Santa Maria Museum of Flight cancels popular air show

The very popular Santa Maria air show also known as “Thunder over the Valley” which graces the central coast skies has been cancelled, due to budget cuts and low sponsorships. The Santa Maria Museum of Flight was scheduled to put on the show next month but early this month Mike Geddry, the museums Chief executive received a phone call saying the showing wasn’t happening.

In 2004 Mike Geddry helped restructure the show so that it would honor veterans and soldiers. Since that it has made a boost in the local economy, attracting nearly 6,000 people from all over the world.

Each year, the show gets sponsors to help with raising almost $45,000, but this year they came up short.

Another blow to the plans was federal budget cuts, which forced a part of their show to be dropped. Military planes would be volunteered every year for show. Now with sequestration, the military can no longer afford to pay each member a per-diem, forcing them to cut back on their civilian activates.

Local Santa Maria businesses say that with cancelling such a large event, everyone will feel the impact.