Tag: history

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Aviation History

7 Bessie Coleman Fun Facts

Bessie Coleman truly is an inspiration that defied stereotypes and odds with her indomitable will and passion for aviation. Read below to learn 7 Bessie Coleman fun facts!  

Introduction 

This article gives you a peek into the life of Bessie Coleman, one of the greatest assets the aviation industry ever had.

    1. She was of a mixed descent

Bessie Coleman was born in Atlanta on the 26 of January 1892 into a family of an African American mother, and her father was a sharecropper who belonged to a mixed native American and African American descent. Bessie Coleman had twelve siblings, and her mum was an African American maid. Her father moved back to Oklahoma in 1901, and he did this as a way to escape the racial discrimination. Bessie’s mother remained in Atlanta, and with time, the rest of the family moved to Waxahachie, Texas.

    2. Bessie was a college dropout

Bessie experienced an ordinary childhood like every average African American child. She helped her mother pick cotton and wash laundry to earn extra savings. When Bessie clocked eighteen years, she had saved enough money to afford Langston University in Langston, formerly known as Colored Agricultural and Normal University. After a semester, she had to drop out of college as she couldn’t afford to continue her education because of a financial crisis.

    3. Her brother’s taunts motivated her to become a pilot

When Bessie Coleman turned 23, she moved to Chicago to live with her brothers. She got back into a beauty school, the Burnham school of beauty culture, and became a manicurist in 1915. By then, her brothers were back from serving in the military in world war 1 with stories of their experiences at war. Her brother, John, teased her over how French women were permitted to learn to fly airplanes, but Bessie couldn’t fly. This spurred the dream to become a pilot in Bessie. She began applying to many flight schools in the country at the time but was rejected by all as a result of her mixed nativity and also her gender. Robert Abbott, the famous African American news magazine publisher, admonished her to move to France, where she’ll get to learn how to become a pilot. Bessie Coleman started taking basic classes in French because the application she would write to the flight schools in France needed to be written in French.

    4. Bessie Coleman was the world’s first black woman to earn a pilot’s license

Eventually, Bessie got an acceptance into the Cauldron Brothers aviation school in Le Crotoy, France. On the 15th of June, 1921, Bessie got her international pilot’s license from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. She earned hers two years before Amelia Earhart, who is her more famous contemporary. Bessie Coleman’s dream was to have her plane and establish her aviation school. She honored public invitations to give speeches but wouldn’t appear in places where racial discrimination against African Americans gained credence. She also used clips of her air tricks to earn money in schools, churches, and theaters.

    5. Bessie Coleman performed as the first African American woman to fly public in 1922

Bessie Coleman got to fly publicly as the first African American woman to do a flight performance in 1922. Her famous stunts include; the ‘loop-the-loops’ and making the ‘8’ shape in an airplane. Her performances fascinated many people and made her gain popularity in the United States and Europe. She would go on tours, give lessons on flights, perform at flight shows, and she was also a leader in encouraging African American women to fly. For her flying stunts, she earned many nicknames like “Queen Bess,” “Brave Bessie,” and ” The only Race Aviatrix in the World.” She was able to use her story to spur African American women to chase their dreams.

     6. Bessie Coleman survived her first significant flight accident two years into her career

 Two years after Bessie Coleman became a pilot, she survived a significant flight accident. In 1923 February, the engine of her airplane stopped working all of a sudden, and she crashed. She suffered a lot of injuries and was severely hurt in the crash. She survived with a broken leg, cuts on her face, and a few cracked ribs. Thankfully, she got to heal from the accident. The accident didn’t make her abandon flying, as she went back to pulling dangerous air stunts after recovering in 1925. In no time, Bessie saved enough to purchase her plane; she got a Jenny-JN-4 with an OX-5 engine. After that, she returned to Texas to perform in her hometown. Texas was still a very much segregated place at the time, so there were two different entrances for African Americans and whites into the stadium. Bessie insisted she wouldn’t perform unless they had just one entry. After several meetings, the stadiums created one entry point for all into the stadium, and Bessie performed. She was very popular among all races for sticking to her beliefs.

    7. Bessie Coleman died five years into her career as a pilot

In 1926, on the 30th of April, Bessie Coleman took a test flight with Williams Wills, who was a plane mechanic. Wills piloted the plane while Coleman sat in the passenger seat. At an altitude of 3,000 feet in space, they discovered a loose wrench stuck in the aircraft’s engine, Will started having difficulties controlling the steering wheel, and the plane flipped over. Unfortunately, Bessie Coleman didn’t have a seatbelt on. At the time, airplanes didn’t have protection or a roof over them. She fell immediately out of the plane and died. Wills crashed the aircraft a few feet from Coleman’s body and died. Thousands of people mourned Bessie Coleman for years. A funeral service in honor of Bessie Coleman was conducted in Chicago by the famous activist Ida B. Wells-Barnett. 

