Government shutdown halts US military planes at Pacific Airshow
Military planes will not be at Pacific Airshow
Due to the government shutdown, the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach will look a little different this year.
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. - The Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach will not feature active U.S. military aircraft this year due to the ongoing government shutdown.
While this is a significant change from last year's show, which featured modern U.S. jets and other military planes, event organizers have confirmed that the airshow will still proceed as planned with a full schedule of domestic and international performances.
All active U.S. military aircraft grounded
What we know:
Due to the government shutdown, the U.S. military has grounded all active aircraft, preventing them from participating in this year's Pacific Airshow.
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This includes modern jets like the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, and A-10 Thunderbolt, which performed at last year's event.
The airshow is scheduled to take place from October 3-5, from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Government shutdown halts US military planes at Pacific Airshow
The Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach will not feature active U.S. military aircraft this year due to the ongoing government shutdown.
'World-class domestic and international performances'
What they're saying:
Event organizers have confirmed that the airshow will continue as scheduled.
In a statement, they wrote, "While this is certainly disappointing news, we are excited to share that Pacific Airshow Huntington Beach will continue as scheduled this Friday through Sunday with an outstanding lineup of world-class domestic and international performances."
This means the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor and A-10 Thunderbolt won't be included this year.
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"Fans can look forward to full days of thrilling performances, exciting activations, and the one-of-a-kind camaraderie and beach party atmosphere that Pacific Airshow is known for. We can't wait to welcome you to the beach for another unforgettable weekend."
Canadian Forces Snowbirds, UK Royal Air Force Falcons still scheduled
What's next:
The airshow will still feature a variety of performances despite the absence of active U.S. military aircraft.
The lineup includes the Canadian Forces Snowbirds, the United Kingdom Royal Air Force Falcons, an aerobatic helicopter performance, and World War II-era bombers such as the B-29 Superfortress and the B-25 Mitchell.
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Tickets and more information are available online.
Government shutdown day 2
What we know:
Thursday is Day 2 of the shutdown, and already the dial is turned high. The aggressive approach coming from the Trump administration is what certain lawmakers and budget observers feared if Congress, which has the responsibility to pass legislation to fund government, failed to do its work and relinquished control to the White House.
Trump's budget chief, Russell Vought, in a private conference call with House GOP lawmakers Wednesday afternoon, told them of layoffs starting in the next day or two.
It’s an extension of the Department of Government Efficiency work under Elon Musk that slashed through the federal government at the start of the year.
Trump and the congressional leaders are not expected to meet again soon.
Congress has no action scheduled Thursday in observance of the Jewish holy day, with senators due back Friday.
The House is set to resume session next week.
The Source: This report is based on a statement from Pacific Airshow organizers, who confirmed the event will continue as scheduled despite the absence of U.S. military aircraft. Information about the aircraft lineup was also provided by the event organizers and their official website. The Associated Press contributed.