The Pacific Airshow returned to Huntington Beach for three days of aviation performances and aerobatic flights over the shore.
The airshow, which took place Sept. 30 to Oct. 2, is the largest in the world by attendance—last year’s event brought in around 3 million people to the area.
Organized by Huntington Beach-based Code Four, the event generated north of $100 million for Orange County’s economy in 2019—thanks in part to full hotels, restaurants and parking lots—according to an economic impact report commissioned by destination marketing organization Visit Huntington Beach.
This year’s airshow featured performances by the U.S. Airforce Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Golden Knights. Performers from the Australian military also attended; the event is expanding to the Gold Coast under a recently struck deal by Code Four.
This year’s event featured the most performers ever in the demonstrations line-up, such as the Red Bull Air Force, Aaron Fitzgerald flying an aerobatic helicopter, a MiG-17 in a simulated dogfight, and the debut of the electric BlackFly vehicle.
Code Four
Planning an airshow is not a typical event, according to Code Four director Kevin Elliott, whose firm employs about 65 full-time staff.
The weekend required focus on multiple spaces other than airspace, including the water and the sand. While the majority of the beach and surrounding areas were open to spectators, the city’s pier and several miles of sand were sectioned off for general admission and special tents ranging from $25 to $200.
Each area was overseen by airshow support staff and volunteers.
“This is the year for us to put the train back on the tracks,” Elliott said prior to the airshow. After being canceled in 2020 and an oil spill canceling the third day of the event last year, Elliott saw 2022 as a reset and a springboard for the future.
“We’re looking to get a successful show on the belt,” he said.
Aerospace Partners
The aviation event pulls in help from various partners apart from the city and Code Four.
A major sponsor is Boeing through its local offices in Huntington and Seal Beach. The 100-year aerospace company has been involved since the airshow’s first year.
Boeing also uses the event as an opportunity to show a variety of aircraft. This year included a B-52, a 767, a F-18, the C-17 and more flying in the show.
“With each wow factor, we hope that we are inspiring the future,” said Barbara Mason, the deputy program manager of Boeing’s Huntington Beach operations.
The company reports over 12,400 employees in the state with a majority in Southern California.
“Events like this help employees feel more connected to the community,” Tamika Lang, senior manager of government operations for Boeing, told the Business Journal.
Another major partner for the Pacific Airshow is the Lyon Air Museum next to John Wayne Airport, where many of the planes depart and are stationed before the performances during the weekend. The military teams operated out of the army base in Los Alamitos.
The museum is named after the late General William Lyon, a major general of the United States Air Force and founder of Newport Beach-based William Lyon Homes.
The museum’s chief executive, Mark Foster, noted the museum’s own B-25 Mitchell Bomber “Guardian of Freedom” made a trip to Huntington Beach this year.
“It’s good for the residents to have something in their own backyard that’s on a world-scale,” Foster told the Business Journal.
Other partners of the Pacific Airshow include abc7, the Anaheim Ducks and
FedEx.
