by Pete Miller
I had a last-minute opportunity to go to the Cleveland Airshow over Labor Day weekend. This airshow means a lot to me because Cleveland is my hometown, and this airshow is where I first approached an Air Force recruiter to discuss the beginning of my aviation career.
The Cleveland National Air Show is one of the oldest and most established annual air shows in the country starting with the National Air Races from 1929-1949 and continuing with the current day Air Show from 1964 until the present. The Labor Day Weekend tradition attracts more than 100,000 spectators to Burke Lakefront Airport located along the shores of Lake Erie in downtown Cleveland, Ohio next to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The airshow has a heavy military presence, supported largely by units based in Ohio. One of the Demo Teams also makes an appearance. This year it was the Blue Angels, in their new Super Hornets. I don’t think I’ve seen a tighter performance from the Blues.
If you have the chance to attend this airshow, I recommend it. So soon after Oshkosh, it seemed small, but it’s fun. And there’s a lot of other things to do in Cleveland as well. It’s easy to make jokes, but I’m really proud of how my home town has turned itself around. I hadn’t been there in probably 30 years, and I was proud to share my memories with Julie.
