Bringing back the airshow was one of my top priorities after becoming Mayor. As an avid pilot, I believe the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport – now the largest general aviation airport in Louisiana – is a strong asset to Hammond. The airshow is a way we can celebrate aviation and inspire pilots for the future. It’s also a catalyst for economic development as we draw people to the airport and the Hammond community to let them see for themselves its growth and potential.
Growing up, my family’s seaplane business was a mile away from Alvin Callender field (New Orleans Naval Air Station) in Belle Chase. We’d have to shut down the business for their airshows. But it was great because I would climb onto the hangar roofs to watch the shows from there. When we visited the show, we could see F-15s and the big C-130s. It was incredible as a child.
Airshows still have a special place in my heart as an adult. The Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow is our chance to meet talented pilots, to hear powerful jet engines, and to see amazing performances. I’m so glad you are here.
I hope you’ll stay for a while and enjoy Hammond. Our downtown won the Greatest American Main Street award last year, so make sure to see it as well. You’ll find plenty of delicious restaurants, unique stores, museums, and friendly people wanting to make your stay in Hammond unforgettable. Enjoy the show!
Our story began over 85 years ago across two small cities in Louisiana: Hammond and Amite. As other banks were closing their doors due to the Great Depression, First Guaranty Bank (formerly Guaranty Bank and Trust Co.) planted roots and started to grow.
During the 1930s, Hammond was considered the Strawberry Capital of the World. The businessmen and strawberry farmers in the community needed a place to hold their profits and savings, as well as a place for workers to deposit their wages. So, with a charter obtained from the State Banking Department, capital of $50,000, and a desire to restore normal business and banking conditions in the community, the bank was created.
As the years went on, the bank continued to focus on the needs of the community and evolved as the times dictated. The 1960s brought the age of the computer, which revolutionized the banking scene. The 1970s saw the introduction of ATMs, and the bank reached over $250 million in assets.
In 1993, the bank was recapitalized by a group of investors led by Mr. Marshall T. Reynolds, and we haven’t looked back since. Through both organic growth and mergers
and acquisitions, First Guaranty Bank continues to reinforce community commitment and service.
Today, the bank has assets of $3.2 billion and has grown to 36 locations throughout Louisiana, Texas, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Our staff continues to build on the solid foundation of trust and community involvement that was instilled at our founding. This foundation allows us to evolve as an institution, which grants us the ability to offer more banking options for our customers.
We are proud of our heritage and look forward to continuing our legacy of being a strong presence in the communities we serve.
Like most things, the Airshow had humble beginnings. Early in 1979, the President of the Hammond Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Mayson Foster, met with his Tourism Committee Chairman, Mr. Mike Dubois, to discuss the possibility of a new festival in Hammond, Louisiana. This discussion tied in with conversations Mike was having at the familiar Hammond downtown gathering spot, The Crescent Bar, with longtime local resident Andrew Gasaway and Don Grimes, newly transplanted from Albuquerque, New Mexico. One thing led to another and later that year the First Hammond Balloon Festival was held at the airport. It featured 15 balloons and a Lake Pontchartrain crossing. The festival’s success was profound and immediate. And with the support of the Chamber of Commerce board and the entire local community, the following year’s festival, although hindered by bad weather, registered attendance of over 25,000; an impressive number even by today’s airshow standards!
Over the next 11 years the festival and show enjoyed immense success and grew to be recognized as one of the South’s premier airshows. Over the course of its 14 year run it showcased the latest military aircraft, including the F-4 Phantoms and F-15 Eagles of the Louisiana Air National Guard’s 159th Tactical Fighter Squadron and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. It featured performances from the world’s premier airshow performers including Bob Blankenship, Ruthie Osbourne, ZAR, Bob Hoover, Frank Ryder Ill, Kenny Blalock, Joe Foretich, Steve Powell, Bob Bishop, Terry Doehling, Ben Cunningham, Ernie Argence, the Holiday Inn Aerobatic Team, Pitts Special Acts, a Bucker Jungmeister Solo Act, Stearman
Bi-Planes, Joe Edwards, Elliot Cross, Joe Molinary, Ace’s Airdevils, “Corkey” Fornoff, Johnny Kasian, Jim Franklin, Ed Johnson, Manfred Radius in his Aerobatic Sail Plane, Joanne Osterud, Merle Gustafason, Marion Cole, the Swift Acrobatic Team and Joe Foretich. And over the years we were wowed by professional parachute teams like the U.S. Army’s Golden Knights and the all-female Misty Blues.
