It’s time to break out the comfortable clothes, sunglasses and sunscreen, because on October 21-22, 2006, the Wings Over Houston Airshow will occupy the sky over Ellington Field. This family fun event is filled with an exciting list of amazing performers, attractions and displays. This year, the annual Wings Over Houston Airshow will welcome back the United States Air Force’s (USAF) fleet of aerobatic aircraft known as the Thunderbirds as the principal act for the 2006 lineup. Their demonstration will feature a mix of six aircraft, performing formation flying and solo routines, which will emphasize the maximum capabilities of the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

© Houston Airport System Last year's Wings Over Houston Airshow was a great success . This year, organizers are hoping for a repeat performance.

Also, for the first time in the history of any U.S. high-performance military jet team, the 2006 USAF Thunderbird team will include a female pilot, Maj Nicole Malachowski. She will be flying Thunderbird aircraft number three in the right-wing slot of the diamond formation that will be presented on Saturday and Sunday, October 21-22, 2006 at Houston’s joint-use civil/military airport, Ellington Field.

Another stirring performance that many military aircraft fanatics look forward to is the World War II (WWII) airpower demonstration, which recreates many famous battles from WWII with prop-driven aircraft from the round-engine era. Tora! Tora! is a favorite act, as well as the reenactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor and flying feats of WWII trainer, fighter and bomber aircraft, all of which will be featured at the 2006 Wings Over Houston Airshow.

“We are very excited to once again be hosting this spectacular event,” said Perry Miller, airport manager for Ellington Field. “The community loves this event and it has truly become a staple of Ellington Field’s identity.”

Attendance at this annual event ranges anywhere between 60,000 to 90,000, said Janis Roach, spokeswoman for the Wings Over Houston Airshow. Last year, despite a very active hurricane season more than 60,000 individuals attended the airshow event.

“There are a lot of regulars that keep coming back each year, but there are also a lot of people that are new to the area and are coming to it for the first time,” Roach said. “It’s a great family event – we have a kid’s area setup and the performances are just amazing.”

Among the other aircraft scheduled to perform at the Wings Over Houston Airshow event are the U.S. Coast Guard’s Dauphine Helicopters, the Apache Attack Helicopter, the Texas Air National Guard’s F-16s, the RE/MAX Skydiving Team, Paul Fiala’s Barnstormer and the Disabled American Veterans’ B-25 Outreach Program.

Ticket holders will also have a chance to tour huge cargo planes such as the “Hurricane Hunter” KC-135. All types of helicopters, training aircraft and experimental planes will also be available for tours.

“It will be hot so make sure and pack your sunscreen,” Roach recommended.

As one of Houston’s largest non-profit civic events, the Wings Over Houston Airshow’s proceeds will be used to sponsor the Wings Over Houston Scholarship Program for area students studying careers in aviation.

For more information on the Wings Over Houston Airshow, please visit www.wingsoverhouston.com .

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