Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach returned to Southern California Oct. 2 – 4, just one week after the MCAS Miramar AirShow in San Diego. I covered both annual airshows.
I drove up from San Diego to Huntington Beach early on Saturday morning, found a place on a city street to park (not an easy feat to accomplish!), and then walked the remaining blocks to the airshow (carrying my heavy camera gear!).
While both airshows feature military and civilian aircraft, performers and exhibits, the Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach is a civilian airshow, for which admission is charged, whereas the MCAS Miramar AirShow is a military airshow, with free General Admission, parking and a colorful, informative event program. Both shows offer extra-cost hospitality options, at various price points.
Royal Air Force Falcons Parachute Display Team
(Jan Wagner)
The most obvious difference between the two airshows is that the flying performances at the MCAS Miramar AirShow take place entirely over land (at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar), whereas the Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach takes place over the Pacific Ocean, just beyond Huntington Beach. The contrast is dramatic.
While both shows included exhibits on the ground, there were significantly more on-the-ground exhibits at the Miramar show, with many of those being military aircraft, vehicles, equipment and demonstrations.
Huntington Beach is an incredible venue for seeing and photographing the aviation demonstrations. This year, thankfully, the weather was beautiful, unlike a recent year when low cloud cover all day prevented us from seeing planes performing. That can happen on the coast.
There was a wide range of admission options to suit most every budget, starting with $20 General Admission tickets that included: beach access where you could bring your own chair and small umbrella, live announcer commentary, hands-on innovation at the NXTGN STEM LAB, performer signing sessions, access to food vendors and licensed bars for purchase, shopping for Pacific Airshow merchandise, Aviation Alley exhibits and the Pacific Airshow Kids Zone.
United States Air Force F-22 Demo with chaff
(Jan Wagner)
Additionally, more expensive options included elevated seating on the Huntington Beach Pier, the Garden Bar, the Beach Club, RV camping and more, up to and including Custom Premium Hospitality offerings in Private Cabanas and Chalets.
Each day’s schedule of performers was not released until shortly before that day. Saturday’s airshow action was virtually non-stop, so as much as I would have liked to explore the exhibits, learn from the presentations on the NXTGN Stem Lab Stage and attend some of the performers’ meet-and-greets, there just was not time to do so all in one day.
Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds
(Jan Wagner)
This is from Saturday’s jam-packed schedule: 10:14 AM: Matt Jolley — Show Intro.; 10:16 AM: Opening Ceremony and Anthems; 10:20 AM: United States Air Force— Wings of Blue Flag Jump; 10:31 AM: NASA Flyover — F-15 and F/A-18; 10:35 AM: USMC — MV-22 Osprey Demo; 10:48 AM: NASA Freedom 250 — F-5 x 5; 11:01 AM: Dawn Patrol Airshows — Formation Team; 11:12 AM: Luke Czepiela, Mike Daniel and Issa Kalfon — Red Bull; 11:23 AM: Michael Goulian — Extra 330SC; 11:36 AM: B-25 and TBM Avenger — Lyon Air Museum and Greg Colyer; 11:45 AM: United States Navy F/A-18 — Rhino Demo; 12:02 PM: Bob Carlton — Foxjet Sailplane; 12:11 PM: Royal Air Force Falcons — Parachute Display Team; 12:21 PM: Royal Air Force — C-17: 12:29 PM: Royal Canadian Air Force — Snowbirds; 1:21 PM: MIG-29 — Jared Isaacman; 1:30 PM: Red Bull Air Force — Aaron Fitzerald (Red Bull aerobatic helicopter pilot) and Issa Kalfon (flying the Gravity Industries Jet Suit (powered by miniature jet turbines) up to and then past Luke Czepiela (as he piloted his ultra-light CubCrafters STOL — Short Takeoff and Landing — Carbon Cub airplane, low along the shoreline; 1:51 PM: United States Navy — F-35C Demo; 2:13 PM: Torrey Ward — Subsonex Microjet; 2:24 PM: Emma McDonald (AU) — Edge 540; 2:35 PM: United States Air Force — F-22 Demo (with multiple releases of military chaff — a radar countermeasure); 2:51 PM: USAF Heritage Flight — P-38; 3:02 PM: Greg Colyer T-33 and Jason Somes MIG-17; 3:15 PM: Jeff Boerboon — Extra 330SC; 3:32 PM: United States Air Force Thunderbirds!
Seagull joining USAF Thunderbirds in formation
(Jan Wagner)
Visit the AutoMatters.net website to see many of my photos from Saturday, including one where a seagull (that I sharpened to improve its focus) appears to be joining the USAF Thunderbirds in formation!
For more information about the Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach, visit: https://pacificairshowusa.com.
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