OCEAN CITY, MD — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and F-22A Raptor will take to the skies over the Boardwalk this weekend providing high speed maneuvers and excitement during the Ocean City Airshow.
Good weather is forecast Saturday and Sunday on the Maryland coast as top military and civilian aircraft perform. Airshow organizers have confirmed guests in watercraft can view the show from a Coast Guard safety zone.
The program will begin at 11:30 a.m., and include a formation jump by the SOCOMM Para-commandos as they present the United States flag. The world famous GEICO Skytypers and aerobatic pilot Mike Wiskus are also scheduled to perform.
Air Force Jets to Demonstrate High Speed Maneuvers
The Thunderbirds six F-16C Fighting Falcon jets will highlight the family friendly show each day. Unlike last August when the team performed over Ocean City, this year they have an entirely different show from the ground up.
They have added new maneuvers and trimmed away several redundant maneuvers. The new show highlights many sequences beginning with high vertical maneuvers.
“The best is to be on the air show line, feeling the thunder in your chest, hearing the jets roar by,” Thunderbirds leader Col. John Caldwell told this reporter. “Seeing the speed and motion and seeing the heights that this demo team can fly 18-inches apart for the American public.”
The Air Force F-22A Raptor is scheduled to perform each day as the fifth-generation stealth fighter is flown at low altitudes. Maj. Josh ‘Cabo’ Gunderson will pilot the F-22 through gravity defying maneuvers and high-speed passes over the beachline.
Air Force demonstrations include the A-10C Thunderbolt II, also known as the Warthog. A C-17 Globemaster III and a C-5M Super Galaxy are also scheduled to perform each day.
The pilots of the GEICO Skytypers Airshow Team fly World War II-era Navy SNJ-2 aircraft. Their maneuvers are the same flown by the pilots of America’s Greatest Generation 80 years ago.
“Our pilots deliver crowd-pleasing performances at every event we attend,” GEICO Skytypers lead solo pilot and show designer Steve Salmirs explained. “During 2020, we were able to refine elements of our demonstration. We’ve created the best series of maneuvers and formations we’ve ever assembled.”
The team’s low-level flying showcases over 20 different tactical maneuvers. A patriotic narration and music will echo across the beaches as they showcase living history.
Ocean City Airshow Beach and Watercraft Viewing
The aerobatic performance box is 2.5 miles long and lies over the Atlantic waters parallel with 33rd Street south to Talbot Street. Airshow center is between 16th and 15th streets.
Boaters can view the air show from an area east of the beachline. The U.S. Coast Guard has established a safety zone where boaters cannot enter each day.
Tickets remain on sale and are sold online only and not at the event. Restrooms and food and drink stations will be located near the ticketed viewing areas.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)