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AC Airshow Draws Hundreds Of Thousands To The Shore

By David Madden

ATLANTIC CITY (CBS) -- Hundreds of thousands jammed the beach and boardwalk in Atlantic City for the 2015 Airshow.

Over 13 years, this event has drawn people from far and wide. But the locals, like Jeff Matchett, know to get here early and grab a prime spot. That way, you get to catch all the stunts the pilots pull off from a front row seat.

matchett
Jeff Matchett (credit: David Madden)

He described the sight of one vintage plane doing a loop-de-loop just above his head as he sat on the boardwalk near Convention Hall. "Did you just see that? He flew down this low and came right back up," he said. "I love it."

 

The boards and the beaches were jammed. Boaters watched from outside a safety zone a couple miles out. And a morning fog burned off to allow demonstrations by aircraft old and new, pulling off amazing stunts.

As all the entertainment played out, organizers figured what an event like this would do for the region. Mitch Zitomer is Chairman of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, hosts of the event.

"The economic impact in midweek here on Atlantic City and the region around here is around the 40 to 45 million dollar range," said Mitch Zitomer, Chairman of the Greater Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, which hosted the event.

There was one disappointment. The US Army Golden Knights has to bow out of this year's performance. They were grounded after a recent accident.

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