Location: Quonset State Airport, North Kingstown, RI

Admission: FREE

Parking: A $10 donation (optional)

The headliner of this year’s show was the Navy’s Flight Demonstration Team, the Blue Angels. After missing several shows due to safety concerns that led to a change in the leadership of the team, it was good to have the Blue Angels back to doing what they do best. Also on the show schedule were acclaimed aerobatic pilots Sean Tucker in the Oracle Challenger, former Unlimited National Aerobatic Champion Mike Goulian and the Air National Guard’s John Klatt. The amazing Red Bull aerobatic helicopter piloted by Chuck Aaron, the Geico Skytypers, the Air National Guard Flash Fire Jet Truck, the US Army Special Operations Command Black Daggers parachute demonstration team, a Grumman TBM Avenger, Viper East F-16 demonstration team and the Horsemen demonstration team flying F8 Bearcats also appeared in the jam-packed schedule. Rounding out the lineup and among the most crowd-pleasing of the demonstrations was the combined arms demonstration that included two C-130Js, a C-23 Sherpa, four Black Hawks and included troops and incredible pyrotechnics.

The organizers of this event do an exceptionally good job in keeping the event moving and the excellent narration of Rob Reider ensures the crowd stays informed. The tight flying schedule means that there is very little down time and always something to see in the air. However, it is easy to overlook many of the great static displays available. Most of the older aircraft are rolled over from the nearby Quonset Air Museum and include an F-14 Tomcat, an SH-3H Sea King, a Grumman C-1A Trader and a rare Curtis-Wright XF15C-1, just to name a few. Also on static display were modern military workhorses such as the C-5 Galaxy, the P-3 Orion, the T-38 Talon, a T-6 Texan II, the A-10 Warthog and a pair of F/A-18 Hornets from the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.

As with any air show, it is always recommended to arrive early and the Rhode Island show is certainly no exception. This year’s Sunday show drew such a huge crowd (possibly due to somewhat marginal weather the day before) that the parking lots were closed at around 1:00pm and those arriving after that point were turned away. This was reportedly the first time this has happened in the show’s 21 year history. Despite the large crowds, the volunteers and military personnel manning the show are always polite and professional. Vendors are plenty with prices for goods and food about what you would expect for an air show ($3 for water, $5 for a hamburger). Parking and entry to the show is a bargain since it is free, although there is a voluntary $10 donation that is collected at the entrance. The donation is for a good cause in that it goes to support the Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Port-a-potties and water stations are abundant throughout the venue and shade is available under any of the parked aircraft. For children (and even some adults) who may be attending, but who may lack the attention span to sit through an entire show, there are a multitude of inflatable amusements, a rock-climbing wall and even a laser tag and paintball area.