Pivotal to the Airshow’s success were the efforts of hundreds of local volunteers whose labors were organized and managed by notable Hammond civic and business leaders like Frank Van Mullem, Andrew Gasaway, Catherine Shafer, William Wainwright, Noel Poirier, R. Duane Shafer, Paula Hill, Kathy Pittman, Don Grimes, Mike Dubois, Kim Biggs and Christina Buehler, and many, many more. In 1992 the Balloon and Airshow Festival took what was expected to be a short hiatus. Little did we know it would last until 2018.
In late 2014, just before he took office, Mayor Pete Panepinto heard the desires of many Hammond residents and began planning to bring the Airshow back. Mayor Pete is a pilot and aviation enthusiast who knew the process wouldn’t be easy. A group of passionate community volunteers and many generous sponsors, such as presenting sponsor First Guaranty Bank, ensured the success of the phenomenal 2018 Airshow. More exciting acts and attractions came with the 2021 Airshow, after a COVID delay.
Now be prepared to have your breath taken away with this year’s 2023 Airshow!
Welcome to the 2023 Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow!
As Tangipahoa Parish President, it is my honor to welcome you not only to this incredible event but also to this beloved parish we call home.
Our community is blessed to have an asset like the Hammond Northshore Regional Airport. Traffic continues to rise at this great airfield-the largest general aviation airport on the Northshore, and this weekend, you’ll see this gem of Tangipahoa Parish on full display.
Get ready for an action-packed schedule of entertainers who will take your breath away while you watch these modern marvels of aerodynamics!
While you’re here, I hope you find time to visit our downtown areas, local restaurants, and great shopping venues. Our merchants are looking forward to serving you, and we truly have something for everyone in Tangipahoa!
Get ready for a great weekend of fun and excitement here in Tangipahoa. After this weekend, we feel certain you will agree that Tangipahoa is the very best parish in all of Louisiana!
You’re going to love it here!
Robby Miller, President Tangipahoa Parish www.tangipahoa.org
“Dr. Beyl was able to see me quickly and put my mind at ease. She takes the time to have a conversation with you and ensures that you fully understand everything. I feel fortunate to have found her as my primary care doctor.”
- Michael L. Patient of Dr. Gayle Beyl
Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Beyl at North Oaks Primary Care - Hammond:
(985) 230 - APPT [2778]
M AYOR P ETE
For more than 30 years and third generation family-owned and operated, TopGun Aviation KHDC is the Premier Fixed Base Operator providing Into-Plane Fuel Servicing for Private, Corporate, and Military Aircraft at Hammond Northshore Regional Airport.
Our FROG is in memory of our daughter Jennifer , she loved to collect FROGS and signed her name with a smiley face. Our FROG is always smiling. Jennifer will always be smiling down on us from
Sponsor entrance
Restricted Access
Parking EntranceS
Restrooms
Show entrance / ticketing
Medical / POLICE
Sponsor entrance
Restricted Access
Restrooms
Handicap Parking
Medical / POLICE
VOLUNTEER Parking VP
Sponsor Parking SP
Handicap Parking
VOLUNTEER Parking VP
Parking From Covington
Sponsor Parking SP
PAID Parking From HAMMOND
Parking From Covington
PARKING
PAID Parking From HAMMOND
VENDOR PARKING
VENDOR PARKING VEP PERFORMER PARKING
Performer Area Restricted
General Show area
Performer Area Restricted
Sponsor Hangar
General Show area
Sponsor Hangar
Sponsor Viewing Area
Sponsor Viewing Area
Veterans Tribute Wall
Veterans Tribute Wall
FOOd / DRINK Vendors
FOOd / DRINK Vendors
ATM Locations
ATM Locations
Kids zone
Kids zone
Helicopter Rides
Helicopter Rides
HELICOPTER Restricted Area
HELICOPTER Restricted Area
CI Sports / Official Airshow merch
CI Sports / Official Airshow merch
Military Recruiters
Military Recruiters
Volunteer Gate
Volunteer Gate
PRIDEDRIVE JUDGELEONFORDDRIVE
JUDGELEONFORDDRIVE
HWY190(OLD
HWY190(OLD
We would like to thank the following for their support with the 2023 Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow!
Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow Steering Committee
City of Hammond
Tangipahoa Parish Government
Hammond Fire Department
Hammond Police Department
City of Hammond Streets Department
City of Hammond Grounds Department
Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office
Louisiana State Police
And the hundreds of community volunteers who helped to make the airshow a success!
The aggressive A-1 OC Thunderbolt is the featured act of the Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow. Known as the "Warthog", the flying gun and the tank buster, the A-10C offers excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds and altitude while maintaining a highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. It is perhaps best known for its fearsome GAU-8 Avenger 30mm gatling gun mounted on the nose that can fire 3,900 rounds per minute and 70 rounds per second, with incredible accuracy.
The first production A-1 OA was delivered to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, in October 1975. It was designed specifically for the close air support mission and had the ability to combine large military loads, long loiter and wide combat radius, which proved to be vital assets to the United States and its allies during Operation Desert Storm and Operation Noble Anvil. They can operate under 1,000-foot ceilings with 1.5-mile visibility and survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. In other words, they can fly with an engine shot off, part of their wing or tail missing, and � with their hydraulic system disabled.
Capt. Lindsay "MAD" Johnson was certified as the new A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team pilot on March 3, 2023. Johnson is an experienced fighter pilot having accumulated over 1,250 flying hours, including 431 in combat. She began her Air Force career in 2014 after commissioning through the Air Force Academy, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Sciences - Human Factors. She has since earned a master's degree in Aviation Safety from the Florida Institute of Technology. Her love for flying began at age 9, flying in a Cessna with her father. At the end of her junior year in high school, she saw the F-22 Demo Team and watched the "Wings of Blue" jump. She applied to the Air Force Academy soon thereafter.
A bright red biplane, a daring wingwalker, the best pilot skills available, and mountains of billowing smoke - they are the Third Strike Wingwalkers, a new featured act in the 2023 Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow. The demonstrations will include a high-energy solo wingwalking act and a breathtaking dual act with two wingwalkers, traveling atop the bi-plane. A few wires strung between the wings are the only thing holding Carol Pilon from falling to the ground. She was 20 years old when she saw someone wingwalking on a commercial and decided this would be her career. Most of her early experience was with Franklin's Flying Circus. As she developed her own wingwalking team, she now owns two planes, hires and trains pilots, trains and employs other wingwalkers, performs in shows throughout North America and Europe, and is a FAA-certified airframe technician.
The plane is typically flying at 140 to 160 miles per hour while the wingwalkers perform. The first plane had a top speed of 65 miles per hour. Now that top speed is 187 miles per hour. The wingwalkers have to be careful of dodging flying birds while the pilots focus on balancing a small plane with shifting weight. Hold your breath while you watch their show, and "throttle it up," one of Carol's favorite phrases!
Louisiana native, a Louisiana Tech University graduate in aviation management, and the youngest Red Bull Air Race participant ever, Kevin Coleman is a welcome return to the Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow. Kevin has wanted to fly since age 3 - it's in his veins, growing up in an aviation family. He began airplane and aerobatic flight lessons at the age of 10 in his family's Decathlon, later soloed at age 16, and flew his first airshow performance at age 18.
