Wichita Flight Festival ready for takeoff

The flips, dives and loop de loops have already started over at Jabara Airport as pilots warm up for the Wichita Flight Festival. It takes off Saturday morning with a few changes this year.

On the ground and in the air, it's easy to see it's time for the air show when daredevils defy gravity.

"My grandfather was an early barnstormer, and he went out and hopped rides and did air shows and aerobatics in an air show very similar to the Steerman that I have," said pilot John Mohr.

And Mohr is excited to carry on that tradition, especially in Wichita its history makes the crowds more aviation savvy.

"And it's where my airplane was born in 1943," Mohr said. "My airplane was built here in the Boeing factory."

"We love the town," said Bill Reesman, pilot of the Red Bull MiG-17F. "It's really a neat place. I'm really happy to be here with Col. Jabara. He was one of my heroes when I was a child growing up."

Both pilots will perform what are called low-level stunts, flying in many cases no higher than 500 feet to give spectators the best view possible and when the sun goes down Saturday night --

"I'll have a thousand feet of fire and roman candles coming off each wing as I do aerobatics at night," said Reesman.

The pyrotechnics show is always a favorite as are the many static displays on the tarmac. But this year, with the down economy, the flight festival will not only have free admission but employment specialists on hand to offer job-hunting advice. It even looks like Mother Nature will give us a break.

"It's cooler down here," Mohr said. "The past years it's been hot and steamy, so I'm looking forward to the weekend weather."

All the fun starts at 10 a.m. Saturday and Sunday when gates open at Jabara Airport. At noon both days, a parade of flight will show off the history of aircraft made in Wichita, followed by the air show at 1 p.m.

On Saturday evening there is a $5 admission fee for the Twighlight Air Show and Concert, featuring the Beatles cover band Liverpool.

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

For Subscribers

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAbdul El-Sayed tries to woo MAHA voters as Democrats seek inroads with RFK’s supporters

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKratom-like substances are popping up in a typically benign supplement

FOR SUBSCRIBERSGOP super PAC increases its spending for Sen. Jon Husted in tough Ohio race

FOR SUBSCRIBERSRecords reveal tumultuous marriage between slain New York Times executive and wife

FOR SUBSCRIBERSFrom clean energy warrior to ‘wall of shame,’ James Talarico reverses on a fossil fuel money pledge

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCongressional staff planned official trip with luxury stops in Italy and France weeks before election

FOR SUBSCRIBERSA harrowing ordeal aboard an Israel-bound plane

FOR SUBSCRIBERSOpenAI CEO Sam Altman to skip congressional hearing on rogue AI agents

FOR SUBSCRIBERSKey DOJ lawyers departed Trump ‘grand conspiracy’ probe amid pressure to produce, source says

FOR SUBSCRIBERSTrump’s new AI chatbot often links to a site launched under Clinton 26 years ago

FOR SUBSCRIBERSAt MAHA summit, industry CEOs the movement once vilified take the stage

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThis Paralympian has two goals: Win medals and give away $500,000 to her teammates

FOR SUBSCRIBERSCornell rape allegation spotlights stringent New York state laws that have long drawn criticism

FOR SUBSCRIBERSThe debate over AI’s future rages on both coasts

FOR SUBSCRIBERSDecades-old march dispute reignites in Northern Ireland, threatening political crisis

See story video at KSN.com