After Five Years the New Orleans Air Show Comes Back to Belle Chasse
The 2022 New Orleans Air Show came back to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans in Belle Chasse after five years. The airshow first began at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in the 1950s. The pandemic caused the show to cancel in 2020.
The show entertains every generation. One Belle Chasse resident has not been to the show in 20 years. She said that it brought back memories this year when she went to the show.
“I feel like I’m walking in the same footsteps that my dad did,” Hebert said. “It’s magical, really. This is Disneyland in my heart.”
“I can’t stop smiling,” she said. “I’m probably the biggest nerd.”
The number one favorite attraction was the Blue Angels. Local Theodore Samon said that he specifically came to see the famous Blue Angels.
“Many people only come to see the Blue Angels,” base spokesperson Andrew Thomas said of the U.S. Navy’s famed demonstration team. “They are that good.”
Everyone is ready to get out and start going to different events. In the midst of the pandemic, it was nice to get out and enjoy the show.
“It feels like something normal again,” Melisa Gunzburg said.
Patrons come to the naval base but also can see the show from local house parties and picnics on the levee. Boats sit in the canals to watch the show.
“This is all part of their heritage,” Todd Bruemer, the base’s commanding officer said.
“People are amazed, excited, and it’s nice to give that to people,” base spokesperson Andrew Thomas said. “You’re showcasing to the American taxpayer your military but you also get kids out here that say ‘I want to do that.’ It sparks an interest.”