COLUMBUS, Ohio — After almost 20 years, the Columbus Air Show plans to fly through the Rickenbacker International Airport this summer.
The air show will run from June 16 to June 18 with general admission costing around $55. Kids 15 years old and younger get into the event free.
The last air show took place in 2007 and brought more than 150,000 people to the Columbus airport for “Gathering of Mustangs and Legends.”
This year, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are headlining the show, making their return to Columbus after a 28-year absence.
The full list of performers at this year’s air show includes:
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels
- U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor
- U.S. Marine Corps C-130 “Fat Albert”
- Ohio Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotanker
- B-17 Flying Fortress “Yankee Lady”
- B-25 Mitchell “Rosie’s Reply”
- P-51 Mustang “By Request”
- C-47 Skytrain “Hairless Joe”
- Rob Holland
- Michael Goulian
- Kent Pietsch
- Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Truck
In addition to the air show, this year’s event will also bring air racing.
STOL Drag Racing Columbus Cup was announced in February and the race plans to work in conjunction with the air show event from June 16 to June 18. The drag race includes two aircraft flying side-by-side down a 2,000-foot course.
Spectators can expect the planes to start on a line, take-off and fly 1,000 feet before the pilots have to put the plane into a slip to slow the aircraft down, according to a release.
The pilots who are racing have to land on or beyond the line on the opposite side of the course and once they get to the ground, they dissipate the airspeed using braking and come to a full stop before turning around and flying back through the course. Whoever flies past the starting line and comes to a full stop wins.
Tickets for the air show can be purchased through the Columbus Air Show website and each ticket will allow guests to watch the drag race.
