RCAF 100th anniversary flight featured at Abbotsford Airshow, Aug. 9 to 11

The Abbotsford International Airshow returns this weekend, featuring appearances from the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the US Air Force F-22 Raptor and many more.

The show runs Aug. 9 to 11 at Abbotsford International Airport. Show times are 2:30 to 10 p.m. Friday and 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

The event includes the return of a 300,000-square-foot static display area featuring military and civilian aircraft.

Among the aircraft to be displayed are the USAF’s F-16 Fighting Falcon, A-10 Thunderbolt II and C-5M Super Galaxy; the RCAF’s CC-130J Hercules, CC-330 Husky, CC-177 Globemaster III, and CC-144 Challenger; and the USN P-8 Poseidon.

Also featured throughout the weekend are the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Zone, the Kids Zone, food trucks, craft beer tents and an autograph booth.

The airshow kicks off with the Twilight Show on Friday, featuring a combination of hot air balloons, drone light shows, the custom aircraft GhostWriter, pilot Kyle Fowler in his 1986 Long EZ and the CF-18 Hornet demo team.

A highlight of this year’s airshow is the return of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, scheduled to perform three times over the weekend – 6:30 p.m. on Friday and 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

The US Air Force F-22 Raptor demo team is another highlight, featured at 7:30 p.m. on Friday and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

A special feature of the weekend is a heritage flight celebrating the 100th anniversary of the RCAF. The formation features the current CF-18 Hornet alongside the Second World War-era P-40 Kittyhawk and Korean War-era T-33 Silver Star.

The flight is scheduled for 2:20 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Also as part of the weekend, an aviation workshop for women takes place Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Chinook Helicopters. Participants receive a free pass to the Twilight Show that night.

Registration and information for the workshop are available at abbotsfordairshow.com/aviation101

Carload passes (up to five guests) and vanload passes (up to eight guests) can be purchased for each day of the airshow and must be bought in advance. Carload tickets will not be sold at the gate.

Walk-in passes are available only on Saturday and Sunday. General admission (18 years and older) is $36 in advance or $60 at the gate. Youth admission (ages six to 17) is $18 in advance or $30. Kids five and younger are free.

Visit abbotsfordairshow.com for tickets and the full weekend schedule. A free app is also available on Google Play and the App Store.

AIRSHOW SHUTTLE

BC Transit and the City of Abbotsford have announced the return of the Airshow Shuttle, running Aug. 10 and 11.

The shuttle, which connects to Route 66 Fraser Valley Express, runs between 9:40 a.m. and 6:05 p.m.

The shuttle leaves from the Bourquin Exchange, with stops at Old Yale and Clearbrook, Maclure and Townline, and Highstreet Mall before arriving at the Abbotsford Airshow site.

The first three shuttles of the day depart Highstreetat 9:40, 10 and 10:20 a.m.

Transfers between the 66 FVX and the Airshow Shuttle, and other Central Fraser Valley services, are not valid.

A link to the full schedule and map can be found at bctransit.com/central-fraser-valley (click on the article under the “news” tab).