In 1931, five years after Bessie Coleman’s death, the Challenger Pilot’s Association of Chicago started a tradition of flying to drop wreaths from the air every year over Coleman’s grave in honor of her. The African American women pilots formed the Bessie Coleman Aviators Club in 1977. A Bessie Coleman stamp was made in 1995 to remember all her achievements.

In Conclusion

Although her life ended abruptly in a tragic and untimely way on the 30th of April, 1926, she left a legacy and modeled a pathway, especially for people of color in aviation. Her life continues to be a significant source of inspiration to people worldwide.

Bessie Coleman was a trailblazing aviator who paved the way for many women and people of color in the aviation industry. At Wings Over Camarillo, we honor her legacy by showcasing a diverse range of aircraft and performers at our annual air show. If Bessie’s courage and pioneering spirit inspire you, why not look closely at some of our aircraft display models? Or, for a truly thrilling experience, why not take to the skies yourself with one of our helicopter rides? And if you’re a classic car enthusiast, be sure to check out our classic car shows. Join us at Wings Over Camarillo and experience the magic of flight firsthand.

Stop by the CAF Museum Hangar to see the Notable Women In Aviation Exhibit!

More details here!

Categories
Performers

The History of the Blue Angels Aircraft

The History of the Blue Angels Aircraft

You’ll often see the Blue Angels performing at airshows up and down the country. This team of aircraft takes formation flying to a whole new level. You might be surprised to know that the Blue Angels aren’t what you’d call ‘new’. They have been around for a while! Today we are looking at the history of the Blue Angels aircraft and where you might be able to spot a piece of history for yourself.

Who are the Blue Angels?

The Blue Angels are one of the worlds leading military aerobatic display teams. They currently operate an aircraft called the Boeing F/A-18 super hornet. The makeup of the blue angles is traditionally composed of six aircraft. In its present form, these are flown by five Navy pilots and one marine corps pilot.

A Blue Angels show is certainly an unforgettable experience. You’ll see loops, rolls, head-to-head passes, and other amazing feats! The list of maneuvers is impressive (and also slightly nail-biting)

This History of the Blue Angels Aircraft

While you might see the Blue Angels flying extremely fast and modern fighter jets, it hasn’t always been this way. The Blue Angels have also flown propellor-driven aircraft and airplanes much smaller than the current craft.

The Blue Angels were first formed in 1946 and were part of the navy. They were originally formed to display the aircraft and garner public support for the navy. It might surprise you to learn that their name came, not from any official designation, but from a nightclub called the ‘Blue Angel’ in New York!

The first flights were a dangerous affair! So much so that they practiced in secret to avoid the public finding out about any accidents!

The first aircraft flown by the Blue Angels were propeller-driven Grumman aircraft such as the F6F Hellcat and F8F Bearcat… However, it didn’t take them long to see the benefits of using jets instead, and as of 1949, the Grumman Panther in 1949.

The age of the Blue Angels display team is astounding. Although there are only 6 Blue Angels aircraft at any one time, in the History of the Blue Angels, there has been a total of 272 pilots who have worn the coveted blue flight suit, first adopted in 1954.

Over the next three decades, the Blue Angels would transition away from Grumman to several other different types of aircraft that you can see below…

Which Aircraft Have Been in The Blue Angels?

To fly with the precision and speed that the Blue Angels do, they have always needed the latest cutting-edge aircraft technology. The list below features many aircraft, which at the time were state of the art.

– Grumman F6F Hellcat

The Grumman F6F Hellcat was considered one of the most successful fighter aircraft of the war. With its huge engine and stubby wings, it shot down more fighters than any other aircraft on the planet! Being launched from an aircraft carrier meant it was a natural choice as a navy display aircraft.

– Grumman F8F Bearcat

While this wasn’t the first aircraft to be used by the Blue Angels, it was the first to carry their official name. This would be the last propeller-driven aircraft that the Blue Angels would fly.

– Grumman F9F Panther

In 1949 the Blue Angels entered the jet age! Sadly in 1950, the unit was disbanded for a time as the pilots were needed for active service in the Korean war!

