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'It's like coming back home:' Central Georgia carries on tradition of watching the air show

From the Thunderbirds to the F-22 Raptors, families and attendees of all ages came out to watch day one of the Thunder Over Air Show at Robins Air Force Base

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — This weekend is packed with some high-flying acts soaring into Robins Air Force Base for the Thunder Over Georgia 2019 Air Show.

Some attendees were watching the show for the first time while others were coming back for their 30th.

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Jacob Tarver works as a police officer at the base and sees aircraft fly in and out of Robins everyday. Saturday is different, because he brought his wife, 3-year-old daughter and 5-year-old niece.

"I really wanted the kids to be able to watch the giant flaming truck, all the jets that are taking off, the Thunderbirds, all the cool little aircrafts," Tarver said.

It's Tarver's niece and his daughter's first time attending the air show.

"I want to see the airplanes," said Tatum Chipman, Tarver's niece.

Chipman says her favorite part is watching the planes go fast. Once planes began to take off, they both sat, amazed. 

"Waaaaa! Ohhhh air-o-planes," said Tarver's daughter, Adaline.

Tarver reminisces from when he was young.

"I remember when I was a kid, I went to an airshow. I wanted her to have the same experience," Tarver said. 

For Jacob Nance, this isn't his first show.

"I always go to them," Nance said. 

Nance says he can't even count how many air shows he's gone to at Robins Air Force Base. He says the event has become a tradition to attend. 

"It's like coming back home," he said. 

It feels like home, because Nance served in the Air Force for 23 years, from 1945 to 1968. Throughout the event, he named off each plane that went by.

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"There went an F-15," Nance said. 

The planes that keep Nance coming back every year are the F-22 and F-16. 

"They're great airplanes," Nance said. 

Among this weekend's attractions are the Thunderbirds, the F-22 Raptors, and the Black Dagger Parachute Team. 

RELATED: ROBINS AIR SHOW | Inside the Robins Air Traffic Control Tower

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