PERFORMERS
2018 California Capital Airshow
Please take a few moments to check out the great line-up of world-class performers below.
New performers may be added leading up to the show, so be sure to check back here for the latest additions. Become an Airshow Insider and be the first to get updates!
Please Note: Performers are subject to change or cancellation without notice. If there are any changes, we’ll do our best to let you know. Thank you!
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
The Thunderbirds perform for crowds all over the world with the mission to display the pride, precision and professionalism of the men and women of the United States Air Force. Returning to Sacramento for the first time since 2015, the Thunderbirds will thrill crowds with each demonstration that combines years of training and experience and what the Thunderbirds describe as “an attitude of excellence” to showcase the Air Force.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon jets blaze through the sky, flying only a few feet apart from wingtip to wingtip. It gets loud and proud as Thunderbird solo pilots show of their skills as well as the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon – the Air Force’s premier multi-role fighter jet. Get ready Sacramento!
F-35 Lightning II
www.airforceheritageflight.org
CCA is excited to welcome back the iconic Air Force Heritage Flight! For the first time ever at Mather Airport watch the P-51 Mustang fly side by side with the US Air Force’s most advanced and sophisticated multi-role fighter, the F-35 Lightning!
The F-35 is the U.S. Air Force’s latest fifth-generation fighter. It will eventually replace the U.S. Air Force’s F-16 Fighting Falcons and A-10 Thunderbolt II’s, which have been the primary fighter aircraft for more than 20 years. It brings with it an enhanced capability to survive in the advanced threat environment in which it was designed to operate. With its aerodynamic performance and advanced integrated avionics, the F-35 provides next-generation stealth, enhanced situational awareness, and reduced vulnerability for the United States and allied nations.
The legendary P-51 Mustang dominated the skies over Western Europe after it was introduced in World War II. The single-seat aircraft had a maximum speed of 437 miles per hour and could escort heavy bombers deep into the heart of Germany.
Together, these aircraft will perform to honor the contributions of every man and woman who served in the USAF while sharing the importance of the US Air Force and its mission.
Gene Soucy - Grumman Ag Cat
The legendary Gene “Mr. Airshow” Soucy, tears up the sky in the ShowCat! Hear the roar of the monstrous Pratt & Whitney engine as Gene thrills with a combination of smoke, noise, and aerobatic elegance. Hold your breath as he recovers the airplane using his trademark one-wheel landing.
Don’t miss his night performance…
With fireworks mounted on wingtips, this act will send chills down your spine as Gene “Mr. Airshow” Soucy performs a spell-binding display against the night sky.
Canadian Forces F-18 Hornet Demo
www.rcaf-arc.forces.gc.ca/en/cf-18-demo-team/index.page
It’s gonna get loud! Get ready as our friends to the north, the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), rip through the skies of Sacramento in the custom painted CF-18 Hornet. (Its twin engines generate enough thrust to lift 24 full-size pick-up trucks off the ground!)
One of just a few stops in the US, the CF-18 Demonstration Team comes to Mather Airport to wow audiences with the power, speed and capability of this legendary jet.
U.S. Army Golden Knights
www.goarmy.com/events/golden-knights.html
Get ready to for a skydiving performance from the world-class Golden Knights! Since 1962, the Golden Knights have conducted more than 16,000 shows in 50 states and 48 countries. They’ve earned the U.S. Army 2,148 gold, 1,117 silver, and 693 bronze medals in national and international skydiving competitions, and have broken 348 world records! The team will join us at Mather Airport for two thrilling daytime performances and a jump in the night show that will have you on the edge of your seat until the moment they touch ground.
Matt Younkin - Beech 18
Help us welcome the award winning Matt Younkin and his Beech 18 as they bring one of the most unusual acts on the airshow circuit to Sacramento. The Beech 18 was never designed for aerobatic flight, however, in Matt’s hands it executes a series of Cuban eights, point-rolls and even loops! You won’t want to miss the “Elephant Waltz” in which Matt rocks the wings of this huge transport more than 90 degrees with the landing gear and flaps extended!
Don’t miss his night performance…
Matt Younkin thrills audiences with the world’s only nighttime aerobatic display in a Beech 18. Equipped with 17 spotlights and 13 strobes, the top this huge transport airplane lights up the night sky. Smoke, noise, choreography, and an incredible musical score, captivates audiences in this one-of-a-kind performance!
Shockwave Jet Truck
Picture a Semi Truck speeding down an open runway…racing an airplane. Who wins? When the truck is propelled by 3 jet engines wit 21,000 pound of thrust at speed over 350 miles per hour, it could be a close call!
Shockwave Jet Truck is a custom-built race truck equipped with 3 huge J34-48 Pratt & Whitney Jet Engines originally out of the US Navy T2 Buckeye. The result is 36,000 of combined horsepower! Not only is Shockwave the most powerful truck in the world, it also holds the record speed for Semi Trucks at 376 mph! This performance is an assault to the senses. Flaming jet engines and smoke stacks, intense heat, bone-rattling noise and speed!
You won’t want to miss Shockwave’s night show performance as it lights up the darkness with flames, thunderous noise and a flash of speed that will jolt your senses!
Redline Airshows
Meet Jon Thocker and Ken Rieder! This dynamic duo makes up RedLine Airshows, one of CCA’s most thrilling civilian aerobatic performers to date! John and Ken fly a thrilling two-ship show that includes formation, opposing and inverted maneuvers that will leave you on the edge of your seat. RedLine Airshows one of the performers featured in both our weekend daytime airshow AND Friday night’s Airshow After Dark! By day you can witness the artistry of their precision flying and by night, take in a performance that lights up the skies over Mather Airport with heart-stopping aerobatics enhanced by luminescent flairs and showering pyrotechnics!
Matt Chapman - Embry-Riddle 330LX
Matt Chapman thrills millions of airshow fans each year with his heart-stopping, award-winning, internationally-recognized aerobatic skill! And we are thrilled to have him perform this year at the California Capital Airshow. His exciting career as a competitive aerobatic pilot led him to performing at airshows. Matt is a two-time winner of one of only five slots on the U.S. Unlimited Men’s Aerobatic Team. His other career highlights are many, including multiple international victories, a bronze medal at the 1998 World Aerobatic Championships and winning the coveted Hillard Trophy, which is awarded to the highest finishing U.S. pilot at the World Aerobatic Championships. Proudly sponsored by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Matt will amaze as he blisters the sky with aerobatic stunts in his Extra 330LX.
Stay tuned for more performer annoucements!
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