ARCTIC THUNDER 2010 DATES ANNOUNCED
ELMENDORF AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska – Elmendorf Air Force Base’s air show and open house — Arctic Thunder — returns to the skies over Anchorage July 31-Aug. 1, 2010, featuring performances by the U.S. Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron Blue Angels and the Canadian Forces Snowbirds Demonstration Team.
A Blue Angels flight demonstration exhibits choreographed refinements of skills possessed by all naval aviators. It includes the graceful aerobatic maneuvers of the four-plane Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two Solo Pilots. Finally, the team illustrates the pinnacle of precision flying, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.
The Snowbirds Demonstration Team (431 Squadron) is a Canadian icon comprised of serving members of the Canadian Forces. Their pilots and technicians work as a team to bring thrilling performances to the North American public. Serving as Canadian ambassadors, the Snowbirds demonstrate the high level of professionalism, teamwork, excellence, discipline and dedication inherent in the women and men of the Air Force and the Canadian Forces.
Other acts are still being confirmed for the show next summer, but people can expect to see demonstrations from aircraft based here such as a C-17 demonstration, an F-22 demonstration, and the hugely-popular Alaskan Joint Forces demonstration.
For more information, visit: http://www.elmendorf.af.mil/library/arcticthunder/index.asp
Every two years we go to the airshow. the kids enjoy it and it gets everyone our for something different. The problem is this No one every bothers to ask when the rainy season starts before they arrange the schedule. For the record the rains in Anchorage start in the second or third week of July and last until September or later. I don’t know that we will go this year, I am sick of slogging through the rain just bacause a few 48ers don’t know how to ask what the weather will be.
While we understand your frustration, the determination of the dates for the air show is determined by the availability of the military demonstration team coming (in this case the Blue Angels). Please understand that they work a schedule that basically moves them from point to point that a) conserves the most fuel and b) allows for a schedule to take breaks (maintenance, furlough, etc.).
Unfortunately it will always be the same each year as we tend to be one of the first of the national air shows.
Hope this helps in understanding.
We have been coming to the airshow every other year for the last ten years. Our son is autistic and he absolutely loves airplanes. We have taken the B-25 ride and have really appreciated the airshow format and participants. We drive down from Fairbanks 7 hours north. Yes the weather in Anchorage is typically rainy and we would love to have the Blue Angels come up north to Eielson AFB where the weather is usually much warmer and sunnier in the summer. We are fortunate to have the Thunderbirds up in Fairbanks every 3 or 4 years. Perhaps you could arrange to have the team head up north after performing in Anchorage for a one day performance at Eielson AFB. Best wishes for this year and future airshows!
Demo teams work their schedules a year in advance (e.g. USAF has to request their presence to all demo teams a year out). The way we learn which demo team will be at Arctic Thunder is when they announce their schedule at ICAS (International COuncil of Air Shows) in December of the previous year.
Unfortunately that means that we are unable to change/divert their advanced scheduling.
Thank you for working so hard to bring this wonderful show to Alaska. I am sure there are many more considerations involved in scheduling this type of an event than you are even able to share. It’s a major undertaking, and I and my family are very grateful for the hundreds of hours of planning and work that go into this. (My experience over the 22 years in which I have lived here is that while the weather is certainly more temperate earlier in the summer, no two have been alike: sunny, rainy, a mix of both. Never fear, we Alaskans are a resilient bunch and we certainly don’t mind a little rain!)
Thank YOU sir! It’s the things like this that make it all worthwhile.
We’re glad you enjoyed it.