– Grumman F9F Cougar

The ‘Cougar’ was the first swept-wing jet to be operated by the Blue Angels. This aircraft wasn’t utilized for long. It only flew as part of the Blue Angels from September 1956 until early in 1957.

– Grumman F11F Tiger

The Grumman F11F was an interceptor aircraft designed to fly extremely high and fast to meet potential threats from bombers. This aircraft and its use were considered to be the ‘golden age of the Blue Angels. They would go on to fly it until 1968! This would be the last Grumman aircraft that the Blue Angels would fly.

– McDonnell Douglas F4 Phantom

The F4 Phantom had a leading role in the cold war and the Vietnam war. It was displayed worldwide in Asia, Europe, and South America by the Display team. It would also start a relationship with the Blue Angels and McDonnel Douglas, spanning nearly 30 years!

– Douglas A-4F Skyhawk

With its stubby appearance, the Skyhawk was fast and highly maneuverable (which is just what a display team needs!) and was first used in 1974. It would go on to serve the Blue Angels well for another 12 years!

– McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet

This was the beginning of what most people classically associate with the Blue Angels. The F/A18, with its swept wings and twin tail, has become an iconic classic. Flying at up to 700mph (even during displays) brings a whole new meaning to the phrase “blink, and you’ll miss it.”

– Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet

The F/A-18 Super Hornet is extremely similar in appearance to the original. However, upgrades to the aircraft have made it one of the best performers in the history of the Blue Angels! If you are at an airshow today, this is the current version that you can see!

Where Can I See Blue Angels Aircraft?

Want the good news?

There are places where you can still see aircraft (both past and present) flown by the Blue Angels. At the Wings Over Camarillo Airshow, our static ground displays include the option of getting very close to a F/A-18!

And there’s more…

If you want a view of the past and to envisage what a Blue Angels display used to look like, you’ll also be able to see the Grumman Wildcat and the Grumman Bearcat… Not as a static display, but actually flying in action!

If you are love history and air displays, then the Wings Over Camarillo air show has plenty for you! With countless historical aircraft and displays that will have you gasping in awe, it is well worth a visit. Why not check when the next event is planned?

Categories
Aircraft

Breaking the Sound Barrier: Understanding Sound and Flight

Breaking the Sound Barrier: Understanding Sound and Flight

What do you understand by the term ‘fast’? Well, prepare to be amazed. Breaking the sound barrier was once thought impossible, now it happens pretty regularly! Some interesting things happen when airplanes fly subsonic. Today we will look at what it means to break the sound barrier, what it takes to do it, and even give you a little history behind this impressive feat!

 

Breaking the Sound Barrier: The History of Man Conquering Physics

Man conquering physics?

Yes, in fact, it was one man in particular.

Chuck Yeager was the first person ever to fly faster than the speed of sound. A World War II fighter ace, on October 14th, 1947, Yeager ‘lit the candle’ and propelled himself faster than any person had ever traveled before.

‘Glamorous Glennis‘ (the name Chuck christened the Bell X-1) was shaped like a bullet, with thin stubby wings and four rocket engines exceeded 662 miles per hour, shooting Yeager and the aircraft into the history books. The sonic boom heard on the ground, a pressure wave created by this amazing feat, heralded a new era in aviation.

The flight wasn’t without its troubles. Several attempts had been made before. Yeager was actually hiding the fact that he had broken two ribs on his successful attempt, as he knew he would be forbidden from completing the mission.

That’s some dedication, especially considering how perilous and unchartered the mission was!

 

What Does Breaking the Sound Barrier Mean?

To break the sound barrier means an aircraft or any object must exceed a term known as Mach 1. Mach 1 refers to the local speed of sound.

Local?

That’s right. The speed of sound varies dependent on the local temperature. At higher temperatures, the speed of sound is much quicker. Meaning it takes more energy and speed to fly faster. At colder temperatures, the speed of sound is less, making it easier to exceed it.

It’s so difficult because of something called compressibility. As an object moves through, the air is brought to rest against it. At high speeds, this air is compressed.

The problem?

When you compress air, it begins to heat up and rise in pressure. Remember what we said about the ‘local’ speed of sound? With an increase in temperature, the speed of sound changes. As a result, certain parts of the airframe will begin to exceed the local speed of sound where others don’t.

The upshot?

You’ll get heavy buffeting and shaking. So much so that it can be dangerous. Chuck Yeager experienced such buffeting on several earlier flights in the X-1.

But what actually happens when an aircraft breaks the sound barrier?

