EDWARDS AFB — From Friday by means of Sunday, greater than 100,000 guests made the trek to Edwards Air Force Base, “The Center of the Aerospace Testing Universe,” because the storied base threw open the gates to the general public for the primary time in 13 years for the Aerospace Valley Air Show.
Themed “Breaking Tomorrow’s Barriers Today,” the occasion celebrated the previous, current and way forward for aerospace within the nation. It marked the seventy fifth anniversary of the primary supersonic flight, on Friday, and the seventy fifth anniversary of the US Air Force, whereas showcasing practically each plane within the service’s present stock.
As for the long run, the biggest STEM (science, know-how, engineering and math) expo ever hosted by the Air Force offered data and inspiration for the subsequent technology of engineers and innovators, together with a particular occasion, on Friday, for college kids solely.
“It’s STEM that drives our service, it’s STEM that drives this Valley and it’s STEM that drives our nation’s lead as we compete in the world battlespace for dominance in information, dominance in defense and dominance in commerce,” Brig. Gen. Matthew Higer, Edwards Air Force Base commander, mentioned within the show’s opening ceremonies.
“I hope that what you see on the flight line and the air show, today, impresses you as it does me. Every single time I see airplanes fly, I hear the sound of freedom,” he mentioned.
The Saturday and Sunday air reveals opened with the normal crack of a sonic growth, the one air show in North America the place that occurs, thanks to the renamed “Bell X-1 Supersonic Corridor” overhead.
“Sonic booms are always fun,” customer Becky Hsu mentioned.
Hsu and Ricky Krahn, from San Diego, stayed in a single day in Lancaster to allow an early arrival at the bottom and secured front-and-center seats alongside the show line.
The pair loved the performances, particularly the kickoff with an indication — full with pyrotechnics — of the fight capabilities of the F-22, F-35 and F-16 fighters, together with the B-1 bomber and C-17 carrying paratroopers.
“They started exciting,” Krahn mentioned.
From fight demonstrations to aerobatics to formation flights and warbirds, the show overhead captured a wide range of sights and sounds.
The flight line was stuffed with an array of plane and shows, with entries not solely from the Air Force, however from aerospace entities throughout the Valley, together with NASA, Scaled Composites and Lockheed Martin. Visitors have been in a position to stroll inside a KC-135 tanker and tour NASA’s “flying telescope” SOFIA, the Stratospheric Observatory For Infrared Astronomy. All three variations of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been collectively in a uncommon show, together with the Darkstar mockup for the film “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Headlining the show was the Air Force Thunderbirds flight demonstration group. The sounds of roaring jet engines reverberated throughout the group because the group’s six F-16 fighter jets thrilled with their coordinated maneuvers and daring showmanship.
At one finish of the flight line, the bottom’s mammoth hangar held the STEM expo, with greater than 50 hands-on shows, shows and actions.
The hangar buzzed with exercise, all through the day, as company took half within the myriad actions.
“I think it’s really cool, especially the dog,” Camryn Kwan, 10, mentioned, as she loved a robotics demonstration with a dog-like robotic greeting the group. “It’s really cool how it moves and how it does things.”
Kwan was attending the air show from Santa Clarita together with her father, Rich.
“What a great opportunity, for her especially” to see all of the STEM choices, he mentioned. “I think she has a real affinity toward STEM.”
Seeing a lot in individual actually solidified her curiosity in pursuing topics reminiscent of robotics, he mentioned.
A rotating schedule of audio system described their STEM careers and the way they got here to have them. Some info was detailed, some technical, some simply good story-telling.
