Oregon International Air Show facts for kids

The Oregon International Air Show is a super exciting yearly event held in Oregon, United States. It used to be called the "Portland Rose Festival Air Show." This amazing show started way back in 1988. Every year, about 55,000 people come to watch incredible planes fly! What's even cooler is that all the money earned from the show goes to help local charities.

This air show is one of the biggest civilian (non-military) air shows on the West Coast of the United States. You can see awesome military and civilian 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 organizations. That's a lot of good done for the community!

History of the Air Show

The idea for the air show came from Jim Osborne, a former Navy pilot. He was part of the Rose Festival Navy Committee and dreamed of a big air show for the Portland Rose Festival. Once he got the okay, he gathered the best aerobatic (stunt flying) teams. He even got the famous U.S. Navy Blue Angels to perform at the very first show in 1988.

The first show was a two-day event for the public. Friday was a special "Arrival Day" just for kids with special needs and their helpers. The show was a huge hit right away, making over $100,000 in its first year!

Early Years and Exciting Moments

In 1989, about 125,000 people came to watch. The show included a special tribute from the Oregon National Guard. Five F-4 Phantom jets flew together as a farewell. These jets were later replaced by F-15s.

A wild moment happened in 1991. A wing walker named Lee Oman slipped while on a plane. Luckily, he was caught by a safety wire! The plane flew low, and he was carefully lowered into a speeding truck on the runway. He decided to take a break from performing the next day.

The 1992 show was extra special. It featured both the Blue Angels and the Russian Knights from Russia, flying their SU-27 fighter jets. This was the first time a flight team from the former Soviet Union performed in the U.S. after the Cold War!

Changes and New Beginnings

In 2002, after 15 years, the Portland Rose Festival officials decided to cancel the Air Show. They were worried about the economy. But don't worry, the story doesn't end there!

In January 2003, some former Rose Festival committee members decided to keep the show going. They started a new non-profit group called the "Oregon International Air Show." The first show under this new name happened in September 2003. It celebrated 100 years since the Wright Brothers made their first flight. This show featured the Patriots Jet Team, the USAF F-16 Demo Team, and the U.S. Army Parachute Team. About 51,400 people attended.

In 2004, the show added a Friday evening "twilight show." The United States Navy's Blue Angels performed that year. The Oregon Air Show donated $88,000 to local charities! The next year, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performed.

After an accident in 2006 (which we'll talk about later), the 2007 Air Show, again featuring the Blue Angels, drew a huge crowd of 93,000 people!

Recent Highlights and Challenges

The Blue Angels were supposed to perform in 2013. But due to government budget cuts (called the federal budget sequester), their performances were canceled. The Patriots Jet Team stepped in as the main act instead. The Blue Angels returned two years later.

In 2016, the Breitling Jet Team flew at the Oregon Air Show for the first time ever.

Because of runway construction at the Hillsboro Airport, the 2019 show moved to the McMinnville Municipal Airport. This was the first time the show was held at a different airport. That year, the Red Arrows from Britain performed for the first time in Oregon Air Show history. Sadly, rain on Sunday stopped them from flying for safety reasons.

The 2020 show was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns. This was the first time the show had ever been canceled!

In 2021, the Oregon Air Show planned to have two shows. One at Hillsboro Airport and another at McMinnville. This would be the first time they produced two shows in one year. The 2022 Hillsboro show is planned to be the first "unmanned" air show with all-female performers, air bosses, and announcers. The USAF Thunderbirds will also return to Oregon in 2021.

Performers and Displays

An A-10 Thunderbolt II and a P-51 Mustang at the 2006 Oregon International Air Show.

The Oregon Air Show features amazing demonstration teams and aircraft.

Demonstration Teams

Here are some of the famous demonstration teams that have performed:

• U.S. Navy Blue Angels (many times since 1988)
• U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds (many times since 1994)
• Patriots Jet Team (since 2003)
• RCAF Snowbirds from Canada (since 1993)
• Russian Knights from Russia (1992)
• Breitling Jet Team (2016)
• RAF Red Arrows from Britain (2019)

Other Awesome Flights

You can also see other aerobatic displays like the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team. Famous pilots like Patty Wagstaff and Sean D. Tucker have performed. The Oregon National Guard's F-15 Eagles, and various military jets like the F-16 Demo, F-18 Demo, F-22 Demo, A-10 Demo, and F-35A Demo have also shown off their skills.

Fly-Bys and Static Displays

Many large and famous planes have done "fly-bys," which means they fly past the crowd. These include the F-117 stealth fighter, the huge B-52 Stratofortress, and the C-17 Globemaster III. Even passenger planes like the Alaska Airlines 737-800 have flown by!

"Static displays" are planes you can see up close on the ground. These have included the Robosaurus (a giant robot!), the F-86 Sabre, F-15 Eagle, and even Russian jets like the MiG-17 and MiG-21.

Accident in 2006

Smoke plume from the crashed Hawker Hunter on July 16, 2006.

On July 16, 2006, after the show ended, a Hawker Hunter jet (N58MX) crashed. The pilot, Robert "Bob" Guilford, had taken off to fly home to California. After taking off, the plane lost speed and altitude quickly. It then crashed into the ground. The pilot sadly died, and four houses were damaged. Luckily, no one on the ground was hurt. This jet had been on display at the show but was not part of the aerial performances.

Special Kids Day: Dolores Bowman and Margaret Teufel Day

The Air Show has a very special tradition of inviting children with disabilities and their helpers to attend the show each year. This day has had a few different names over the years, including "Arrival Day" and "Special Kids Day."

Honoring Dolores Bowman

Dolores Bowman was a wonderful person who helped create "Arrival Day" in 1988. On this day, over 1,200 children with special needs were invited to watch the planes arrive at the Air Show. Dolores also helped bring the Special Olympics to the Pacific Northwest. After she passed away in 1989, "Arrival Day" was renamed "Special Kids Day." Later, it became "Dolores Bowman Day" to honor her.

In 1995, the Air Show started giving scholarships to local groups like Self-Enhancement, Inc., and OMSI. They also supported hospitals like Doernbecher.

Honoring Margaret Teufel

After the Air Show became its own event in 2002/2003, the special day for kids was moved to Sunday. This way, the children could see the full air show, not just the plane arrivals.

In 2004, the day was renamed "Special Kids Day in Honor of Margaret Teufel." Margaret Teufel was a respected teacher and leader in the Hillsboro community who passed away in 2003. She was known for starting the "Blood for Roses Program" for the American Red Cross, giving roses to blood donors. She was even named National Teacher of the Year in 1955!

In 2015, the day officially became "Margaret Teufel Day," and Saturday was added as another day for the special guests. The Air Show continues to invite children with disabilities and their chaperones to enjoy the show every year through various community partners.