THUNDERBIRDS COMING BACK ACROBATIC FLYING TEAM WILL HEADLINE THE 2007 POINT MUGU AIR SHOW.

Byline: ERIC LEACH Staff Writer

POINT MUGU -- After having been canceled four times in the past nine years, including this year, the Point Mugu Air Show is back for 2007.

The two-day show is scheduled for March 31 and April 1, with free admission and free parking, and headlined by the Air Force Thunderbirds jet acrobatics team, which decided not to perform at this year's event.

``We're really happy,'' said Vance Vasquez, a spokesman for Naval Base Ventura County. ``It's the talk of the town here, and we're going to be hard at work come January firming up more of the acts and putting together the final plans.''

This year, for the second time in four years, the air show was canceled because organizers were unable to get a headlining jet acrobatics team like the Thunderbirds or the Navy's Blue Angels.

With one of these teams, the show can attract more than 100,000 visitors, but attendance plummets without the headliners, officials said.

``The Blue Angels and the Thunderbirds are big draws, but without them, unfortunately, attendance drops significantly,'' Vasquez said. ``The air show is very important to us as a way to help the public get to know why the base is here. But if we can't draw enough people, the show is hard to justify.''

The Thunderbirds have appeared in past Point Mugu shows in 1973, 1989, 2001 and 2002. The team flies Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons, which became operational with the Air Force in 1979 and are known as one of the world's best tactical fighters.

``I am very much looking forward to having the Thunderbirds return to Ventura County,'' said Capt. Brad Conners, commanding officer of Naval Base Ventura County. ``The Thunderbirds always put on a great show and I am sure the public will enjoy seeing the Fighting Falcon in flight over Ventura County.''

The shows were canceled in 1997, 2003 and 2006 when officials were unable to get one of the headlining acts. In 2002, the show was canceled after the first day when a QF-4 Phantom jet crashed, killing both crew members.

Terri Reid, a base spokeswoman, agreed that the show is an important public-relations event and said base officials hate to see it nixed. It gives visitors a fascinating glimpse of what goes on at Naval Base Ventura County and a chance to meet the military personnel stationed at Point Mugu, she said.

The 2007 show will feature the latest in aviation, but vintage aircraft will also be on display, along with souvenirs and food and beverage booths.

Gates are expected to open at 8 a.m. March 31 and April 1, with flight demonstrations starting at 10 a.m.

The show is held at Point Mugu, on the ocean near the southern end of Las Posas Road, which can be reached from the Ventura Freeway.

For more information, call the base information line at [phone] or go to www.nbvc.navy.mil.

eric.leach(at)dailynews.com

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