The Great Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, CA
When we heard about the Great Pacific Airshow for the first time, just this year, I got super excited and put it on the calendar. We had no idea that this airshow happened here the previous three years, but we found out just in time to enjoy the 2019 show.
We heard it’s amazing and crazy crowded, so we decided to get smart and just ride our bikes to the show. The parking and traffic can get a bit out of hand at just about any event in Huntington Beach, so why not try two wheels. Conveniently, we could park our bikes right next to us on the beach, and ended in a great spot on the south side of the pier. We loved the event so much the first day, that we went back for the second day! The bikes were a perfect way to get there, and both days, we were able to have our bikes with us even on the beach. We moved closer towards the crowd the second day, but were still way down the beach from the paid “seats” and still had an amazing view.
Enjoy the photos below of the awesome jets and pilots that we got to see at this super fun event! All of the blurbs below are from the Great Pacific Airshow guide, we’re not plane pros! A video is included at the end of this blog, too!
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
“Returning to Huntington Beach show for a second time is the pride of the Air Force, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Flying Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons, the Thunderbirds perform with mind-bending precision and choreographed sequences that electrify audiences with every roll, pass and formation.”
The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, The Red Arrows
“The Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, is one of the world's premier aerobatic display teams. Representing the speed, agility and precision of the Royal Air Force, the team is the public face of the service. They assist in recruiting to the Armed Forces, act as ambassadors for the United Kingdom at home and overseas and promote the best of British.”
Canadian Forces Snowbirds
“The Canadian Forces (CF) Snowbirds, 431 Air Demonstration Squadron are a Canadian icon comprised of Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) members and National Defence Public Service employees.”
US Air Force F-35 Lightning II Demo
“The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.”
US Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team
“The A-10 is the Air Force's premier close air support aircraft, providing invaluable protection to troops on the ground. The Air Combat Command A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, stationed out of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, brings the aircraft to air shows around the country to showcase the unique combat capabilities of the A-10 "Warthog." They perform precision aerial maneuvers while highlighting the mission and professionalism of the men and women of the United States Air Force. Additionally, the team brings attention to the Air Force's proud history by flying formations with historical aircraft in the Air Force Heritage Flight.”
CAL Fire
These helicopters weren’t in our program, but they were a blast to see. There were a few fires burning around our state, and it was about to get much worse, so it was with great pride that we enjoyed watching these helicopters flying down the beach line a couple of times.
Yak 110 – Jeff Boerboon
“Jeff is no stranger to The Great Pacific Airshow. Fans may remember him flying the Screaming Sasquatch, the jet-propelled biplane that performed in 2016. Making its West Coast debut and bringing twice the excitement to Huntington Beach at this year’s Airshow is Jeff Boerboon’s Yak 110. This one-of-a-kind aircraft is made of two fuselages, two propellers, one jet engine and one awesome pilot! In addition to flying for fun, Jeff also currently flies for a major airline.”
USN F-18 Demo
“The US Navy's F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F/A-18 Hornet flight teams perform at airshows across the country. Strike Fighter Squadron 122 (VFA-122), also known as the "Flying Eagles", are the west coast team and Strike Fighter Squadron 106 (VFA-106), also known as the "Gladiators", are the east coast team. With the Legacy Flight Program, shows pair up the Super Hornets and fly in formation with classic warbirds like the F-4U Corsair and F6F Hellcat.”
T-33 Ace Maker
“Greg "Wired" Colyer has been flying for more than three decades earning his license while serving in the U.S. Army. He spent 27 years working for the FAA as an air traffic controller while continuing to fly as often as he could. He acquired the T-33 in 2008 to preserve this heritage aircraft. This is Wired's third year flying at the Pacific Airshow.”
Mike Wiskus & The Lucas Oil Super Stinker
“Lucas Oil’s Mike Wiskus is another experienced professional who has been flying planes for over 40 years. In fact, Mike has never had any other job. He will be flying Lucas Oil’s stunt plane “Super Stinker,” formally known as the S-1-11B. This plane has been redesigned from its original build to reach new heights.”
The finale was a definite highlight - the Red Arrows and the Thunderbirds did a couple of laps around town and the beach together, in formation together, and it was really cool!
Perhaps it’s childhood memories of going to watch airshows with my grandpa, or just general amazement at how fast and loud and stealth (all at once) these planes can be. Whatever it is, this event was so much fun!
