After more than 30 years, the Thunderbirds came roaring back to Pueblo for an airshow this weekend that will also feature historic and experimental aircraft, including a P-51 and a mini jet. 

As the F-16 jets practiced their formations over the plains Friday afternoon, spectators packed the parking lot and frontage roads east of town. 

The nonprofit organizing the show, Wings of Pride, picked Pueblo for the show in part because of the large military presence in the region, including the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, said spokeswoman Jade Darling. 

“We felt that Pueblo would be the perfect spot for an airshow,” she said. 

Most of the F-16 demonstration team also got its initial flight training just down the road from Pueblo Memorial Airport at the CAE Pueblo Training Center, so it was a “full circle” moment for some to come back, she said. 

As part of its visit, the Thunderbird team honored Widefield High School science teacher Laura Smith, who saved a student’s life after he collapsed on the soccer field, as a hometown hero. 

Since she saved the player’s life through CPR and an automated external defibrillator machine in 2023, he’s been cleared to play soccer again, she said. 

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the show will feature Tom Larkin and his mini jet. Like a go-cart in the sky, it’s one-third the weight of an IndyCar and travels 100 miles faster, he said. 

 At only 16 feet long and 500 pounds, for the pilot flying the jet it feels like wearing a plane, Larkin said.

It also captures the attention of the youngest members of the crowd, who see themselves flying it. 

“We do this to try and capture the imagination of the next generation of pilots,” he said. 

Lit up with 184 feet of LEDs, at night the tiny craft has been mistaken for a UFO or a meteor hitting an airport, he said. 

At the other end of the scale, Jeff Shetterly’s SNJ-6 weighs in at more than 2.5 tons loaded and was used to train Navy pilots from 1945 to 1956.

Since it was made for military training it’s capable of fighter plane maneuvers, and so Shetterly works to demonstrate those capabilities in the shows to honor the generations that flew the plane when they were training hard. 

It’s like a “nimble elephant” in the sky, among the much smaller gazelles, Shetterly said. 

His brother, Joe Shetterly, a former Air Force A-10 pilot, will also appear in the show flying an RV-8, a common kit-build plane, that he flies to the edge of its abilities. 

A common reaction to his portion of the show is “I had no idea my airplane could do that,” Joe Shetterly said. 

Organizers are expecting a healthy crowd, but they don’t expect to pack the Pueblo airport, Darling said. 
The shows start at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and the gates open at 9 a.m. Tickets are available at Pueblowingsofpride.com.

After more than 30 years, the Thunderbirds came roaring back to Pueblo for an airshow this weekend that will also feature historic and experimental aircraft, including a P-51 and a mini jet.

As the F-16 jets practiced their formations over the plains Friday afternoon, spectators packed the parking lot and frontage roads east of town.

The nonprofit organizing the show, Wings of Pride, picked Pueblo for the show in part because of the large military presence in the region, including the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, said spokeswoman Jade Darling.

“We felt that Pueblo would be the perfect spot for an airshow,” she said.

Most of the F-16 demonstration team also got its initial flight training just down the road from Pueblo Memorial Airport at the CAE Pueblo Training Center, so it was a “full circle” moment for some to come back, she said.

As part of its visit, the Thunderbird team honored Widefield High School science teacher Laura Smith, who saved a student’s life after he collapsed on the soccer field, as a hometown hero.

Since she saved the player’s life through CPR and an automated external defibrillator machine in 2023, he’s been cleared to play soccer again, she said.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the show will feature Tom Larkin and his mini jet. Like a go-cart in the sky, it’s one-third the weight of an IndyCar and travels 100 miles faster, he said.

At only 16 feet long and 500 pounds, for the pilot flying the jet it feels like wearing a plane, Larkin said.

It also captures the attention of the youngest members of the crowd, who see themselves flying it.

“We do this to try and capture the imagination of the next generation of pilots,” he said.

Lit up with 184 feet of LEDs, at night the tiny craft has been mistaken for a UFO or a meteor hitting an airport, he said.

At the other end of the scale, Jeff Shetterly’s SNJ-6 weighs in at more than 2.5 tons loaded and was used to train Navy pilots from 1945 to 1956.

Since it was made for military training it’s capable of fighter plane maneuvers, and so Shetterly works to demonstrate those capabilities in the shows to honor the generations that flew the plane when they were training hard.

It’s like a “nimble elephant” in the sky, among the much smaller gazelles, Shetterly said.

His brother, Joe Shetterly, a former Air Force A-10 pilot, will also appear in the show flying an RV-8, a common kit-build plane, that he flies to the edge of its abilities.

A common reaction to his portion of the show is “I had no idea my airplane could do that,” Joe Shetterly said.

Organizers are expecting a healthy crowd, but they don’t expect to pack the Pueblo airport, Darling said.

The shows start at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday and the gates open at 9 a.m. Tickets are available at Pueblowingsofpride.com.

After more than 30 years, the Thunderbirds came roaring back to Pueblo for an airshow this weekend that will also feature historic and experimental aircraft, including a P-51 and a mini jet.

As the F-16 jets practiced their formations over the plains Friday afternoon, spectators packed the parking lot and frontage roads east of town.

The nonprofit organizing the show, Wings of Pride, picked Pueblo for the show in part because of the large military presence in the region, including the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, said spokeswoman Jade Darling.

“We felt that Pueblo would be the perfect spot for an airshow,” she said.

Most of the F-16 demonstration team also got its initial flight training just down the road from Pueblo Memorial Airport at the CAE Pueblo Training Center, so it was a “full circle” moment for some to come back, she said.

As part of its visit, the Thunderbird team honored Widefield High School science teacher Laura Smith, who saved a student’s life after he collapsed on the soccer field, as a hometown hero.

Since she saved the player’s life through CPR and an automated external defibrillator machine in 2023, he’s been cleared to play soccer again, she said.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the show will feature Tom Larkin and his mini jet. Like a go-cart in the sky, it’s one-third the weight of an IndyCar and travels 100 mph, he said.

At only 16 feet long and 500 pounds, for the pilot flying the jet it feels like wearing a plane, Larkin said.

It also captures the attention of the youngest members of the crowd, who see themselves flying it.

“We do this to try and capture the imagination of the next generation of pilots,” he said.

Lit up with 184 feet of LEDs, at night the tiny craft has been mistaken for a UFO or a meteor hitting an airport, he said.

At the other end of the scale, Jeff Shetterly’s SNJ-6 weighs in at more than 2.5 tons loaded and was used to train Navy pilots from 1945 to 1956.

Since it was made for military training, it’s capable of fighter plane maneuvers, and so Shetterly works to demonstrate those capabilities in the shows to honor the generations that flew the plane when they were training hard.

It’s like a “nimble elephant” in the sky, among the much smaller gazelles, Shetterly said.

His brother, Joe Shetterly, a former Air Force A-10 pilot, also will appear in the show flying an RV-8, a common kit-build plane, that he flies to the edge of its abilities.

A common reaction to his portion of the show is “I had no idea my airplane could do that,” Joe Shetterly said.

Organizers are expecting a healthy crowd but don’t expect to pack the Pueblo airport, Darling said.

The shows start at 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday, and the gates open at 9 a.m. Tickets are available at Pueblowingsofpride.com.