The show opened with a spectacular performance by the US Army Golden Knights parachute team, seen here jumping from their modified C-147A Dash 8 aircraft. Since their establishment in 1959, the team has performed over 100 shows annually across the nation. With more than 3,800 medals earned and 348 world records broken in skydiving competitions, they are always an incredible sight to capture!
Next up was the Pink Jet, an Aero L-39 Albatros operated by a nonprofit organization dedicated to spreading breast cancer awareness, supporting survivors, and promoting early detection through the power of aviation.
Undaunted Airshows, the dynamic two man team, was up next showing off their amazing aerobatic skills in their garage built Van RV-7 and RV-8 aircraft. Fearlessly flying side by side, they wowed the crowd with their high-energy stunts and even raced the Hot Streak II, a twin jet-engine '57 Chevy jet truck driven by Hayden Proffitt.
The crowd was treated to a powerful living history lesson with a performance of two Commemorative Air Force legends. These two WWII warbirds were the stunning B-25 Mitchell "Yellow Rose" the same type of bomber used in the famous Doolittle raid after the Pearl Harbor surprise attack, and the C-47 "That's All Brother" the actual troop carrier that led the historic first wave of paratroopers into Normandy on June 6, 1944, D-Day.
We got to glimpse the power and might of the military helicopter. The UH-60 Black Hawk showed off its incredible agility by flying backwards and popping a wheelie! Then came the two AH-64 Apache attack helicopters working together to demonstrate how they intimidate and pursue the enemy. Last was a CH-47 Chinook, who showed us how they can pivot its nose around in tight circles, which the announcer informed us is really hard to do. They all joined up and flew over to conclude their spectacular performance of strength.
My favorite performer was out front and center next, Kirby Chambliss flying his Zivko Edge 540. He is a two time Red Bull Air Race World Champion and a five time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion. He has a way of making flying a plane look effortless as he flips, twists and bounces his plane all around the sky as the announcer kept saying, "Planes aren't supposed to do that!"
Before we knew it, the F-22 Raptor was slicing through the air at top speeds and the loudest aircraft of the day! We had to swivel our heads to keep our eyes on it and it flew all around us showing off its abilities, including flying straight up and rolling back down and doing what they called the Hoover Pitch, where it flew over and rolled on its side then upside down then back to right side up. This amazing piece of machinery can reach speeds up to 1,500 mph, Mach 2.25! It completed the performance with a flyby alongside the F-5 Tiger II, a sleek, classic Cold War era fighter jet that still plays a vital role today acting as a tactical 'aggressor' aircraft to train modern fighter pilots.
To conclude this amazing heart pounding day, last but definitely not least were the US NAVY BLUE ANGELS! They are my favorite demo team since I was young when my mom took us to see them. They sure know how to put on a show and this was no exception. There are six Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet jets, and their pilots perform amazing but dangerous maneuvers reaching top speeds of Mach 1.8, about 1,400 mph, the slowest speed they go is 120 mph. During their famous Diamond 360 maneuver, they fly in tight a formation of just 18 inches apart showcasing absolute peak military precision!