Essentially, sound is the vibration of air molecules (when you ‘hear’ something, it is actually air vibrating against your eardrum). As we’ve already discussed, this has a given speed, depending on things like temperature.

As an airplane accelerates, these vibrating waves of air begin to pile up. If you keep accelerating, eventually, the airplane will ‘burst through’ these pressure waves and is literally flying faster than the speed of sound!

This also creates a pretty large bang. It’s called a sonic boom.

Want to what it looks and sounds like?

Check this video out…

 

Which Aircraft can Break the Sound Barrier?

You might be surprised to learn that several aircraft are capable of breaking the sound barrier. The problem comes in surviving the significant buffet and being able to maintain control!

Jet airliners travel around at about 500-600 miles per hour. At altitude, they refer to their speed in terms of Mach… Normally this is around Mach 0.8, or to put it in easy-to-understand terms, 80% of the speed of sound. It would only take a shallow dive to exceed this limit!

More typically, the only aircraft to break the sound barrier recently have been military jet aircraft. They normally have a few key features worth looking out for. These include:

  • Either straight or delta wings – Both of these are more suited to transonic flight
  • Powerful jet engines – These engines offer rapid acceleration, minimizing the time that an airplane is subjected to ‘mach buffet.’
  • Sharp and pointy noses – This helps to avoid shockwaves building on the nose
  • Short wings – Just like ‘Glamorous Glennis,’ smaller wings produce smaller shockwaves, making the aircraft more controllable when approaching the sound barrier.

Next time you are at an airshow, see if you can see any military jets. They are often designed to fly faster than the speed of sound.

You won’t tend to see them perform this act…

Why?

Because the boom is so loud, it can damage property (and people’s hearing!).

 

Interesting Facts About Breaking the Sound Barrier

Breaking the sound barrier presents some interesting results. Here are some things you might want to remember to impress your friends…

When pilots break the sound barrier, they don’t hear the boom!

Why? Because they are traveling faster than sound, of course. If you saw an aircraft breaking the sound barrier while you were stood on the ground, you’d hear an almighty bang. The pilot won’t hear anything at all because he is flying faster than the boom!

It isn’t only airplanes that have broken the sound barrier!

There is a type of ‘car’ that has broken the sound barrier! The Thrust SSC is a rocket-powered ground-based vehicle that traveled at 763 mph!

And that’s not all.

A human being has broken the sound barrier all on their own (well, with a little help from gravity). In October 2012, Felix Baumgartner launched himself from a stratospheric balloon, and his velocity on the way down exceeded the speed of sound

Have you cracked a whip? If so, you have broken the sound barrier!

If you’ve ever cracked a whip, you will have created a tiny sonic boom. The very tip of the whip actually exceeds the local speed of sound. That’s what makes the ‘cracking’ sound!

 

While you might not witness aircraft breaking the sound barrier, at Wings Over Camarillo Airshow, there is still plenty of speed. Many of the jets you see are capable of transonic flight. Most are loud enough, even without the sonic boom! Check out jet fighters like the MiG-17 and FA-18 Hornet! Why not take a look at our schedule and see when our next event is?

 

Categories
Aircraft

The Incredible History of the Hellcat Airplane

The Incredible History of the Hellcat Airplane

When it comes to iconic warbirds, there are a few. Whether it’s the Spitfire with its elliptical wings or the P51 Mustang with its turbocharged throaty roar, they are all distinctive. Perhaps the most distinctive, however, is the Grumman F6F hellcat. With its deep and fat fuselage and short wings, it is easy to spot. It isn’t all about looks. The Hellcat airplane also has a story to tell. Today we are going to look at the incredible history of the hellcat airplane…

What is the Grumman Hellcat?

The Grumman Hellcat F6F was built by the Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation. It was built to replace the F4F Wildcat. The aircraft was designed for single-seat occupancy. Its primary role was as a fighter.

This was a cat with claws. Mounted in each wing was a series of 0.5-inch browning machine guns capable of firing 450 rounds per minute!

The aircraft featured predominantly in the Pacific theatre of operations during World War Two. Its main target was the Japanese ‘Zero’. The aircraft was used very extensively. It is estimated that Grumman produced over 12,000 during the course of the war.

If you think that sounds like a lot, get this…

During the height of the Second World War, Grumman was turning out these aircraft at a rate of one each hour!

The History of the Hellcat Airplane

The Grumman Hellcat airplane was designed to replace the Wildcat. In fact, it was often dubbed the Wildcat’s “big brother”. It first appeared in combat in 1943. Its impressive performance ensured impressive victories over the Japanese fighters.

