By Benjamin Rothstein

DOVER – Though the 2024 First State Air Show opens to the public Saturday, military families received early access during Department of Defense Family Day on Friday to view the practice run for some of the events taking place throughout the rest of the weekend.

Unfortunately, low-altitude clouds limited the events that could take place.

Some, like the demonstration meant to open the show by Army parachute team the Golden Knights, were removed completely due to safety concerns, while others, like Patrick McAlee’s Blue Demon Aerobatics, had to lower the intensity of the kinds of stunts and tricks they performed.

These decisions are made on a per-act basis, each having a different minimum flight ceiling for which pilots can perform safely.

Despite Friday’s weather and a less than promising forecast for the weekend, the air show still promises aeronautic thrills.

“The weather has been a little touchy, but right now we have planes up and flying. So, the show is still going on for the rest of the weekend,” said Sgt. Trevor Wood, Chief of Command Information for the 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs. “Right now, we are still planning for the air show. If there’s a little rain we’re still going to push through.”

The show features two main types of attractions. There are the stunts and demonstrations of both civilian and military aircraft, and also what Sgt. Wood calls static aircraft, parked fighters, bombers, and cargo planes that participants can check out from every angle. The largest of the planes even allow visitors to go inside the main cabin and cockpit.

The headliner for the show is the F-35 Lightning II, a blisteringly fast aircraft that roars over visitors.

Out of the static aircraft, there is one that catches the attention of passersby the moment they enter the air show grounds: The C-5M Super Galaxy. It is the largest plane in the Air Force’s inventory and can hold over 281,000 pounds of cargo. Cleverly, the inside of the plane is used at the airshow as a makeshift bazaar, featuring a handful of booths, including one selling military merchandise.

There are over 20 planned aerial performances per day, running non-stop from around 11:20 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., on top of over 20 static displays. There are plentiful food options made up of local food trucks as well. Gates open at 9 a.m. on both days.

Putting the impressive show together was no easy feat.

“The team has been working on this for months and months, (a) massive airshow team that has just been solely dedicated to getting all the different performers out here getting all of the ground support operations set up, our food vendors, just anything and everything you can imagine from our security to our medical support,” said Sgt. Wood.

He also added that there is a lot of coordination that takes place with the base’s security forces to allow the public on to the base.

For those planning on attending the air show and are worried about weather, make sure to check out the First State Air Show or Dover Air Force Base’s Facebook pages to find out if there are any changes.