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Pilots put on a show over Huntington Beach as 3-day aerobatic festival opens

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The Lyon Air MuseumÕs C-47 Dakota flys over the crowd during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly in formation during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Matt Chapman, flying an Emby-Riddle Eagle II low-wing aerobatic monoplane, and Bill Stein, flying his Edge 540 make a heart during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Jeff Boerboon flying a Yak-110 passes over the Huntington Beach Pier during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Michael Wiskus flys Lucas OilÕs stunt plane ÒSuper Stinker,Ó during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly in formation during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Maj. Whit Collins in the #5 plane flys inverted over Maj. Matt Kimmel in the #6 during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The SOCOM Para-Commandos parachute during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Sheri Tarpnell from Utah holds her hand over her heart as a member of the The SOCOM Para-Commandos parachutes in during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Paul ÒStickyÓ Strickland flys an L-39 Demo jet during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly in formation during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Two of the The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly over the crowd during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Spectators gathered on the beach watch the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds fly overhead during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds make their final pass over the crowd during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Matt Chapman, flying an Emby-Riddle Eagle II low-wing aerobatic monoplane, and Bill Stein, flying his Edge 540 make patterns in the sky during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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A Port of Long Beach fire boat puts on a show during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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A member of The SOCOM Para-Commandos parachutes to the beach during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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A US Coast Guard helicopter puts on a search and rescue demonstration during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Jeff Boerboon flying a Yak-110 makes an inverted pass over during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
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Michele and Bill Couture from New Hampshire look to the skys during day one of The Great Pacific Airshow over Huntington Beach on Friday, October 19.  (Scott Smeltzer / Daily Pilot )
By Daily Pilot Staff
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Military and civilian jets performed in the sky over Huntington Beach on Friday for the opener of the three-day Great Pacific Airshow.

The third edition of the free show, originally called the Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow, is slated for 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday in the area of the Waterfront Beach Resort along Pacific Coast Highway.

Jeff Boerboon’s one-of-a-kind Yak 110 and the Air Force Thunderbirds’ sharp aerial maneuvers are expected to help draw more than 2 million visitors.

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Performers said Thursday that they were eager to showcase their unique gear and style and hoped to motivate at least one person to become a pilot.

People flocked to the beach Friday to snag a free spot or buy tickets for an upgraded viewing experience on the Huntington Beach Pier or in private spots on the sand. Some crowded balconies at the Waterfront Beach Resort to watch aerobatic pilots such as Matt Chapman and Greg “Wired” Colyer.

The air show returned this year with Huntington Beach resident Kevin Elliott as the new owner. His Huntington-based design company, Code Four, helped produce this year’s event.

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