The Great Texas Airshow is this weekend. It is set to be a captivating experience that’s open and free to the public, and it is also a celebration of heritage.
The show is a celebration of the 75th anniversary of the U.S. Air Force and the 80th anniversary of the Air Education and Training Command.
“This air show, to me, is about everybody finally reemerging after COVID, bringing the families out, getting a chance to see something truly unique. This is probably going to be the largest theater show that San Antonio Military City USA has ever seen,” said Lt. Col. Georges “Huck” DeWilde, the Director of Air Operations.
DeWilde and his team have been working on this airshow for more than a year. Now that it is just a few days away, there is more than just excitement in the air
“Loud noises. It’s definitely going to be loud, which is a lot of fun. There will be definitely some explosions we have planned during the show itself, so this fireball flying through the air,” said Airshow Director Maj. Brad Robinson.
JBSA-Randolph will have a number of different military and civilian flying acts, including the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds each day.
“We’ve got a lot of private jet noise pyrotechnics. We’ve got a lot of static displays from all of the services. So we’ve got the Army, the U.S. Marine Corps, we’ve got the Navy, the Air Force-type of aircraft. All the way from World War II aircraft, all the way to our newest,” DeWilde said.
But it’s not just the show, there are numerous opportunities to learn about the history and future technology.
“A lot of the educational stuff, for sure the STEM cyber warfare is going to be available for people to look at from Air Force,” DeWilde said.
The event is free and open to the public on April 23 and 24, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at JBSA-Randolph.
“We do need everyone to wear masks as well when they come out to ride the busses due to DoD policy,” Robinson said.
This weekend is the culmination of so much coordination, planning and logistics, and the goal is to give the community an experience they’ll never forget.
“I just really hope that everybody comes out ready to experience something truly unique. Anticipate a lot of jet noise and really be inspired with what they say and celebrate the heritage of the United States Air Force,” DeWilde said.
If you have any questions about the show or logistics, head to GreatTexasAirshow.com