PHOTO COURTESY MEMPHIS AIRSHOW
With today’s sophisticated video games, and just about every movie these days offering special effects or even 3-D viewing, it’s easy for people to become jaded with their entertainment options — whether they take place indoors or out.
But let me tell you from personal experience, that you haven't seen (or heard) anything yet — and certainly nothing like it on a computer screen — until you have experienced a heart-stopping flyover by the famous Blue Angels aerial stunt team. These are not CGI special effects, folks; that’s the real thing, as fighter planes blast through the skies at speeds that can break the sound barrier, grouped into incredibly tight, complicated formations.
And Memphis readers will get a rare chance to see these aerial daredevils this weekend, at the Memphis Airshow 2011, which will take place at the Millington Regional Jetport on Saturday and Sunday, September 17 and 18.
So few people have apparently attended a real airshow that this event’s organizers feel compelled to explain on their website, “The air show takes place in the air” — as a gentle way of letting people know that it doesn’t matter where you sit if you come to this event; just look up and you’ll have a great view of all the activities.
This weekend’s show will include performances by the famous Blue Angels, along with an impressive range of other aircraft, including demonstrations and static (meaning: ground) displays of an FA-18 Hornet, F-16 Viper, F4 Corsair, and a half dozen other military fighters. The Memphis Airshow will also feature appearances by the Red Bull Air Force, the Heavy Metal Jet Team, the Tail-Draggers Aerobatic team, and other events throughout the day. A special event on Saturday will be a flyover of the mighty B-2 “Stealth” bomber. For a complete list of all the performers, go here.
For security reasons, the exact schedule of events cannot be posted. Show hours are 8 am to 6 pm, with most of the major events taking place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on both Saturday and Sunday (the B-2 flyover will be on Saturday only).
Ticket prices begin at $18 for a single-day admission, and that includes free parking. Please note that because this is an active military base, there are certain restrictions about what visitors can bring to the Jetport, which is located on Navy Road in Millington. For more information visit the Memphis Airshow website, and be sure to click on the FAQ link.
It's become a cliché to say an event is "fun for all ages," but let me tell you, a really great airshow like this one really does offer something for everybody.
