By Christopher Holland • The Current Contributing Writer
Pocono Raceway is hosting its inaugural Great Pocono Raceway Air show.
The family-friendly event will include two show dates taking place on Saturday, Aug. 24 and Sunday, Aug. 25.
Both show dates will feature the same, four-hour program with a mix of 12 high-flying aerobatic performances, historical reenactments and military salutes. Kids ages six and under are free, children ages seven to 12 are half price and adult tickets start at $15.
The air show will be the first of its kind in the area to offer reserved, elevated Grandstand seating, shaded areas and facilities designed for the fan experience.
There will also be entertainment for all ages with multiple displays and vendors in Fan Fair, kid-friendly activities and play areas, helicopter rides, exotic car rides and more.
“The Great Pocono Raceway Air Show is a reimagining of your typical air show,” said Ben May, Pocono Raceway’s president. “Guests attending will witness amazing aerobatic performances coupled with a unique stadium atmosphere and an enhanced guest experience that no other air show has ever offered before. Several acts will be at eye level to those in the Grandstand. It does not matter if you are young or old, the air show will be one of the most memorable experiences of 2019.”
The list of performers include:
• Tora! Tora! Tora!: This historic recreation of the attack on Pearl Harbor will feature 61 pyrotechnic features, including an estimated 2,000 foot wall of fire finale and up to 12 aircraft. The aircraft will include a numerous Mitsubishi A6M “Zeros,” Aichi D3A “Vals,” a Nakajima B5N “Kates,” and a Curtis P-40 “Warhawk.”
• GEICO Skytypers Air Show Team: This world-famous flight squadron features six vintage SNJ-2 WWII aircrafts performing precision flight maneuvers.
• David Windmiller Air Shows: An aerial ballet featuring a Zivko Edge 540 as it performs tumbles, spins, cartwheels, torque rolls and soaring feats of precision, climbing 3,700 feet in the air per second.
• Lewis & Clark Performance FLS Microjet: dubbed the “World’s Smallest Jet,” this aircraft will thrill the crowd with an aerial display showing the FLS Microjet’s high performance and aerobatic capabilities.
• Greg Koontz Airshows Xtreme Super Decathlon and the Alabama Boys: Two acts: The first will demonstrate the agility of an Xtreme Super Decathlon aircraft with a full set of loops, vertical rolls, snaps and tumbles, invented passes including the down low, in-the-dirt inverted ribbon cut finale. The second performance will include a ‘stolen’ 1946 Piper J-3 Club as it attempts to land on the back of a moving pickup truck.
• Kevin Russo Airshows: Show includes a T-6, SNJ Harvard, performing multiple loops, barrel rolls, aileron rolls, eight-point rolls, 16-point rolls and more.
• Dougherty Airshows: Spectators will enjoy watching a 230-horsepower Christen Eagle, based in Eastern Pennsylvania, perform torque rolls, tail slides and tumbles, as well as the thrill of a barnstorming era featuring a 1930 Great Lakes aircraft.
• Ace Maker Airshows T-33: Fans will enjoy seeing the T-33 “Shooting Star” jet dazzle the skies above ‘The Tricky Triangle’ as it performs picture-perfect passes, vertical rolls, inverted aerobatics and more. The T-33 was one of America’s first operational jet fighters and trainers.
• Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation (AFHFF): Spectators will witness the World War II Era P-51 “Mustang” flying in formation with the A-10 “Warthog.” In partnership with the USAF, the AFHFF promotes the USAF and celebrates the nation’s air power, influence and impact on America’s national security.
• United States Army Golden Knights: The Golden Knights of the United States Army are one of only three Department of Defense-sanctioned aerial demonstration teams. The Golden Knights will showcase their highly technical skills while parachuting from the skies, often in precise formations landing on the Frontstretch of the Pocono Raceway.
• United States Air Force’s (USAF) Air Combat Command A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team: The A-10 will perform precision aerial maneuvers while highlighting the mission and professionalism of the men and women of the USAF. The A-10 “Warthog” is the USAF’s premier close air support aircraft, providing invaluable protection to troops on the ground.
• Younkin Airshows Beech 18 Aerobatics: One of the most unusual acts on the airshow circuit today, the Beech 18 performance will include Cuban eight-point rolls, loops, and several unique aerobatic maneuvers by one of the largest aircraft on the airshow circuit today. The act will conclude with a final pass, dubbed the ‘Elephant Waltz.’
The 2019 event was under the planning and guidance of David Schultz Airshows LLC of Clearfield, PA. Schultz Airshows has coordinated airshows and provided the air traffic control and announcing for over 500 events all over North America and the Caribbean in its 25-year history. Many of its events are well known in the region including airshows along the Atlantic City Beachfront, Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Dover AFB, Binghamton, NY, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Pocono Raceway expects a large walk-up attendance and highly recommends tickets be purchased prior to arrival for convenient and quick entry. Additionally, Pocono Raceway offers a mobile and print-at-home ticket delivery option which can be selected upon checkout. Mobile and print-at-home selection save ticket purchaser money and are a great direct-to-gate option for ease the day of the event.
More information on the schedule and tickets can be found by visiting www.poconoairshow.com or calling 1-800-772-3929.
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