The Pikes Peak Regional Airshow Returns This Month

We’re not feeling downhearted, quite the opposite. We’re very pleased to announce the 2024 Pikes Peak Regional Airshow (PPRAS) will be headlined by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team.
 

The Pikes Peak Regional Airshow Board of Directors, the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, the National Museum of World War II Aviation, and the Colorado Springs Airport are again partnered to present the airshow, scheduled for August 17-18, 2024. The biennial airshow will be presented at the U.S. Army A/DACG facility located at 7250 Getting Heights on the southwest section of Colorado Springs Airport property.
 

The PPRAS board of directors and the National Museum of World War II Aviation are combining their years of experience in creating airshows featuring aerobatics, flights of historic warbirds, and the latest in U.S. military aviation, with the Sports Corporation’s resources and successful record in event organization, operations and promotion, to build the 2024 airshow. Attracting the U.S. Navy Blue Angels, infrequently seen in Colorado, is a key first announcement for the airshow.
 

Bill Klaers, president of the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow board of directors, commented, “We are building on our experience in planning and presenting four successful airshows to bring back to Southern Colorado the best in performance and exhibit aircraft, including the appearance of the highly respected and popular Blue Angels, and we appreciate the support of the Colorado Springs Airport in continuing the presentation of the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow in 2024.”
 

The airshow will feature aircraft from pre-WWII, WWII warbirds, Korean Conflict warbirds, and aircraft from the Vietnam War. Also appearing at the airshow will be the USAF F-22 Heritage Flight and the U.S. Navy Legacy Flight. A full announcement of participating aircraft will follow when scheduling is complete in 2024.
 

The 2024 airshow will be a family-friendly atmosphere with educational exhibits, food vendors, a beer garden and more.
 

Tickets are on sale now at PPRAirshow.org.
 

Megan Leatham, CEO of the Colorado Springs Sports Corp says, “We are thrilled to announce the spectacular return of the 2024 Pikes Peak Regional Airshow, featuring none other than the world-renowned Blue Angels! This event is a testament to the collaborative power of our remarkable community, including our partners at the National Museum of WWII Aviation, the Colorado Springs Airport, and the City of Colorado Springs. All are vital in bringing this amazing event to life.”
 

"Colorado Springs is a proud military community with a long history of support for all things aviation,” said Mayor Yemi Mobolade. “We appreciate the collaboration between the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow team, the Colorado Springs Airport and the Sports Corporation to bring this popular event back to our city in 2024, and we look forward to turning our eyes to the sky and welcoming visitors from across the country and around the world for this great community event.”
 

Proceeds from the airshow are donated to three area museums, the Fourth Infantry Division Museum at Ft. Carson, the Peterson Air and Space Museum at Peterson SFB, and the National Museum of World War II Aviation in Colorado Springs. 
 

The Blue Angels were organized in 1946 to raise the public's interest in naval aviation and boost Navy morale. The mission of the United States Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron is to showcase the teamwork and professionalism of the United States Navy and Marine Corps by inspiring a culture of excellence and service-to-country through flight demonstrations and community outreach. In the late 1940's, the Blue Angels thrilled audiences with precision combat maneuvers in the F6 Hellcat, the F8 Bearcat and the F9 Panther. During the 1950's, they refined their demonstration with aerobatic maneuvers and introduced the first six-plane delta formation, still flown today.
 

The McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Super Hornets now flown by the Blue Angels are only slightly modified from those flown by the U.S. Navy fleet. The nose cannon is removed, a smoke-oil tank is installed, and a spring is installed on the stick which applies pressure for better formation and inverted flying. Each Blue Angel aircraft is capable of being returned to combat duty aboard an aircraft carrier within 72 hours. The basic cost of each aircraft is $67.4 million, which does not include weapons-related equipment and systems.