At a Glance:
◾Gates open at 9 a.m.
◾Opening ceremonies start at 10 a.m.
◾Admission and parking are free in designated areas.
◾Times and performances are subject to change.
WHAT TO KNOW: The #ThunderOverGeorgia2019 air show is going to be action packed this year! Make sure to bookmark www.robins.af.mil/airshow for all the latest – from performers to tips and parking. Mark your calendars now for Sept. 28 and 29, 2019. Find out more on the Robins Air Force Base website at: https://www.robins.af.mil, and you can follow the air show on Facebook at facebook.com/RobinsPublicAffairs.
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, GA. – For those traveling to see the Thunder Over Georgia Air Show Sept. 28 and 29, there will be so much more to see than the headlining act.
Although the 2019 Air Force Thunderbirds Demonstration Team is worth the trip alone, almost 20 other acts, coupled with Air Force and civilian aircraft static displays, music, food and more provide guests something to get excited about.
One such act is Matt Younkin and his Beech 18 performance.
One of the most unusual acts on the air show circuit, Younkin’s Beech 18 was never designed for aerobatic flight. That doesn’t mean it can’t, though.
Younkin’s performance is almost a mirror image of the one his father Bobby pioneered and flew for more than 15 years. It begins with a roll on takeoff followed by a series of Cuban eights, point-rolls and even a loop.
The conclusion is a dirty pass dubbed the Elephant Waltz in which Younkin rocks the transport’s wings more than 90 degrees with the landing gear and flaps extended.
The performance begins and ends to light-hearted music, which capitalizes on an overly obese airplane executing maneuvers that its designers and air show audience members alike never conceived possible.
As a contrast, the majority of the performance flows with beauty and grace to equally beautiful music and a special tribute to Bobby Younkin.
This is truly a show-stopping act and has been a major highlight in every air show it has participated in for years.
Editor’s note: All acts are subject to change.