AIR SHOW SET AT EDWARDS.

Byline: JIM SKEEN Staff Writer

EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE -- For two days next weekend, the Air Force's past, present and future will be displayed both on the ground and in the skies at the Edwards Air Force Base open house and air show.

Visitors can see new aircraft, such as the F-22A fighter and the verticle-takeoff CV-22 Osprey; Cold War veterans such as the B-52 and the F-16; and historical aircraft, such as the P-51 Mustang fighter. Capping flying events for both days will be performances by the Air Force's precision flying team, the Thunderbirds.

``This is a chance for people to see what their tax dollars are being used for and, not only that, they can meet the people in uniform one-on-one,'' said base spokesman John Haire. ``It's good, wholesome family entertainment and it's free.''

Gates will open at 7 a.m. and flying will start at 10 a.m. on both Saturday and Sunday. Each day's activities will wrap up at 4:45 p.m.

The event will feature more than 100 aircraft displays and 20 flying performances.

This year's event is called ``The Edwards edge -- making history reaching new heights.'' The theme reflects Edwards' contribution to flight-testing, which has included the testing of virtually every aircraft used by the Air Force over the past six decades.

Among the flying performances scheduled are demos by the F-22A Raptor fighter, a B-2 bomber, a MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft, and flights by the Royal Dutch Air Force flight team.

Other scheduled performances include the Army's Golden Knights parachute team, a hang glider demonstration by paraplegic Dan Buchanan and flights by a B-1B bomber, a B-52 Stratofortress, an F-18 Hornet, NASA's ER-2 research aircraft, and the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft.

On display on the ground will be a CV-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft undergoing testing at Edwards. The aircraft will be used by the U.S. Special Operations Command to conduct long-range missions to drop and retrieve personnel and resupply them during night operations.

The event will also be part of a 60th anniversary celebration for one of the base's major tenants, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. Dryden aircraft scheduled to be on display include the Boeing 747 shuttle carrier, an F-18, and a modified B-52H air launch aircraft.

Visitors should be aware that base officials will have a zero-tolerance policy for prohibited items, which include ice chests, weapons and backpacks. Any items confiscated will be destroyed, regardless of value.

A list of prohibited items is posted on the base's Web site, edwards.af.mil.

Visitors should also be aware the base prohibits talking on cell phones while driving.

For more information about the event, call [phone] or (661) 277-NEWS or visit the Web site -- edwards.af.mil.

james.skeen@dailynews

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CAPTION(S):

2 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color -- ran in AV and SAC editions only) The Thunderbirds, the Air Force's precision flying team, will highlight the weekend's Edward AFB air show.

(2 -- ran in AV and SAC editions) CV-22 Osprey, a tiltrotor aircraft undergoing testing at Edwards, will be part of the ground display.

Air Force