Flyover heralds a new attraction in town: the Surf City Airshow

The F-16 made several passes over the sands at Huntington Beach as the pilot, Maj. Scott Petz, scoped out the area to the delight of onlookers.

The fast-moving jet whirred loudly as it awed hundreds of residents Friday morning, leading to pictures and videos being posted on social media. Petz, who is with the Thunderbirds, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, gave the crowd a bonus by turning on the fighter aircraft’s smoke trail. It was all a preview of what’s to come.

Huntington Beach’s 3.5-mile open shoreline is home to several crowd-drawing events every year, including the U.S. Open of Surfing, the Surf City Marathon and the Kite Party, which all draw international participants. And in October, city officials are looking to add an airshow to that mix.

The inaugural Surf City Airshow is set for Oct. 22 and 23.

“It was a beautiful and clear California day,” Petz said after landing his jet at the Los Alamitos Joint Force Training Center’s airfield. “There were a few boats out there and not as much air traffic that I thought there would be, which is a good thing.”

The Thunderbirds will be joined in October by the Breitling Jet Team, the world’s largest professional civilian flight team; world champion aerobatic pilot Kirby Chambliss; the Red Bull Skydive Team; and other aerobatic flying teams.

Michael McCabe, president of airshow management company AirSupport LLC, was looking nationally for the next city to locate a large airshow. A member of his team suggested Huntington Beach, and in April 2015, his company approached city officials with the idea.

“There’s probably no better airshow venue in the United States,” McCabe said about Huntington Beach. “The massively long and wide beach, the big boulevard and the parking is just great.”

The last time Huntington Beach held an airshow at the beach was in the early 1990s, when the city’s pier was reopened after repairs, said Chris Cole, city specific events coordinator.

Cole said the city is looking forward to hosting yet another major event.

Though crowd control can be a big headache, the business brought to the city is a big incentive.

“It’ll be a very unique airshow,” Cole said. “We think within a couple of years, it could be one of the premier airshows in the country. It’s really good for us because it’s an off-season event, coming off the shoulders of busy summer season. Huntington Beach is already known for its famous events, and this airshow will make us more of a premier player, in terms of attractions and destinations.”

Much still needs to be done before October. On Friday, McCabe was to meet with officials from the Huntington Beach police and fire departments, Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Joint Force Training Center to hash out safety details for the event.

McCabe said his company has been involved in extensive planning with the Federal Aviation Administration to prepare for airspace clearance at the beach.

“We have to work very carefully and diligently with them to allow them what they need to do on an everyday basis, which is to maintain and run the U.S. air traffic control system in the spectacular way that they do,” he said. “It’s very technically challenging, but we’re confident and hopeful that we can find a way to make this work.”