Oregon International Air Show facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Oregon International Air Show |
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|---|---|
| Status | Active |
| Genre | Air Shows & Events |
| Frequency | Annually |
| Venue |
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| Country | United States |
| Years active | 32 Years |
| Inaugurated | June 11–12, 1988 |
| Previous event | September 20–22, 2019 |
| Next event | 17–19 May 2024 (Hillsboro) & August 31-September 3, 2024 (McMinnville) |
| Participants | 1,000+ volunteers |
| Attendance | ~55,000 (2018) |
| Activity | Friday Night Fireworks, Aerobatic Performers, Military Performers, Fly-Bys, Static Displays |
| Leader | Bill Braack |
| Sponsor | Stoller Family Estate, Xenium HR, Express Employment Professionals |
The Oregon International Air Show is an exciting yearly event. It takes place in Oregon, United States. This show used to be called the "Portland Rose Festival Air Show." It started in 1988 and usually has about 55,000 visitors each year. The money made from the show helps local charities.
It is one of the biggest civilian air shows on the West Coast of the United States. The show features amazing aircraft from the United States and Canada. Sometimes, planes from other countries like Britain, France, and Russia also join in.
Since 1988, the Air Show has given over $3.3 million to more than 500 different groups.
Contents
History of the Air Show
How the Air Show Started
A former Navy pilot named Jim Osborne had a great idea. He wanted a big air show to be part of the Portland Rose Festival. The Rose Festival Association liked his idea. He then gathered the best aerobatic pilots. He also asked the U.S. Navy to bring the Blue Angels for the first show in 1988.
The first show was open to the public on Saturday and Sunday. Friday was a special "Arrival Day" for children with special needs. The first year, the show made over $100,000. It was a huge success right away.
Early Years and Special Moments
In 1989, about 125,000 people came to the show. It featured five F-4 Phantom jets from the Oregon National Guard. This was a special goodbye to the F-4s, which were replaced by F-15s later that year.
Something exciting happened in 1991. A wing walker named Lee Oman slipped from his plane. The plane was flying low over the runway. He was caught by a safety wire. He was then lowered into a speeding truck on the ground. Oman decided not to perform the next day.
The 1992 show was very special. It had both the Blue Angels and the Russian Knights. The Russian Knights flew SU-27 fighter jets. This was the first time a former-Soviet flight team performed in the U.S. after the Cold War. The Russian team also brought their parachute team and other planes.
Changes and New Beginnings
In November 2002, the Portland Rose Festival officials canceled the Air Show. They said it was because of money problems. The Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce also stopped supporting it.
But in January 2003, some former Rose Festival members decided to keep the show going. They formed a new non-profit group. They called it the "Oregon International Air Show." The first "Oregon International Air Show" happened in September 2003. It was held at the Hillsboro Airport. The show celebrated 100 years since the Wright Brothers' first flight. The Patriots Jet Team and other military teams performed. About 51,400 people attended. Judy Willey became the president of the Oregon Air Show in November 2003.
In 2004, the show added a Friday evening twilight performance. The United States Navy's Blue Angels and their support plane, "Fat Albert," performed. The Oregon Air Show gave $88,000 to local charities that year. The next year, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed.
After an accident in 2006, the 2007 Air Show was very popular. It featured the Blue Angels and drew 93,000 visitors.
Recent Years and Milestones
The Blue Angels were supposed to perform in 2013. However, government budget cuts stopped their performances. The Patriots Jet Team took their place as the main act. The Blue Angels returned to the show two years later.
In late 2014, Judy Willey stepped down as president. Bill Braack, who was the Director of Operations, took over.
In 2016, the Breitling Jet Team performed at the Oregon Air Show for the first time.
In 2019, the air show moved to the McMinnville Municipal Airport. This was because of runway construction at the Hillsboro Airport. It was the first time the show was held at a different airport. The Red Arrows from the UK also performed that year. It was their first North American tour in over ten years. Unfortunately, they could not fly on Sunday due to rain.
The 2020 show was canceled because of COVID-19. This was the first time the show had ever been canceled.
In 2021, the Oregon Air Show held a show at the McMinnville Municipal Airport. The USAF Thunderbirds performed there. In 2022, the Oregon Air Show produced two shows. One was at the Hillsboro Airport and featured the first all-female air show. This included all-female performers, air bosses, and announcers.
Performers, Fly-Bys, and Static Displays
Many amazing demonstration teams have performed at the Oregon Air Show:
- U.S. Navy Blue Angels - 1988, 1990, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2015
- U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds - 1994, 1998, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2021
- Patriots Jet Team - 2003, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2013
- RCAF Snowbirds - 1993, 2014, 2018
- Russian Knights - 1992
- Breitling Jet Team - 2016
- RAF Red Arrows - 2019
Other exciting aerobatic acts have included the U.S. Army Golden Knights. The USSOCOM Paracommandos have also performed. Famous pilots like Patty Wagstaff and Sean D. Tucker have flown. You might also see Heritage Flights, which pair old and new planes. Many different fighter jet demonstrations, like the F-16 and F-22, have also been featured.
Many large and famous planes have done fly-bys. These include the F-117 stealth fighter and the B-52 Stratofortress. Passenger planes like the Alaska Airlines 737-800 have also flown by. Military transport planes like the C-17 Globemaster III have also been seen.
Static displays are planes you can see up close on the ground. These have included the Robosaurus and classic jets like the F-86 Sabre. Other planes like the F-15 Eagle and various MiG jets have been on display. Helicopters like the UH-60 Black Hawk have also been part of the static displays.
Accidents at the Air Show
July 16, 2006: After the show ended on a Sunday, a Hawker Hunter jet crashed. The pilot, Robert "Bob" Guilford, was taking off to fly home. The plane climbed and then turned back towards the Hillsboro Airport. It quickly lost height and speed. The jet then crashed to the ground. Four houses were damaged, and the pilot sadly died. No one on the ground was hurt. This jet was on display at the show but was not part of the aerial performances.
Special Kids Day
This special day has had a few different names over the years. It was once called "Arrival Day" or "Special Kids Day." Now, it is known as "Dolores Bowman Day" or "Margaret Teufel Day." The Air Show invites children with disabilities and their helpers to attend the show each year.
Dolores Bowman Day
Dolores Bowman was a very important person. She helped create "Arrival Day" in 1988. On this day, over 1,200 children with disabilities could watch the planes arrive. She passed away in May 1989. After that, "Arrival Day" was renamed "Special Kids Day."
In 1993, it became "Special Kids Day Honoring Dolores Bowman." A few years later, the Air Show also started giving scholarships. These scholarships went to local groups like Self-Enhancement, Inc. and the Warren Strickland Foundation. They also helped places like the OMSI and Doernbecher. In 1999, the day was officially named "Dolores Bowman Day."
After the Air Show became separate from the Rose Festival in 2002-2003, the special day moved to Sunday. This way, the children could see the full air show.
Margaret Teufel Day
In 2004, the day was renamed "Special Kids Day in Honor of Margaret Teufel." Margaret Teufel passed away in April 2003. She was a respected teacher and leader in the Hillsboro community. She taught special education and later education classes. She also started a program called "Blood for Roses." In this program, she gave roses to people who donated blood. She was named National Teacher of the Year in 1955.
In 2015, "Special Kids Day in Honor of Margaret Teufel" became "Margaret Teufel Day." The Air Show also added Saturday to this special event.
The Air Show continues to invite children with disabilities and their chaperones. They come to the Saturday and Sunday shows every year. This is done through different community groups.
