Flights and sounds of California Capital Airshow — Italians dazzle in skies, C-5 wows on tarmac

Pilots, aviation enthusiasts and future flyers were in the clouds this weekend at Mather Airport.

The 18th annual California Capital Airshow kicked off Saturday with new and familiar planes on display, as well as performances from American and Italian military jets. The event continues with an afternoon and evening schedule Sunday.

Over 1,000 volunteers helped pull together the two-day event full of aviation experiences and performances, with a dazzling pyrotechnical finale sequence to close out the night, according to Darcy Brewer, executive director of the air show.

“10 days ago, this ramp was nothing but empty concrete,” Brewer said. “Look at it now, it’s alive.”

Up close and personal with jets

Among small general aviation planes and huge cargo jets, a Lockheed C-5 Galaxy brought to Mather by crews from Travis Air Force Base was a popular attraction for visitors.

The base has worked with the air show for roughly 20 years to bring the C-5 to the public, according to Travis Cratty, an aircraft commander for the C-5.

Cratty said one of the best parts of his job was getting to showcase the plane to the public and letting them see exactly where their tax money goes.

“I wish more people knew (being a C-5 pilot) is not just a going-to-war capability, it’s humanitarian relief,” he said. “We can help out natural disasters — we can go to Haiti and help with earthquakes, we can take water filtration systems to Hawaii and help with any contaminated water they might have.”

Aviation fans Ansel Lim and Justin Kim drove from the East Bay to attend the air show on Saturday, and the pair enjoyed experiencing the C-5 in a new way.

Lim said that at all the other air shows he had been to in the past, the flight deck and cockpit of the military jet had been off limits, but at Mather, crews were inside the flight deck chatting with attendees and answering their questions.

According to Cratty, small groups of people are allowed to enter the cockpit every 10 minutes, and the line to enter lasts the whole day, sometimes spanning the length of the jet’s belly and sticking out the end.

“It’s pretty worth the drive,” Lim said.

Colorful performances

Frecce Tricolori, the acrobatic performance branch of Italy’s air force, headlined the weekend with its nine aircraft performing graceful maneuvers while emitting smoke in the colors of the Italian flag. The Italian performance is a sharp juxtaposition from the powerful show the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds put on just before, with six F-16s screaming over the crowd at just under the speed of sound.

Still, the crowds near Rancho Cordova welcomed the foreign troops warmly, with “oohs” and cheers erupting from the crowd whenever the smoke streaks colored the sky red, white and green against a background of Andrea Bocelli opera music.

Other performances before and after the Thunderbirds and Frecce Tricolori include aerial demonstrations by the Navy, the Air Force’s C-17 and F-35s, and more.

To wrap up the night, there was a massive pyrotechnics show that includes 500 drones, fireworks, explosions, parachuters producing sparks and an acrobatic plane shooting off fireworks, which all honored this year’s partnership between California and Italy.

After their performance, the Thunderbirds and Frecce Tricolori signed autographs and chatted with members of the public.

Lauren Godshall, an attendee who brought her two kids to the show, said it felt like the whole team took the time to make each interaction with young aviation enthusiasts personal, engaging them in conversation and asking questions.

“It was really fun getting to know (the pilots’) names and what they did,” said Markie, her daughter.

Matt and Erica Morris attended the Capital Airshow for the first time with their family, and the children left even more excited about aviation than when they arrived.

“For the kids, it was neat (to meet the pilots),” Erica said.

Matt said one of his young children, Ian, said he was “inspired” by the Thunderbirds and Frecce Tricolori, and wanted to fly planes one day.

“I didn’t even know he knew the word inspired,” Matt said. “(The show was) a cool way to see the Air Force and see what they do. We’ll be back.”’

How to attend the air show

The air show continues through Sunday with the same lineup as Saturday. Parking gates at Mather Airport open at 3:30 p.m., and the performances kick off around 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are only available online , and general admission tickets for visitors ages 16 and up are $50, children aged 15 and under get in free. Parking is included in the price and each ticketed adult may bring up to six children. Upgraded tickets are available for Sunday between $65 and $200 each.

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