On July 27 & 28, 2019 the skies in Grand Junction will shake, and thunder will echo with mighty force. This isn’t a storm though. Planes are going to fill the skies for two straight days as the Grand Junction Air Show takes off. With action-packed displays in the air and on the ground, the air show is full of excitement.  

In the Skies

The famed Navy Blue Angels are known for their close flying, precision maneuvering, tremendous roar, and of course, the iconic blue planes. Since the Blue Angels were founded in 1946, the team has flown for over 450 million people all over the United States. Crane your necks up to watch the skilled Navy and Marine pilots loop, roll, and twist around each other in tight formations all while flying at speeds of 400 miles an hour. The Blue Angels reach 700 mph while mirroring each other, flying belly to belly or back to back.

The Grand Junction Air Show

While it might not be possible to keep up with the F/A-18 Hornet flown by the Blue Angels, Captain Gary Rower and his Stearman performed equally impressively with their single-prop plane. Rower pilots a vintage single-prop initially built in 1942, the Stearman, which was upgraded in the '70s. Fitted with a bigger engine and the ability to sustain longer inverted flights, Captain Rower pushes this plane to its limit with steep climbs, sharp turns, and twists and rolls. The Stearman is always a crowd favorite since it flies lower and slower and is easily visible with the billowing trail of smoke.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A post shared by Gary Rower (@rowerairshows)

On the Ground

Jet engines won't just be thundering in the sky. They will be hammering down the track too with AFTERSHOCK. These custom trucks show off with wild and colorful paint jobs, but that isn't the craziest thing about them. All the AFTERSHOCK trucks are fitted with jet engines that send them screaming down the track, followed by a trail of fire and smoke. Big semi truck rigs and small custom trucks like Jet Fire use these powerful engines to reach speeds of up to 375 miles per hour!

 
View this post on Instagram: A post shared by SHOCKWAVE & AFTERSHOCK (@shockwavejettruck) on Jun 11, 2019 at 7:22am PDT

If you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to take a Ferrari or a Lamborghini out for a spin, the Grand Junction Airshow is just what you’re looking for. The Precision Exotics car show features some of the most exotic and iconic cars today and allows you to get behind the wheel and drive, all while supersonic jets fly overhead. On top of their impressive car collection, the drivers over at Precision Exotics are also known to hop behind the wheel to see if they can beat some of the aircraft in a race, like a Cobra Attack Helicopter.

Get up close and personal with aircraft on display too! Meet the E-2 Hawkeye, a flying mobile command center and early detection warning system for aircraft carriers. Known for the large dome on the back of the plane, it also assists in surveillance and search and rescue ops. Also, get a first-hand look at fighter jets like the F-35 and the EA-18 Growler, both fast-flying, precision maneuvering machines. A Blue Angel F/A-18 Hornet will also be on the ground, accompanied by the Angel9 TransAm – specifically designed as a tribute to the Hornet and perhaps the only car that could sit next to a Blue Angel’s fighter jet and not look like a toy.

All this happens against the stunning backdrop of Grand Junction. The airshow grounds are surrounded by the Bookcliffs – the longest continuous cliff face in the world, the Grand Mesa – the world's largest flat-top mountain, and the Colorado National Monument – 20,500 acres of intricate canyons. Explore what else Grand Junction has to offer.

 

Find more fun-packed annual events on pages 42 and 43 of the Official Grand Junction Visitor Guide!