Plane & Pilot Magazine
Airshows and fly-ins have been around pretty much as long as we’ve had powered flight—and before that if you count the demonstrations and events that preceded powered flight, featuring dirigibles and other lighter-than-air craft, particularly in 19th-century Europe.
The Grande Semaine d’Aviation de la Champagne in France was the first of the great international events, held in August 1909. Air races and barnstorming are a beloved tradition in aviation, and from such grassroots spring giants like EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
These events are more than just fun. They bring together members of the aviation community to share innovations, inspiration, and plant the seeds for the next generation of flight. Here are a few to consider this year—the following is by no means a comprehensive list. Visit eaa.org, fai.org, aopa.org, and airshows.aero to check for upcoming events in your area and keep abreast of cancellations and alterations.
Airshow season kicks off in April with the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida. This event not only heralds the beginning of the season but also sets the stage for what promises to be a sensational series of displays and performances. The picturesque backdrop of Florida’s skies serves as a fitting canvas for aerobatic feats and cutting-edge aircraft demonstrations.
APRIL
9-4 Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Expo
13-14 Fort Worth Air Power Expo, NAS JRB Fort Worth, Texas
13 Purdue Aviation Days, Lafayette, Indiana
20-21 Charleston Airshow “Heroes of Flight,” JB Charleston, South Carolina
27-28 Guardians of Freedom Open House and Air Show, Sheppard AFB, Wichita Falls, Texas
MAY
3-5 Vero Beach Air Show, Vero Beach, Florida
4 Dyess Big Country AirFest, Abilene, Texas
10-12 Valdez Fly-In “The Original STOL,” Valdez, Alaska
11 Northern Neighbors Day Air & Space Show, Minot AFB, North Dakota
11-12 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show, MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina
11-12 Air Dot Show Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
17-19 Oregon International Air Show, Hillsboro, Oregon
18-19 First State Airshow, Dover AFB, Delaware
24-26 Let Freedom Fly International Air Show, Pierre, South Dakota
25-26 Miami Beach Air & Sea Show, Miami Beach, Florida
JUNE
1-2 Terre Haute Air Show, Terre Haute, Indiana
2 Holloman AFB: Legacy of Liberty, Holloman AFB, New Mexico
5-6 Lynchburg Regional Airshow National D-Day Memorial 80th Commemoration, Lynchburg, Virginia
8-9 Spirit of St Louis Air Show & STEM Expo, Chesterfield, Missouri
14-16 Greenwood Lake Air Show, West Milford, New Jersey
15-16 Moses Lake Airshow, Moses Lake, Washington
18-21 Air Race Classic, Carbondale, Illinois, to Loveland, Colorado
22-23 CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show, Dayton, Ohio
22 Truckee Tahoe Air Show & Family Festival, Truckee, California
29-30 Warriors Over the Wasatch Air & Space Show, Hill AFB, Utah
An AC-130J ghostrider gunship from AFSOC at EAA in Oshkosh with fireworks. [Image: Adobe Stock]
JULY
3-7 Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival, Battle Creek, Michigan
4-6 Bass Pro Airshow, Ridgedale, Missouri
6-7 Los Angeles Air Show, Los Angeles
13-14 Wings Over Whiteman, Whiteman AFB, Missouri
13-14 Geneseo Airshow: The Greatest Show on Turf! Geneseo, New York
13-14 California Capital Airshow, Sacramento, California
20-21 Arctic Thunder Air Show and Open House, JB Elmendorf-Richardson AFB, Alaska
22-28 EAA AirVenture, Oshkosh, Wisconsin
27-28 Milwaukee Air & Water Show, Milwaukee
AUGUST
3-4 Boeing Seafair Air Show, Seattle
3-4 Rochester International Airshow, Rochester, New York
9-11 Abbotsford International Airshow, Abbotsford, British Columbia
10-11 66th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show, Chicago
17-18 Pikes Peak Regional Airshow, Colorado Springs, Colorado
17-18 Gary Air Show, Gary, Indiana
24-25 Frontiers in Flight Open House & Air Show, McConnell AFB, Wichita, Kansas
SEPTEMBER
Aug. 31-Sept. 2 Cleveland National Air Show, Cleveland
Aug. 31-Sept. 2 Canadian International Air Show, Toronto
13 Coupe Aéronautique Gordon Bennett, the FAI World Long Distance Gas Balloon Championship, Münster, Germany
14-15 Sound of Speed Air Show, St. Joseph, Missouri
14-15 Beverly Airshow, Beverly, Massachusetts
20-22 Great Bend Airfest 2024, Great Bend, Kansas
21-22 Thunder Over Columbus 2024, Columbus AFB, Mississippi
23-29 Triple Tree Fly-In Woodruff, South Carolina
27-29 MCAS Miramar Air Show, San Diego
27-29 California International Airshow, Salinas, California
28-29 Wings by the Wabash, Robinson, Illinois
OCTOBER
TBD National Championship Air Races, Location TBD
4-5 Mooney Summit, Tampa, Florida
4-6 Fly Illinois Featuring Cascade of Colors, Murphysboro, Illinois
5-6 Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach, Huntington Beach, California
5 Wings Over Western Kentucky Airshow, Madisonville, Kentucky
5-13 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque, New Mexico
11-13 Thunder Over the Heartland Air Show, Topeka, Kansas
11-12 North Little Rock Airshow, North Little Rock, Arkansas
12-13 San Francisco Fleet Week, San Francisco
12 Culpeper Air Fest 2024, Culpeper, Virginia
19-20 NAS Jacksonville Air Show, NAS Jacksonville, Florida
19-20 Wings Over North Georgia, Rome, Georgia
19-20 Las Cruces Air & Space Expo, Las Cruces, New Mexico
25-27 Wings Over Houston Airshow, Houston
26-27 Air Dot Show Atlanta, Peachtree City, Georgia
[Image: Adobe Stock]
Again, be sure to check with local and national organizations to find out about local events as well as cancellations or changes.
Pack your binoculars, mark your calendar, and prepare to be swept off your feet by the marvels of aviation.
From the adrenaline-pumping displays of military precision to the graceful ballet of aerobatic pilots, the 2024 airshow season invites one and all to look to the skies with awe and wonder.
The stage is set, the runways cleared—let the fun begin.
The post Something in the Air appeared first on Plane & Pilot Magazine.
