Get ready to look up in the sky. The Riverside Airshow takes flight for its 24th year on Saturday, April 2 at the Riverside Municipal Auditorium.
Here are five things not to miss at the annual event:1. Aerobatic performances
No airshow is complete without top aerobatic performances, and the Riverside Airshow is packed with them. The entertainment starts with the Just in Time Skydivers Parachute Team jumping to the National Anthem while holding the American flag.
Other acts include performances by veteran aerobatic performers such as Julie Clark with her T-34 Mentor. This will be Clark’s return to the show after almost two decades, airshow coordinator Thomas Miller said. The retired airline captain participated in the airshow back in its early years, but then her schedule did not align with the annual event.
“We are really, really fortunate to have her back, Miller said. “She is absolutely one of the top performers in the airshow industry.”
Also flying high for the crowd will be Frank Donnelly who will be performing in his Taylorcraft, Chuck Coleman with his Extra 300 L and John Collver will demonstrate what WWII fighter pilots did during the war. He will fly in his North American T-6 named “War Dog.”
Collver will also race the official Smoke-N-Thunder Jet Car down the runway.
“Nobody knows who’s gonna in this race, but don’t bet against that jet car,” Miller said. 2. Planes on the ground
The event also offers demonstrations and tours of aircraft out of the sky.
Among the aircraft that will be available for the crowd to explore include a C-47 sent by the Palm Springs Air Museum and a C-53 “D-Day Doll.” 3. Pancake breakfast
The breakfast is a fundraiser for the airshow and volunteers serve up plates of pancakes and sausage for $6 a plate.
“The best pancake breakfast around is right there on the ramp,” Miller said about the annual event, which attracts hundreds of attendees at 7 a.m.
He noted that the crowd attendance stays pretty heavy until around 10:30 a.m., but the line moves steadily and the wait is never too long.4. Car show
If you’re into other modes of transportation, check out the Wings and Fins Car show hosted by the Inland Empire Car Club Council. Last year the display boasted more than 200 classic cars.
“They seem to grow every year,” Miller said.
Antique aircraft compliment the classic cars with displays in the same area by preservation groups such as the Military Vehicle Preservation Association. Antique engines will also be on display to show crowds what engines looked and sounded like a hundred years ago. The car show will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 5. Other attractions
The Riverside Police Department will put on demonstrations, including a simulated high-speed chase scene on the runway. “Bad Guys” will be chased on the runway and a police helicopter and K-9 unit car. K-9 unit demonstrations will also take place off of the runway, where attendees can get a closer look at the dogs.
The Corona Remote Control Club will also perform a 30-minute demonstration of model radio-controlled aircraft.
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