Just wait until he begins rolling his Extra 300 aircraft at 400 degrees per second and performing daring maneuvers at+/- 10 G's. He'll fly at a max speed of 253 mph and a stall speed of 63 mph. Kevin will also be sure to show you all the maneuvers that normal pilots don't do - spins, rolls, loops, lines, tumbles - and all at high speeds. But he prides himself on being a precise and well prepared pilot. For ten months of the year, he only focuses on aerobatic flying. His riskiest move is pushing around the corner, upside down. You'll know it when you see it.
Like a streak of blazing lightning, Skip Stewart blasts into view in a high-flying acrobatic symphony. Skip's plane, Prometheus, a modified Pitts S2S, will spin into acrobatic moves that make your heart skip. A modified bi-plane with increased horsepower, a three big-bladed prop, and rear canted landing gear make Prometheus look like a muscular "street rod." It has a max speed of 300 mph, and a stall speed of 58 mph. Watch it speed up, then stall out and fall like a huge meteor.
Skip will fly Prometheus, tearing through a high alpha pass on takeoff, then proceeding to rock the most jaw-dropping moves including flying one or two feet off the ground sideways. Skip's over 10,000 hours of flying experience and gold medals in regional aerobatic competitions clearly show through his breath-taking brave and creative moves. He's also the first pilot to fly an airplane under a motorcycle at an airshow. Don't miss seeing that!
Greg Koontz has been performing in airshows since 1974 when he joined Col. Moser’s Flying Circus and learned his trademark maneuvers. In his senior year in high school, Gregory restored a 1946 Piper J-3 Cub in his mothers garage, and flew the antique plane for 300 hours to gain experience for a flying career. At the Hammond Northshore Regional Airshow, Greg will lead the Alabama boys comedy routine as he demands a flying lesson. He “steals” the plane, flying topsyturvey, gets a tire shot by Grandpa, and then lands the 1946 Piper J-3 Cub on the faithful pickup truck.
Later in the airshow, Greg will fly the Lycoming AEIO–360 engine with 180 horses, inverted fuel and oil systems, and large wings. This solo aerobatic routine will show the agility of the pilot and plane with a full set of outside loops, vertical rolls, snaps, tumbles, inverted passes, and an extremely low to the ground inverted ribbon cut.
Originally designed as a trainer for the Royal Canadian Air Force, this 1956 deHavilland Chipmunk has been specially modified for airshow aerobatics and skywriting. These modifications took nearly 3,000 man-hours over a two year period so that now the GhostWriter boasts a cruising speed of 150 mph and a range of more than 500 miles. It will climb at a rate of 2,500 feet per minute, with a ceiling of 17,500 feet.
In 2016, Nathan Hammond took the controls and has been captivating audiences with the smooth lines and raw horsepower of the unparalleled Super Chipmunk ever since. He has logged more than 8,000 hours of flight time from 1917 Curtiss Jenny's to Cessna Citations and has flown the Chipmunk since 1998. Welcome Nathan Hammond's GhostWriter to our Hammond, America.
Randy Ball practically grew up flying in a plane. By the time he was 13, he had already taken off and landed a plane with his father, and he later soloed at age 18. He flew his first airshow over 30 years ago. Randy has more than 1600 hours in Russian Jet Fighters, more than any western pilot, and more than 18,000 hours of total flying time. He is the only MiG-17 pilot to fly as a "threat/aggressor" aircraft with the USAF F-4 Phantom while flying in airshows and films.
Made famous by the Vietnam War, the MiG-17F was the primary enemy aircraft engaged in the Vietnam skies by American aircraft. It was the tightest-turning fighter in the world and one of the first jets with an afterburner. The MiG-17F can maintain 8g turns (8g = eight times the force of gravity on the pilot's body), with a max speed of 715 mph, and can climb to 30,000 feet in only three minutes.
This a great event and we hope you enjoy watching these spectacular acts.
Remember to be safe and obey all safety rules while on the airshow grounds. As always, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office is here to help.
tpso.org
