After a three-year hiatus, the skies over Yuma will once again be filled with daring pilots performing extreme aerial maneuvers.
The 2023 Yuma Airshow is set to take flight on March 11, officials with Marine Corps Air Station Yuma said Wednesday.
It had been cancelled in previous years, due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“So we've planned this airshow for the last three years and have been unable to have it, and it's not fun, right?” Captain Brett Vannier, with the Marine Corps Air Station Yuma Public Affairs Office, told KAWC. “That's a lot of work for nothing, and we are so excited to finally be able to open the gate and bring everybody back in.”
The Airshow opens the military installation to civilians who do not generally have access — pulling back the curtains on what Marines and sailors do every day in service of their country.
This year, the free event will include a sky-diving demonstration, and aerial demos of the F-35-A Lightning Two, featuring both Air Force and Marine pilots.
And MV-22-B Osprey pilots also will show off their aerial prowess. Ospreys are a fusion of airplane and helicopter, and take special skills to fly, Vannier said.
The pilots work on their skills 365 days a year in the clear blue desert skies. Their flights can be heard from all points in Yuma County.
“We joke about the sound of freedom and sometimes that can be loud and annoying, but this community support and pride in their military... it's absolutely tremendous,” Vannier said. “And it's rarely found anywhere else in the country, so we're so excited to be able to have them on base and put on a little show for them as thank you.”
Also featured will be the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing Band, Marine Corps Mounted Color Guard, Aftershock Jet Truck, P-51D Mustang Heritage Flight, and a Marine Corps aviation parade of flight.
Gates open for the Saturday airshow at 9 a.m. The event only is happening on one day this year.
The performances begin at 10:30 a.m. and conclude at about 1 p.m.
Gates to access the show will close at noon, and no in-bound traffic will be admitted.
Access to free general parking is on the south end of the air station, off County 14th Street. Shuttles are available from the free parking area to the event entrance.
Officials expect a high volume of visitors. As such, carpooling is encouraged.
All spectators will be processed through security screening prior to entering the flightline area.
For more information, visit www.yumaairshow.com.