High on the Plains: Capacity crowd enjoys flyovers, festivities at Cannon AFB air show

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. — West Texans and Eastern New Mexicans enjoyed a rare treat this weekend: an air show offering up-close looks and demonstrations of some of the specialized aircraft the U.S. Air Force houses right in their backyard to keep the nation safe.

"Wings Over Cannon" hosted hundreds of civilians Saturday at the air base right outside of Clovis, reaching maximum capacity by early afternoon. The event was free and the first at the base since 2018.

The air show featured flyovers and demonstrations of a number of aircraft, including the Amarillo-manufactured CV-22 Osprey. Headlining the show was the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team, commanded and piloted by self-proclaimed adrenaline junkie Capt. Lindsay "MAD" Johnson.

Johnson, who files her "Warthog" at more than 20 air shows around the country every year, says her 12-member team plays a critical role in not only recruiting and inspiring future and current airmen, but also encouraging young people to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math).

"Our mission is to come out here and show young men and women … that they could go out and achieve whatever dream it is that they want," Johnson said. "So, it's for these guys that are on the team, to help inspire them to keep staying in the Air Force, seeing the awesome opportunities that we have … or, for us to go out and find young men and women that want to join the military or give back to their country in some way, at least."

Other attractions included a capabilities exercise, showcasing the special operations airpower based at Cannon. During the demo, air crew members aerially refueled a CV-22 Osprey with an MC-130J Commando II, then landed two of those ospreys in simulated enemy territory to practice rescuing the crew of a downed aircraft.

Crew members also flew a Cannon-based MQ-9 Reaper drone over the crowd, showing off its advanced surveillance and weapons systems. In addition, U.S. Air Force Academy cadets performed a glider flight, and patrons could check out numerous static displays, including an F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.

A unique opportunity for the community, the air show was a success; aerial demonstrations began at noon, and by 1 p.m. MT, Cannon officials announced the air show had reached capacity.

This article originally appeared on Lubbock Avalanche-Journal: Capacity crowd enjoys flyovers, festivities at Cannon AFB air show