Fabulous fliers outweighed drizzly disappointments as SkyFest 2022 returned an airshow to Fairchild Air Force Base near Spokane, Washington, after a several year hiatus.
Saturday, May 14, was a chilly day with low ceilings and intermittent rain that forced the cancelation of a number of flying demonstrations, military and civilian.
But Sunday came on with clearer skies and a full-up airshow. Air Force officials estimate about 30,000 people attended the Saturday show, and about 100,000 came on Sunday.
The Spokane region has a rich aviation history and an audience that appreciates events like SkyFest 2022. Even as the Saturday rains and low ceilings put a halt to the flying, the crowd patiently remained by the flightline, hoping for the best.
Some of the civilian performers, including the fabulous warbirds “Doc” and “Grumpy,” put on an impromptu taxi show, motoring up and down the length of the show line to give the crowd a glimpse of the B-29 and B-25 they had traveled to see.
Some aircraft, including Kyle Fowler in his yellow Long EZ, were able to get airborne for the Saturday crowd.
Black T-38 Talon jets from Beale Air Force Base in California opened the day. An Air Force UH-1 demonstrated rescue operations.
A Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California sliced vapor out of the moisture-laden air and a C-17 took off to disappear quickly into the overcast.
But ultimately, the Air Force Thunderbirds had to make a weather cancellation on Saturday after sending one jet aloft to scout the show pattern area.
Sunday had better visibility and drier skies, and the crowd was given the full show.
The spectacular B-29 “Doc” roared around the pattern, and Undaunted Airshows flew formation aerobatics in an RV-7 and RV-8. The chugging of the B-25D “Grumpy” could be heard as it raced overhead, climbing nearly as nimbly as a fighter.
The Thunderbirds were in full swing Sunday, closing out SkyFest 2022 with a crisp six-ship show that put an exclamation point on the day.
Static displays featured a heartfelt presence by volunteers from Spokane’s Honor Point Military and Aerospace Museum project. The museum closed the doors on a physical location in 2018 due to funding issues, but docents are determined to display portions of the museum’s collection in a compact trailer display they staffed at SkyFest. They envision such trailer displays to grow, and be available to take to schools and events in the Spokane area.
SkyFest 2022 also marked the 80th anniversary of Fairchild Air Force Base, which began life in 1942 as the Spokane Air Depot. Several types of warplanes cycled through the depot for overhauls throughout the war years, including more than 1,200 B-17s.
