John Collver will throw you for a loop

John Collver has an aviation career spanning more than three decades and over 14,000 hours of flight time in over 50 types of aircraft. His career includes time in the Goodyear Blimp, flying for television, as well as teaching and competing in the aerobatic arena. John currently has over 26 years and over 1,000 performances in the Air Show industry. In addition, John formally flew for the Northrop/Grumman corporation Supporting the U.S. Military for over a decade. You can see and meet John at March Air Reserve Base's AirFest 2010 on May 1 and 2. AirFest 2010 is open to the public and admission and parking are free. The base is located in Riverside County.

Published April 28, 2010
By 452 AMW
452 AMW

MARCH AIR RESERVE BASE, CALIF. -- John Collver has an aviation career spanning more than three decades and over 14,000 hours of flight time in over 50 types of aircraft. His career includes time in the Goodyear Blimp, flying for television, as well as teaching and competing in the aerobatic arena. John currently has over 26 years and over 1,000 performances in the Air Show industry. In addition, John formally flew for the Northrop/Grumman corporation Supporting the U.S. Military for over a decade. You can see and meet John at March Air Reserve Base's AirFest 2010 on May 1 and 2. AirFest 2010 is open to the public and admission and parking are free. The base is located in Riverside County.

War Dog was built in Texas in 1944. First stationed at MCAS El Toro, six months later transferred to Miramar Air Station. Several years and numerous duty stations later, she was retired from the U.S. Armed Forces. Her next duty assignment was with the Japanese Self-defense Force until 1974. Due to be scrapped, War Dog was discovered and saved by Warbirds West in Compton, California. They sent her back to the states where she was completely rebuilt to her original condition. It was then time John became her new owner. War Dog with a wing span of 42ft, a length of 29ft 6in, and a performance speed of 212mph, she will leave spectators breathless.

Gates open at 8 a.m. and the first performance is at approximately 9 a.m. The Patriot Jet Demonstration Team and the F-22 Raptor will be the highlight of the March Air Reserve Base air show. This will be the Jet Teams only Southern California appearance and their first appearance at the base. The Patriots L-39s electrifies spectators with fast paced formation flying, choreographed four-ship diamond formation aerobatic maneuvers and their signature "Tail Slide" where the aircraft actually slides backwards toward the ground, something not performed by any other jet demonstration team. The F-22, the Air Force's newest aircraft, returns to perform their precision aerial maneuvers which demonstrate the unique capabilities of the world's only operational fifth-generation fighter aircraft.

AirFest 2010 will also feature performances by five individual aerial acrobatics performers as well as military aircraft demonstration, historic aircraft performances and static aircraft displays.

For the full Air Fest 2010 schedule, visit http://www.marchfieldairfest.com/general-information/schedule.