FORT IRWIN, Calif. — Dozens of people at the National Training Center and Fort Irwin watched in awe on Oct. 10 as planes and jets took over the sky for the first ever “hybrid” air show put on by Edwards Air Force Bases’ 412th Test Wing.
Edwards organized a hybrid show since COVID-19 did not allow for any large gatherings to be held to watch the air show. To accommodate the guidelines set in place for the pandemic, Edwards decided to have virtual showcases and flyovers to allow everyone to view the air show from their homes.
The event took place on Oct. 9-10 and featured flyovers across several High Desert cities, including Fort Irwin, Victorville and Barstow.
On the Oct.10 show, pilots took off at Edwards Air Force Base and later would land at Fort Irwin.
The noise of the aircrafts took over the sky as they flew over the hundreds of people that watched out of their homes.
“That was the most awesome sound EVER!” Fort Irwin resident, Lesly Shults said, as other community members chimed in on the sights they were seeing overhead.
Others watched the event live on Facebook and YouTube and hit a total 266,795 views.
The air show showcased various types of aircraft like the F-16, F-22 and C-17, which was piloted by Lt. Col. Zack Schaffer, commander of the 418th Flight Test Squadron.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to fly more than 25 different airplanes in my career and the C-17 is my favorite,” Schaffer said.
The C-17 has a maximum takeoff weight of 585,000 pounds but still feels incredibly light.
“It’s easy to forget that you’re flying an airplane that can hold an Abrams tank,” Schaffer said.
Although the air show featured aircraft, it was also a way for the Air Force to present all the different options they have for careers.
They had NASA, test pilots and engineers give a breakdown of what their field entails by having the first four days of the air show feature online classes.
These classes had more than 13,000 signups and included hands-on experiments, lectures and personal testimonials from experts who use STEM every day.
“We’re agile, we’re innovative by nature,” Brig. Gen. Matthew Higher, 412th Test Wing and Edwards Air Force Base commander, said in an interview for the Edwards AFB Paper. “Our organizations are dynamic, and this air show is just another example of how we pivot when our nation needed us to and led the way.”
