The 2016 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow is happening this Saturday and Sunday, October 22nd – 23rd.
It’s a great time to be a pilot or aviation enthusiast. It seems like not matter what your passion or interest is, there’s an airshow or fly-in on the horizon. The summer has come and gone, featuring airshow heavyweight champions like EAA’s AirVenture and the Reno Air Races. But even though the temperatures are cooling off, there’s still plenty to look forward to. This weekend, in fact, we’re getting two more: the Flying Aviation Expo in Palm Springs, and the 2016 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow. For the Commemorative Air Force, this is the 32nd time they’ve held this annual airshow, and it looks like they’ve put together a fantastic lineup.
How Much Are Tickets, and Where Can You Buy Them For the 2016 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow?
Tickets prices range from $150 for the Eagle Squadron VIP tickets to $60 family packs, and $28 for general admission tickets. Tickets can be purchased at the gate, but you’ll get a discount (and avoid the lines) if you purchase them online. For more information and to buy tickets, head over to the Wings Over Houston website.
Where is the Airshow Taking Place?
The 2016 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow is taking place at the Ellington Airport in Houston. The address for the airport is:
510 Ellington Field
Houston, TX 77034
And you can click here for additional airport information. For travel information to the airshow by both by car and plane, check out this web page here.
What’s on the Schedule For the Event?
The gates open at 8 AM on both Saturday and Sunday, which includes access to the static warbird display area. Featured aircraft will be flying at 10 AM both days, and jet aircraft at 3 PM both days. The gates close at 6 PM both days. Among the scheduled flying displays are:
- The Blue Angels
- A demonstration flight of an F-16 Viper
- An Air Force Heritage Flight featuring the F-16 Falcon, P-47 Thunderbolt, and F-35 Lightning II Stealth Fighter.
- A flight demonstration of the U.S. Coast Guard Helicopter Dolphin MH65D.
- Formation flying reenactments with the British Spitfire and one of the world’s only flying Japanese Zero fighters.
- The fan favorite Tora! Tora! Tora! recreation of the bombing of Pearl Harbor, in honor of the 75th Anniversary.
For a complete schedule, click this link here. Keep in mind that though the gates close at 6 PM, they are saying that there will be no admittance to the airshow after 3 PM.
The A-10 Warthog. Combat ground troops love it and Air Force leaders hate it, favoring the new F-35. What does that say about the current state of military affairs? But the A-10 has a record that can’t be contested, a record going back to the first Gulf War, and that’s the reason that its retirement keeps getting delayed.
The A-10 Thunderbolt II is really the only true aircraft built solely for Close Air Support (CAS) in the U.S. military. Many other newer aircraft and even older aircraft [Click here to read more…]
What Aircraft Will Be on Display at the Airshow?
According to the Commemorative Air Force, here are a few of the aircraft that will be on display:
- F-35A Lightning II Stealth Fighter
- The B-52 Stratofortress
- The C-17 cargo plane
So if you’re looking for something fun for the whole family, you might consider the 2016 CAF Wings Over Houston Airshow. According to airshow director Bill Roach, “In the air and on the ground, we have created an exciting and fun weekend of events for the entire family, a fun event that has been a Houston family tradition for 32 years.”
Featured Images: Wings Over Houston Airshow