Want to know how phenomenal it was?

The Hellcat was responsible for downing over 5000 enemy aircraft, making it the most lethal fighter of the war. That isn’t just amongst the American fleet! It reigns supreme even taking into account all allied aircraft!

Here’s another way to look at it. Only 270 Hellcats were lost as a result of combat action. With 5163 Japanese aircraft downed, that equates to a rough ratio of 19:1. Not bad odds, all things considered.

The aircraft saw the end of the war and was eventually refitted with radar as a night fighter; however, it never saw active service in this role.

The aircraft was specially created to perform carrier landings. Its slow speed and stability in the landing configuration meant that fewer aircraft were lost while trying to settle on a deck pitching up and down in high seas. It was certainly preferred to the less stable Corsair.

Perhaps the most notable feature of the Grumman Hellcat (aside from its fat fuselage) was how rugged it was. It was built to a very high standard. It survived both the rigors of hard carrier landings, not to mention the occasional peppering with Japanese bullets! So much so that it was lovingly named the “Aluminum Tank”.

Want to hear a funny story?

Such was the capability of this aircraft to take a few hits and carry on flying that its pilots used to say that Hellcats “Were made of holes where an airplane used to be”.

What’s Distinctive About the Grumman Hellcat?

You’ll easily be able to spot a Hellcat airplane. It has quite a few distinctive features that make it really stand out from the crowd.

A Chunky Fuselage

This is by far the most obvious feature of the Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat. It is easy to spot from a long distance. This unusually sized fuselage makes the wings look much stubbier than they actually are.

Blue Color

The aircraft was painted blue to blend in with the Pacific water over which it was intended to fly.

Folding Wings

If you get a chance to see this aircraft up close and personal on the ground, you’ll be able to see the joins and hinges in the wings. This was a really clever idea as it meant that the aircraft could be easily stored aboard aircraft carriers.

Rotating Gear Struts

Pay careful attention during takeoff, and you might spot a really unique feature. The Hellcat’s gear struts rotate through 90° before folding back into the wings!

Bullet Holes

Just kidding!

Are there any Hellcats Still Flying?

Yes, there are.

Because there was relatively few shot down, you still might be able to catch one. They are normally guests of honor at an airshow! You can view the Commemorative Airforce’s very own Hellcat at the Wings over Camarillo Airshow, where they appear as a regular guest!

This aircraft has an interesting history all of its own. It was discovered derelict in 1961 and was painstakingly restored to some of its former glory. In 1970 it was donated to the CAF. Due to its age, it needed much more work performing to make it properly airworthy. Still, over the next decade, it was plagued by maintenance issues.

After 1986 a 12-year restoration project was launched. The end result was lots of wires, panels, and systems being almost entirely replaced. The main issue was that the aircraft had several repairs that were ‘temporary’ during its restoration. Yet, through transfers of ownership and a lack of regulation, it had become ‘permanent’. Following its restoration, it was in much better shape to fly.

The end result?

What you are, in fact seeing is a practically brand-new Hellcat airplane! It is as close as you will see to the original ‘factory fresh’ models of World War Two!

Suppose you swing by Wings over Camarillo airshow. In that case, you’ll be able to see this pristine Grumman Hellcat, with its incredible history, alongside other warbirds and vintage aircraft. They, too, have a rich and detailed story to tell. You’ll be able to see them in flight and also get the opportunity to come and take a peek up close.

When looking at the Hellcat airplane, you literally view one of the most successful fighter aircraft in history. Who knows what it saw when it was in combat?

For more information on the Wings over Camarillo Airshow, visit us here.

Categories
Aerobatics

The History and Legacy of Barnstorming: How It Impacted Airshows As We Know Them Today

The History and Legacy of Barnstorming: How It Impacted Airshows As We Know Them Today

Imagine going about your business to see a formation of biplanes roaring past overhead? While this might not be a regular sight today, back in the 1920s, it only meant one thing… An airshow was in town! ‘Barnstorming’ events were the forerunners to the modern air shows we see today, and they were just as exciting.

Today we will take a look at what barnstorming was, what it became, and the effect it has had on our modern-day air shows.

What Was Barnstorming?

Barnstorming. Sounds a little obscure, right? Well, there is a reason for the name. 

Barnstorming came about as a reference to the farmer’s fields typically used as makeshift airstrips when the flying circus visited town.

Often, traveling groups of pilots would fly over a busy town to advertise their presence, dropping flyers advertising airplane rides (for a fee, of course) and promises of air displays. Obviously, in the 1920s, aviation was still in its infancy, and there weren’t many airports around.

