AirshowStuff Forums

Latest Addition
- RT Dickson and the P-51 Mustang "Swamp Fox"

https://www.swampfoxp51.com/schedule

Additional Performer
- Greg Koontz and the Alabama Boys
https://airshowkeywest.com/civilian-acts/

Bill Stein no longer showing on the civilian performers page.

NAS Key West Southernmost Air Spectacular
April 15 and 16, 2023
SHOW SCHEDULE

11 a.m.

National Anthem accompanied by

SOCOM Para-Commandos & the AeroShell Aerobatic Team

Aftershock Jet Fire Truck

Greg Kootnz and The Alabama Boys – Piper J-3 Cub

SAR H60 Recue Demo

RT Dixon – P-51 Mustang

AeroShell Aerobatic Team – T-6 Texan

Rob Holland – MX2

Precision Exotics vs. Rob Holland

F-5 VFC-111 Sun Downers Demo

Skip Stewart – PTS2

Aftershock Fire Jet Truck vs. Skip Stewart

F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team

Rob Holland & VFA-106 Gladiators Demo

2:30 p.m.

U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron the Blue Angels

https://airshowkeywest.com/show-schedule/

NAS Key West Southernmost Air Spectacular
April 15 and 16, 2023
SHOW SCHEDULE

11 a.m.

National Anthem accompanied by

SOCOM Para-Commandos & the AeroShell Aerobatic Team

Aftershock Jet Fire Truck

Greg Kootnz and The Alabama Boys – Piper J-3 Cub

SAR H60 Rescue Demo

RT Dixon – P-51 Mustang

AeroShell Aerobatic Team – T-6 Texan

F-18 Demo

Rob Holland – MX2

Precision Exotics vs. Rob Holland

F-5 VFC-111 Sun Downers Demo

Skip Stewart – PTS2

Aftershock Fire Jet Truck vs. Skip Stewart

F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team

Rob Holland

2:30 p.m.

U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron the Blue Angels

https://airshowkeywest.com/show-schedule/

Several of us had a good time in Key West last weekend. As a show it was pretty good especially considering the location. Gates opening at 10 was amazing. With only one highway to and from the island we expected traffic to be a nightmare but it was actually among the best traffic situations I have ever been in! The flying was relatively short and there were only about 10 static aircraft but not a big deal.

Unfortunately for photography it was brutal. Super backlit, almost everything far away, and of course hot and super humid (heat index high 90s). The heat haze was so bad my camera focused on distortion lines in the air instead of aircraft. Video would have been ok but they brought in the big scaffolding sets of speakers and cranked them to the point of distortion.

The saving grace of the show, besides getting to hang out in Key West and sleep in, were the local units. The SAR squadron did a pretty energetic demo with their MH-60 which looks really nice in the white and orange. VFC-111 stole the show with a full on performance with formation, sneak passes, simulated dogfighting, and a drag chute demo that I didn't even know the F-5 could do. Their jets were all beautiful schemes that only made the lighting conditions more agonizing.

I know there was some discussion about VFA-106 doing Super Hornet demos without practices at Oceana, and it turns out they only did non-aerobatic stuff. Low transition takeoff, two high speeds, dirty pass, carrier break, touch and go, photo pass, carrier break, and landing. I suspect this will be their routine for the year, unless they do some practices at some point.

F-5s are way louder than I thought. I saw Sundowner F-5s in 2011 at Meridian Mississippi. Great jets to watch they are.

Here's the F-5 routine from Friday:

I've never seen F-5s flown so hard! Great video! This might be a show I need to add to my bucket list just for the F-5s.