The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pulled off their traditional graduation flyover at the Air Force Academy on May 28, but the full aerial demonstration that was supposed to follow got scrubbed. Low cloud cover and safety concerns grounded the show—the second year in a row that bad weather has forced a cancellation of what’s normally one of the Air Force’s most iconic events.
Vice President JD Vance attended the Class of 2026 graduation ceremony as an honorary class member. More than 900 newly commissioned officers watched the Thunderbirds execute their signature hat-toss flyover, with pilots in F-16C/D Fighting Falcons successfully transiting Falcon Stadium right after the traditional cadet hat toss. But shortly before 11:25 a.m.—when the full 30-minute demonstration was set to begin—Academy leadership made the call. The weather was getting worse, and they couldn’t risk it.
“The airshow was canceled due to low cloud cover,” the U.S. Air Force Academy told KRDO and The Gazette. The National Weather Service had forecast overcast skies with a ceiling that sat dangerously low for high-performance jets. The Thunderbirds completed the hat-toss flyover, but the full demonstration—with the iconic Diamond formation and solo routines showcasing what the F-16 can really do—was deemed too risky.
Back-to-Back Weather Cancellations
This cancellation stings a bit more because it’s the second straight year. In 2025, the entire Thunderbirds flyover and demonstration were canceled. Yesterday’s version was slightly better—the flyover happened, the show didn’t—but still disappointing. According to the Nellis Air Force Base historian, these cancellations are genuinely rare. Only three USAFA Thunderbirds flyovers or demonstrations have been canceled since 2003, including the sequestration-driven shutdown in 2013 and the complete cancellation in 2025.
Thousands of spectators had gathered at watch parties across Colorado Springs, including a five-year tradition at Scheels All Sports on Interquest Parkway, where the store hosts free public viewing with food and entertainment. When the cancellation was announced shortly before noon, the parking lot crowd let out an audible groan.
Team and Aircraft Details
The Thunderbirds arrived in Colorado Springs on May 26 and ran survey missions the next day to check out the Academy airspace and weather patterns. Lt. Col. Alexander “Knight” Prevendar commands the 2026–2027 demonstration season as Thunderbird 1, leading a formation of F-16Cs and D-model trainers. The team flies 12 aircraft total—nine C-models with six for demonstration and three in reserve, plus three D-model trainers—capable of formation flying with wingtip-to-canopy spacing as tight as 18 inches.
The Thunderbirds have been showing up at Air Force Academy graduations for over six decades. Back-to-back weather cancellations? That’s genuinely unusual for the squadron. The aircraft themselves—1990s-era F-16s powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines—remain the gold standard for precision aerial demonstration.
Looking Ahead
The Thunderbirds have appearances lined up at Montgomery, New York (August 1–2), Rochester, New York (August 8–9), and Chicago, Illinois (August 15–16). Air show enthusiasts in those regions will get to see the full demonstration that Colorado Springs missed.
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