TIME .A IRPLANES RANGING FROM K ENT P IETSCH ’ S 800- POUND I NTERSTATE C ADET WITH ITS MODEST 90 HORSEPOWER TO THE MIGHTY M ACH 2 F-16 S OF THE USAF T HUNDERBIRDS AND THE JAW - DROPPING AND TEETH - RATTLING US N AVY F-35C PRESENT A SHOW THAT DELIGHTS ATTENDEES WITH AMAZING FEATS OF AERONAUTIC PROWESS . T HIS COMMUNITY EVENT WAS FOUNDED BY J ERRY R OSS , AN AVIATION ENTHUSIAST WHO HEADED A GROUP THAT HAD SECURED THE N AVY ’ S B LUE A NGELS FOR AN AIRSHOW AT THE AIRPORT , AND S ALINAS BUSINESSMAN J IM G ATTIS , WHO LED A TEAM OF LOCAL LEADERS WHO WERE RESEARCHING WAYS TO RAISE FUNDS FOR LOCAL NONPROFITS AND PROMOTE BUSINESS FOR THE REGION . R OSS ’ TEAM DIDN ’ T HAVE THE MEANS TO ORGANIZE AN EVENT OF THAT MAGNITUDE , BUT G ATTIS HAD THE CONNECTIONS THAT WOULD ULTI - MATELY RESULT IN THE FIRST S ALINAS AIRSHOW IN 1981. “W E GENERATE $4.4 MILLION IN DIRECT AND INDIRECT FINANCIAL IMPACT TO THE AREA ,” SAYS E XECUTIVE D IRECTOR H ARRY W ARDWELL . “O UR MISSION HAS BEEN TO PUT ON A PREMIER WEST COAST AVIATION EVENT WITH THREE INGREDIENTS : TO RAISE MONEY FOR CHARITY , TO MAKE IT A SPECTACULAR ENTERTAINMENT EVENT AND TO FOSTER WIDESPREAD COMMUNITY VOLUNTEER INVOLVEMENT .” T HE AIRSHOW IS A POSITIVE WIN FOR S ALINAS . “T HE SOCIAL BENEFIT THE SHOW BRINGS TO THE COMMUNITY IS IMMEASURABLE . “T RADITIONS OF VOL - UNTEERING ARE INSTILLED IN OUR YOUTH . W E NOW HAVE COMMITTEE CHAIRS WHO STARTED AS KIDS AND NOW RUN DEPARTMENTS THAT THEIR PARENTS WERE INVOLVED IN .” C URRENT P RESIDENT K AREN C URTIS STARTED AS A VOLUNTEER IN 1989. “I WENT OUT FOR FUN AND TO MEET NEW PEO - PLE ,” SHE SAYS . “T HERE WAS SOMETHING ABOUT THE AIRSHOW COMMUNITY THAT SPOKE TO ME .”