Chicago Air and Water Show: The Ultimate Guide
The 2011 Chicago Air and Water Show will take place August 20 & 21. We are happy to present our guide to the 53rd Annual Chicago Air and Water Show. Here you will find tips on the best places to view the Airshow from as well as information on the civilian and military performances. In addition we will share with you Chicago Air & Water Show videos and photos highlighting in plane flight experiences with many of the performers.
To the right is a list of performers for the 2011 Chicago Air & Water Show. Click on the performer to learn more about them.
The performers will begin to arrive at the Gary International Airport on the morning of Thursday, August 18. Thursday is the official media day for the event and many of the aircraft will be flying in the Gary area that day with a few Chicago lakefront spot checks. You can expect the first flyover from the United States Air Force Thunderbirds on Thursday. Friday is the practice day for the show. Expect most the acts to perform their full routine between 11am and 4pm on Friday. This is a perfect day to take in the airshow without having to fight the crowds that will line the beaches on Saturday and Sunday.
The actual show will begin at 11am on both Saturday and Sunday and conclude each day at 4pm. Expect the headline act, The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, to begin their performance around 3pm.
During the build-up to the event and during the airshow we will publish posts that will display below. We have also created a Twitter widget following tweets from many of the show performers (right).
Start off by looking at our Chicago Air and Water Show Viewing Guide to find the best way to enjoy this years show.
August 20, 2011
Golden Knights Dive into Chicago Air & Water Show
The Golden Knights were one of the few Chicago Air & Water Show demonstration teams to perform on Saturday morning before strong storms delayed the show for several hours. I had the pleasure to ride with them in their Fokker... Read More...
August 18, 2011
Chicago Air & Water Show Performers Roar into Town
The performers and aircraft that will thrill million all the lakefront this weekend have arrived. Tomorrow they will put on a dry run of their performances in advance of the official 53 Chicago Air & Water Show that will take... Read More...
August 7, 2011
2011 Chicago Air & Water Show Guide
In just under two weeks approximately, 2.2 million people will flock to the shoreline of Chicago with the bulk of that crowd converging on North Center Beach, the epicenter for the 2011 Chicago Air & Water Show. The annual show,... Read More...
August 12, 2010
Enjoying Aerobatics with Chuck Aaron and the Red Bull Helicopter
He may not be "The Most Interesting Man in the World", but he's up there. Handlebar mustache wearing, daredevil pilot Chuck Aaron is the only pilot licensed by the FAA to perform aerobatics in a helicopter. Until four-years ago helicopters... Read More...
August 9, 2010
Vince Vaughn to Skydive Into Chicago Air & Water Show
Vince Vaughn will team up with the U.S. Army Golden Knights to kick-off the 52nd Annual Chicago Air & Water Show. Saturday, August 14th at 11:00am Vaughn will descend towards North Avenue Beach in a tandem skydive with the Golden... Read More...
August 5, 2010
New Treats at the Chicago Air & Water Show
Each year the Mayor's office tries to offer something new or special at the Annual Chicago Air & Water Show. In addition to the standard excitement the airshow brings there are a few new additions that have me excited. First... Read More...
August 14, 2009
Flying with Team Oracle Prior to the Chicago Air & Water Show
Each year at the Chicago Air & Water Show Sean D. Tucker becomes a crowd favorite as he performers a memorable aerobatic routine in his Oracle Challenger bi-plane. I have always enjoyed his performances but it was an act outside... Read More...
August 11, 2009
Chicago Air and Water Show Viewing Guide
Each year about this time I start to receive many requests from friends and family and through MyFlightBlog.com for tips on where to watch the Chicago Air & Water Show. I thought I would share some of my suggestions for... Read More...
August 9, 2009
2009 Chicago Air & Water Show Schedule
Coming off the heels of strong crowds of nearly 600,000 aviation enthusiasts celebrating all aviation has to offer at Oshkosh's AirVenture, nearly 2.2 million people are expected to line the Chicago shoreline this weekend to enjoy the 51st Annual Chicago... Read More...
August 17, 2008
Chicago Air and Water Show Notice to Airmen
Ever wonder how a pilot knows to stay clear of an airshow? According to Federal Aviation Regulations 91.03 "Each pilot in command shall, before beginning a flight, become familiar with all available information concerning that flight." Therefore it is the... Read More...
August 14, 2008
Riding Shotgun in the T-6 Texan
The 2008 Chicago Air & Water Show roared into town today. Military and civilian aircraft from all over the country began arriving this morning at the Gary International Airport where most of them will be based throughout the airshow. Today... Read More...
August 13, 2008
The Show Must Go On - Aeroshell to Perform Without Team Leader
Prior to the 2006 Airshow, I had the opportunity to take a flight with Chicago Air & Water Show regulars, the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team. The Aeroshell team is made up of four talented pilots and their T-6 Texan aircraft. Unfortunately,... Read More...
August 12, 2008
Chicago Air & Water Show Practice Schedule
Many avid Chicago Air & Water Show fans have relied on the fact that Friday has typically been a practice day. Airshow enthusiasts could come down to the lakeshore and experience many of the airshow acts without the massive crowds... Read More...
August 12, 2008
Chicago Air & Water Show Adds a Friday Night Show to the Schedule
One of my favorite weekends is just around the corner. The Chicago Air & Water Show takes place this weekend on the Chicago lakefront. Since this will the the 50th Annual Air & Water Show the city has decided... Read More...
August 19, 2007
Great Performances at the Chicago Air and Water Show
I had a great day of aviation fun on Saturday. As I described in the previous post I got up early and went flying on Saturday morning. I made sure to return from the skies in time to get downtown... Read More...
August 17, 2007
49th Chicago Air & Water Show
It is that time of year again in Chicago where the skies rumble for the return of the Chicago Air & Water Show. This year is the 49th year of the free event that is expected to draw nearly 2.5... Read More...
August 21, 2005
Sunday at the Chicago Air and Water Show
On Saturday, two Thunderbird F-16s grazed wings while in the diamond formation, causing a missile rail from one of the planes to fall into Lake Michigan. This lead to the demonstration being ended early so all the planes involved could... Read More...
August 20, 2005
Confessions of An Airshow Addict
So my plan was to go to the Chicago Air & Water Show on Sunday as we have guests in town today. But when they left to have lunch with a friend of theirs, I hailed a cab and followed... Read More...
August 20, 2005
View Your Tax Dollars at Work
A parade of your tax dollars will be on display on Saturday and Sunday at the 47th Annual Air & Water Show. As you have read there are great military performance teams like the Army Golden Knights and Air Force... Read More...
August 19, 2005
United States Air Force Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds are the United States Air Force's demonstration team and they are schedule to perform Saturday and Sunday in the 47th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show. I had the opportunity to get up close to learn more about... Read More...
August 18, 2005
Flying with the Lima Lima Flight Team
Today I had the opportunity to attend the press day for the 47th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show. Over the next few days I will post some stories about the day. I will dedicate this post to the highlight... Read More...
August 15, 2005
Red Baron Pizza Squadron
The first time I saw the Red Baron Squadron® perform was last summer at the Blue Ash Airport Days in Cincinnati, OH. Flying their vintage Stearman biplanes they entertained the crowd with some close quarters formation flying while performing amazing... Read More...
August 14, 2005
Chicago Air and Water Show - Press Pass
This weekend, more than two million people will get kinks in their necks while looking to the skies in awe during the 47th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show. The air show is the oldest and largest free show of... Read More...
