When the annual Pacific Airshow takes off in Huntington Beach this weekend, attendees will be treated to an extravaganza of cutting-edge technology in the sky and on the sand.
The US Air Force Thunderbirds and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds are set to headline a stacked lineup of military jet and civilian aircraft demonstrations. This year, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), the German Air Force A400M and the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force Falcons will be making their debut in the coastal skies.
“It has long been a personal dream of mine to see Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach evolve into a vibrant celebration of patriotism, excitement and community,” Kevin Elliott, executive director of the Pacific Airshow, said.
There will also be appearances by civilian pilots flying everything from vintage military craft to microjets. The Goodyear Blimp is also expected to float by.
The ninth installment of the three-day air show launches Friday and runs through Sunday, Oct. 3 to Oct. 5, with the action taking place south of the Huntington Beach pier. Gates open at 9 a.m. and the show runs from 10 a.m. to about 4:30 p.m. each day. Tickets start at $40, with pier seating available for higher prices.
Elliott said event operators are closely monitoring news of a looming government shutdown and its potential to impact the participation of military aircraft.
For the first time in the event’s history, the Pacific Airshow is providing free Friday tickets to more than 5,500 students from 85 schools across Southern California. Elliott said the students will have a chance to participate in STEM-based activities (science, technology, engineering and math) sponsored by Edwards Air Force Base and other exhibitors.
Another new offering for the youth, Elliott said, is an interactive hub called NXTGN STEM LAB featuring exhibits on drone racing, robot cars and other engineering technology. The goal, he said, is to inspire children to pursue careers in aviation and STEM-related fields.
The Huntington Beach City Council approved a deal this month that gave the Pacific Airshow the exclusive rights to host the event for up to 25 years. The long-term contract, which has sparked mixed reactions from Surf City residents, came out of a settlement agreement between the city and Code Four, the company that runs the air show, after an oil spill forced officials to cancel the last day of the 2021 event.
“We’ve had some headwinds with regard to the oil spill and COVID and some weather last year, but by and large, the air show has been very successful,” said Elliott, whose company took over the air show in 2018.
Hundreds of thousands of people attend the Pacific Airshow every year. A 2022 economic impact report conducted by Visit Huntington Beach, the city’s tourism bureau, estimated the event generates more than $120 million annually in economic benefits to the city. (Some have questioned the credibility of the study, as Elliott was on the bureau’s board at the time.)
Councilmember Chad Williams cast the lone vote against the contract, arguing that the city should conduct an independent audit on the financial benefits of the air show — in sales tax, hotel tax and other revenues — before locking into a contract that includes many concessions on the city’s side, including thousands of parking spaces to resell and waived fees for public safety services.
“With regard to Councilman Williams, I respect his role as an elected official, but feel his analysis is flawed,” Elliott said, adding that the modeling used in the economic impact study was “the worldwide standard” used by major events such as the Olympics and the Super Bowl. “For the city to spend money on an audit when it’s universally understood and observed that the event is a boon to our local economy seems like a waste to me.”
“Ask any business downtown, they’ll tell you it’s their busiest weekend of the year,” he added.
The California Coastal Commission approved a five-year permit for the air show on Aug. 15, conditioned on 21 terms aimed at mitigating the event’s impact on the environment and public beach access. The commission initially recommended granting the air show only a one-year permit because the operators submitted the application late, but later agreed to extend the permit to five years.
Per the commission’s request, Elliott said the air show is working closely with biologists to study the event’s potential impact on the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve and other natural resources. He also said an environmental impact report the city conducted earlier in the year says the show’s impact on local wildlife was minimal.
“We will be doing noise monitoring again this year,” he said, “just for good measure.”