Cannon airshow attracts capacity crowd
Apr. 25—Cannon Air Force Base has convincing proof the region missed its airshows. Officials said a capacity crowd of 11,500 people were on the grounds by 12:45 p.m. Saturday for "Wings Over Cannon," the base's first airshow in five years.
They came despite blustery weather — and more wanted in. A line of cars stretched more than a mile away from Cannon in the westbound lanes of U.S. Route 60-84 when officials began turning them away.
Some vehicles pulled over in a wide spot off the highway to watch the aerial displays anyway.
1st Lt. Hannah Canales, chief of media operations for Cannon, said those who arrived early enough saw air-to-ground combat demonstrations of A-10C Thunderbolt II jets, nicknamed Warthogs, from Davis Monthan Air Force Base at Tucson, Ariz., the headline demonstration.
The crowd also saw an A-10C fly alongside a P-51 Mustang, a World War II propellor-driven fighter.
Other featured flights included demonstration flyovers from KC-135 Stratotankers out of March Air Force Base in Riverside, Calif., and a B-1B Lancer bomber out of Dyess Air Force Base near Abilene, Texas.
Cannon's own aircraft delivered aerial displays as well. These included an AC-130J Ghostrider, a big four-engine, propeller driven C-130 mounted with weapons; an MC-130J Commando II, a four-engine cargo plane; the U-28A Draco surveillance aircraft; and the CV-22 Osprey whose engines can shift from vertical orientation for hovering and spot landing, to horizontal for speed; as well as maneuvers by Special Tactics Airmen.
In addition, visitors were able to witness an MQ-9 Reaper drone in flight.
Visitors lined up to tour CV-22 and C-130 aircraft. Kids and parents lined up for opportunities to sit at the controls of big cargo planes, sleek jet aircraft and helicopters.
Kids and parents also saw educational displays in a science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) hall set up in one of Cannon's hangars.
In Clovis, residents could hear occasional booms from Cannon, seven miles west, which came from simulated bomb explosions.
Canales termed the capacity crowd "an exciting turnout."
"We are ecstatic about the overwhelming support we received from the local community," she stated in an email. "The 27th Special Operations Wing is always proud to educate our community about our mission and what the men and women of Cannon Air Force Base do in service to our country."
The maximum was determined by parking lots filling to capacity, she said.
"It would have been unsafe to allow people past our max capacity rate as it is our responsibility to ensure all visitors of Cannon Air Force Base are safe and secure while on the installation," she said.
In planning the air show, she said, "It was difficult to determine just how many people would attend but we are amazed and appreciative of the overwhelming support we received for Wings Over Cannon this year."
Past air shows, she said, have been scheduled for two days, not the one day allowed this year.
"This was Cannon Air Force Base's first airshow since 2018," Canales said. "Now that we're back in a state of normalcy after COVID-19, we will look to create a normal rhythm of hosting airshows. Our Airshow Planning Committee will be capturing lessons learned to apply to our next airshow."
