Upcoming LIBAA and Aviation Events

New York Air Show favorites the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will be back over the Atlantic again, but will be ceding a bit of the aerial glory to an F-22A Raptor , the Air Force's newest operational fighter, at this weekend's airborne extravaganza at Jones Beach State Park.

The dark gray Raptor, ordinarily involved in homeland defense missions from its base at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, is making its first air show appearance in New York, said its pilot, Air Force Major Paul Moga, 35, of St. Paul, Minn.

In a phone interview, Moga promised a 10- to 12-minute "tactical demonstration" featuring a power loop-the-plane at double the altitude - a tail slide, back flips and other daredevil moves.

"People are going to see this plane do things they never thought possible of a fighter jet," said Moga, who will also hang around on the ground to chat with showgoers and sign autographs.

Spectators can also cheer a local hero. U.S. Navy Commander Kevin Mannix, a 1981 Lindenhurst High School alumnus and a 1986 graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College in the Bronx, will be piloting Blue Angel No. 1 and commanding the six Blue Angel jets.

There will be action on the ground, too, with 83 displays ranging from military recruiters to food vendors filling Jones Beach 's central mall next to the boardwalk. The Cradle of Aviation Museum in East Garden City will hand out plastic pilot wings to children, said Andrew Parton, acting museum director.

Showgoers are advised to arrive before 1 p.m. for the best parking spots. The air show draws the second-largest Jones Beach crowd after the Fourth of July fireworks, said New York State Parks spokesman George Gorman Jr. Last year, 198,000 people showed up on Saturday and 203,000 on Sunday, Gorman said. However, with "minimal traffic problems" last year, Gorman expects no major traffic snarls this time around.

This year's show also features the U.S. Army Golden Knights skydiving team, the New York Air National Guard-HC-130/HH60 Rescue Demo, and the Air National Guard Aerobatic Team. Civilian performers include stunt pilot Sean D. Tucker and the American Airpower Museum Warbirds.

For a closer look at some of the big birds, visit the American Airpower Museum in Farmingdale this weekend. "Virtually every aircraft that will be part of the air show, including the museum's collection of World War II fighters and bombers, will be available for inspection," said museum spokesman Gary Lewi.

To attract more spectators, laminated posters of the Blue Angels will be given to motorists at the Jones Beach toll booths tomorrow.

WHEN&WHERE: Bethpage Federal Credit Union New York Air Show featuring the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at Jones Beach State Park , Wantagh. Parking, $8, 631-321-3510, jonesbeachairshow.com .