COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Rickenbacker International Airport is hosting the annual Columbus Air Show from June 14 to 16 with more than 50,000 spectators expected to attend.
Among those headlining the event are U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Jet Demonstration Team and U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demonstration Team. This is the Thunderbirds’ first appearance in Columbus since 2007.
There will also be two F-15 Eagles, the U.S. Air Force F-35A and World War II-era planes flying during the show.
Schedule
Every day:
9 a.m.: Parking lots and gates open
10 a.m.: Columbus Cup STOL Drag qualifying heats (Each morning will have air racing qualifying taking place. The bulk of performers flying will be from 11:30 until 4:00 each day. The schedule may change without notice.)
11:30 a.m.: Opening ceremonies
4 p.m.: Flying ends
5 p.m.: Gates close
Who’s performing in the Columbus Air Show?
*NOTE: All performers will fly all three days of the show
- National Anthem; Ohio ANG KC-135R Stratotanker & U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II
- U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet Demo
- U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet + FG-1D Corsair Legacy Flight
- Edge 540 - Bill Stein
- STOL Drag Competition
- Carol Pilon Third Strike Wingwalking
- P-38 Lightning
- F-5B Tiger II
- P-51C Mustang Red Tail
- Jack Aces - P-51 Demonstration Team
- Battlefield Europe - WWII Battle Reenactment
- Pitts S-2S - Skip Stewart
- Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Car
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
The full list of static aircraft includes:
- USAF KC-135 Stratotanker - 121st ARW (Rickenbacker)
- USAF F-35A Lightning II 33rd FW (Eglin)
- USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon (x2) 112th FS (Toledo)
- USAF F-15C Eagle - 159th FW (New Orleans) (2)
- U.S. Navy F/A-18E - VFC-12 (NAS Oceana)
- USAF C-17 Globemaster III - 445th AW (Wright Patterson)
- USAF C-130 153rd AW (Cheyenne)
- USAF T-38 Talon (x2) - 509th BW (Whiteman)
- U.S. Navy T-6B Texan II (x4) - NAS Whiting
- C-47D "Hairless Joe"
- P-51 Mustang "By Request"
- B-25J Mitchell "Georgie's Gal"
- Beech 18 "The Grimes Flying Laboratory"
- DreamBIG Entertainment (F-18 "Topgun Themed" Fighter Cockpit)
- PT-26 CAF Buckeye Wing
- L-39
- Scottish Aviation Bulldog
- CAF Minnesota Wing- Rise Above P-51 Mustang Red Tail
Parking and directions
All vehicles parking at the show will be required to purchase a parking pass online in advance. They will not be available at the gate.
Event organizers warn drivers to expect increased traffic each day of the Air Show with the heaviest traffic surge for outbound traffic between 3:45 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Attendees can set their destination as the airport’s address, 2241 John Circle Dr, Columbus, OH 43217, but will need to follow signage and parking attendants’ directions upon arrival to the show to be directed to an appropriate parking lot.
Departing traffic will be routed away from the show to provide the quickest route away from the airport.
Tickets
For those ages 16 and older, tickets are $65. Kids ages 15 and younger get in free to the event. Parking costs $35
For more ticket information, click here.