CAA: GA News, "Mississippi airport authority tries to lure elite aerobatics team for air show"

["Stephen Irwin" <stepheni@xxxxxxxxx>]

Wednesday, February 13, 2002 

Airport authority tries to lure elite aerobatics team for air show
By Lena Mitchell 
The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal


Fans disappointed by cancellation of the Tupelo Airport Authority's
first air show following terrorist attacks last September, might be
rewarded for their patience with a performance by the Blue Angels. 

Airport officials are seeking to have the U.S. Navy Blue Angels perform
at the 2002 Airfest, planned for April 20-21. 

"We'll be tickled if we can bring that kind of show to people who would
never see it otherwise," airport manager Terry Anderson told the board
Tuesday. 

If plans fall into place for the aerobatic group to perform in Tupelo,
the show would be expected to draw as many as 30,000 spectators from a
radius of about a hundred miles. 

"It would be the first time anyone knows of that there would be a major
jet performance in northeast Mississippi," Anderson said. 

The report of efforts to attract the elite team followed favorable
boarding reports. 

January boardings were up, an increase for the second consecutive month,
even though flights from the airport were reduced to three flights a day
in late September. 

"I think we're making a good recovery in terms of boardings," Anderson
said. 

The number of passengers boarding in Tupelo dipped to its lowest level
at 959 in September 2001, compared with 1,384 in September 2000. 

However, by December 2001, when there were 1,164 boardings, that was an
increase over the 1,140 boardings in December 2000. 

"Northwest is adding flights next week for furniture market" to
accommodate the additional traffic, Anderson said. 

Discussions are already under way with Northwest Airlink to increase the
number of flights per day, possibly even to five flights a day instead
of the previous four.


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