The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Will Return to Owensboro in 2023

Breaking news this afternoon from the City of Owensboro and we are here for it. The Owensboro Air Show will be back in 2023 and will be headlined by one its most popular teams ever.

The Owensboro Air Show, by the way, is set for September 15th-17th, 2023. And, we're excited to announce that the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are coming back to town. The Thunderbirds were last in Owensboro back in September of 2015. Eight years later, they are set to make their triumphant return to the skies above the Owensboro riverfront. That news was confirmed earlier today by Tim Ross, who serves as the city's Director of Public Events.

This will be the second time in the Air Show's history that the Thunderbirds have headlined. Back in 2015, during their first appearance, I was invited to ride along with the team and it was one of the most insane experiences I've ever had. The flight was every single thing I thought it would be- fast, ferocious and friggin' awesome.

If you've ever wanted to know what it feels like to ride along with the Thunderbirds, check this out. Here's a video compilation from my ride. And, for the record, when you get to the part where I was playing with my cell phone, I was taking photos. I wasn't texting my friends. LOL!

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I'm not sure that video captures just how fast that jet was flying. I remember taking off from the Owensboro Regional Airport. We literally zipped down the runway, took off, went nose up and immediately blasted thousands of feet in the air. When we rolled out of the initial ascent, we were already over A.K. Steel in Rockport- literally in a matter of seconds. I couldn't believe it. It was absolutely crazy and incredible.

The speed and precision of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are mind-blowing. And, I'm excited to share, the team's going to be back in Owensboro in 2023 to blow even more minds.

Of course, the 2021 Owensboro Air Show was impressive as well. It was headlined by the Blue Angels and was one of the biggest shows in the history of the event. Here are some highlights.

25 Photos of the Blue Angels That Will Blow Your Mind

Chris Conley, who owns 270 Drones Aerial Imagery, captured these incredible photos of the Blue Angels during their practice run for the 2021 Owensboro Air Show in downtown Owensboro, Kentucky.