The U.S. Navy Blue Angels touched down at Dayton International Airport on June 11. They’re officially here for the 52nd-anniversary CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show on June 13–14, 2026. Six F/A-18E/F Super Hornets circled overhead before landing around 9:30 a.m., and spectators lined North Dixie and McCauley drives to catch the iconic formation’s approach to Ohio’s birthplace of aviation.
It’s a headline performance that underscores what organizers are calling a stacked roster—one built to celebrate America’s 250th birthday in the city that gave the world the Wright Brothers. The 2026 show will feature the USAF F-22 Raptor Demo Team, an F-35 demonstration, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, and a robust warbird lineup including the P-51 Mustang “Quicksilver” and F4U Corsair “Korean War Hero” from the Class of ’45.
Eight Decades of Excellence — Now in Year 6 of the Super Hornet
The Blue Angels arrive as the Navy’s marquee ambassadors heading into their 80th anniversary season. The demonstration team has flown before more than 450 million spectators worldwide, and they’re currently in their sixth consecutive year operating the F/A-18 Super Hornet platform—Boeing’s most advanced carrier-capable fighter. For the demo mission, the jets undergo specific modifications: the internal M61 cannon gets removed, a smoke generator installed, and specialized flight control software loads the aircraft for precision close-formation flying.
Leading the 2026 season is CAPT Adam “Gilligan” Bryan as Flight Leader and Commanding Officer, with LT Cam “Starlazer/Hatfish” Schneider as Right Wing. The team also includes Lt. Ronny Hafeza, one of the demonstration pilots who visited Dayton in December 2025 to help plan the show, alongside CDR Lilly Montana, Events Coordinator for the 2025–26 season.
“It is special to be here,” Montana said during that pre-show visit. “There’s so much aviation history here, and we’re excited to share that history next year.”
A New Spectator Experience on the Show Grounds
Show organizers are rolling out an upgrade for 2026: four to five large monitors positioned across the Dayton International Airport show grounds will broadcast live flight feeds and pilot radio traffic. Guests can follow the action while visiting food vendors or viewing static displays—a recognition that not every spectator wants to plant themselves in a grandstand seat for eight hours straight.
Gates open at 9 a.m. on both Saturday, June 13, and Sunday, June 14. Flying starts around 10 a.m., with gates closing at 6 p.m. each day. About 75,000 spectators are expected to attend, drawn by the Blue Angels’ return to Dayton after their last performance there on June 23, 2024.
A Tradition Alternates — What Comes Next
The Dayton Air Show rotates its headline jet act between the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds annually. The 2025 show featured the Thunderbirds; with the Blue Angels taking the spotlight this year, the Thunderbirds are expected back in 2027. This alternating tradition has been a cornerstone of the show’s appeal since its modern revival—with notable exceptions for the 2016 Blue Angels grounding following a June 2 crash, and the 2020 pandemic cancellation.
The show’s roots trace back to 1910 and the Wright Company. It remains the only venue in America where visitors can stand on the tarmac of the birthplace of aviation while watching fifth-generation fighters cut the sky.
Tickets and full performer details are available at daytonairshow.com.
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