The alternative to an airport was a farmer’s field. Often, a farmer would only know about his land becoming an improvised airstrip when a pilot landed on it to ask permission! 

Because aviation was a relatively new phenomenon (many people had never set eyes on an airplane before), it generated huge interest. Thankfully, this enthusiasm to see airplanes performing amazing feats remains to this day.

Why Did Barnstorming End?

Barnstorming relied on a few key principles to ensure its success: 

– The Shows Were Unregulated

This allowed pilots free reign to do as they pleased. This was exciting. It was also dangerous.

– Airplanes Were Cheap

Many training aircraft left over from World War I were used in the air shows, such as the Curtis Jenny. The availability of these airplanes meant that practically anyone could become a pilot.

– Flying Circuses Were In Charge of Their Own Maintenance

While this was cheap, one has to question the ethics of declaring an airplane ‘safe’ when to ground it would mean a loss of income.

So, what changed?

In the simplest terms, regulation.

After a series of incidents, the Federal Government began to impose laws on various aspects of private aviation. This included: 

  • Limiting the type of stunts that could be performed
  • Creating ‘hard altitudes’ below which maneuvers could not be performed
  • Restricting the sale of aircraft to private individuals

As a result, airshows were less entertaining (but they were safer). And parts and maintenance for the aircraft became much scarcer.

While many see this as a bad thing, these rules and regulations became the forerunner to the creation of the Federal Aviation Administration, an agency that, to this day, ensures the highest standards in aviation safety.

What is the Difference Between Barnstorming and Modern Day Airshows?

Modern-day airshows are much safer than in the 1920s! But hopefully, that was obvious?

Here are some other ways that modern-day airshows differ: 

– A Greater Variety of Aircraft

Back in the day, there weren’t that many aircraft to choose from. The bigger flying circuses might have had a few different types. Nowadays, you can see a host of different types of planes. From classic warbirds like the Spitfire and P-51 Mustang all the way through to high-performance jets like the MiG-17!

– They Are Much Faster

Times have changed. As technology has advanced, so too have aircraft. For example, a Curtis Jenny used to fly at around 75mph. On the other hand, a Grumman F6F Hellcat has a top speed of about 391 mph. That’s a big difference!

– They Are Much Louder

Old piston engines are pretty loud, but that is nothing compared to the noise an AH-1 Army Cobra makes! And next to a B-25 bomber, there is no comparison. Bring your earplugs!

– The Pilots Have More Experience

The old barnstormers had a mix of flying experience. While some would become pioneers and famous (if they survived), anyone could do it if they had the funds. Nowadays, all pilots taking part in airshows have thousands of hours of experience and have rehearsed their routines to perfection.

– You’ll See Maneuvers That Would Have Been Impossible In the 1920s

Back in the 1920s, a simple loop was seen as a death-defying feat. In today’s modern airshows, you’ll see countless loops, rolls, half Cubans, tailspins, stall turns, and everything in between! 

Often these maneuvers will be performed by several aircraft in formation from companies like the Lighting Formation Airshow Team! 

Any Similarities?

While modern-day airshows are subject to regulation, they are still amazingly fun to attend, and believe it or not; they aren’t all that different from the barnstorming antics of the 1920s. Here are some examples: 

– Airshows Are Still Exciting!

Due to the organization of all of our airshow events, you’ll be guaranteed a fantastic view. This, combined with a massive range of different aircraft, means that there is never a dull moment! As a result, airshows today are bigger, faster, and much more exciting.

– Diversity and Inclusion!

One area that stood out in the 1920’s barnstorming era was inclusion. Female pilots, such as Pancho Barnes and Katherine Stinson, performed daring tricks and stunts alongside their male counterparts and even broke world records! This inclusivity continues to this day. There are plenty of female pilots that regularly feature in the Wings Over Camarillo Lineup.

– You Can Still Take Airplane Rides!

Ok, so while a ride in an aircraft might cost a little more than a dollar, the principle still stands that you can get aloft and join in the fun. Helicopter and aircraft rides are all part of the experience and are still available at airshows today!

What Effect Has Barnstorming Had on Airshows Today? 

The early barnstormers were the grandfathers of today’s modern airshows. All maneuvers, stunts, and practices you’ll see today have been directly derived and developed from those early days. There might be a few added safety precautions, but that’s a good thing! Modern airshows are just as much fun as their older counterparts. Why not check our schedule and see what’s to offer? 

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