Prairie skies are set to come alive as the airshow returns after 14 years.

4 hours of jam packed aerial demonstrations, as well as grounded planes, a beer garden and kids zone.

Colonel Denis O'Reilly at 15 Wing said he vividly remembers being inspired as a child.
"I remember as a kid going to the airshow, I remember the fighter aircraft ripping through the air. The experience of my body just shaking from the raw power. And at this airshow we've got the F-18 demo, the Hornet is coming. They do a square loop where they literally defy gravity and accelerate upwards at a thrust to weight ratio of greater than 2 to 1. It's an incredible machine. We've got the United States Airforce F-16 Viper coming. We've got some of the best civilian demonstration teams as well. Ken Peach and his Jelly Belly airplane, Yellow Thunder flying the original Harvards, which were the start of our pilot training here in Moose Jaw."

With a kids zone, food vendors, a beer garden and much more, it's sure to be an experience to remember.
"There's a lot of people behind the scenes to make this happen. Just think about getting the acts in. All of the requirements to support them. The parking. The vending. The first aid. Traffic management, the security, everything. We've thought about everything so we can provide the best customer experience. We're looking at the demographic of the very young to our more senior members, so we're looking at things like handicapped parking. Getting people in as quickly as we can. We're parking them as close as we can. We've got parking for up to 30,000 people. Of course the air show is going to happen, but the things that are really important to us is the customer experience. It's parking, it's bathrooms and it's food."

Returning after all these years, means just as much to the pilots as it does to their families.
"It's very special for them", said Col. O'Reilly. "Think about their children, their spouses, their friends, coworkers, school mates of Snowbird children. They're very proud of what their parents do, their moms and their dads on the team. They like to show it off. And we like to show it off. It's our way of opening our doors to the local community and saying thank you for all the years of support you give us. It's only once a year, and it's a big job, but it's worth it. If we can get everyone in to see what we do, and also enjoy the rich aviation tradition that 15 wing has going back to 1942, it's something to be very proud of and we should all celebrate it."

Capturing the thrill of flight, said Col. O'Reilly, is the experience that the airshow brings.
"The awesome power. Some of the most capable aircraft in the world will be on display. And don't forget, there's static aircraft on the ground as well."

The gates open at 9 am July 6th, and the airshow itself starts at noon.
"But there's at least 2 or 3 hours of stuff to do on the ground. There's going to be live music, the kids zone, the static display. A lot of military personnel out there. Go say hi, ask them what they do. It's a great way for us to combine as a military and civilian community in Moose Jaw."

Tickets are available online at saskairshow.ca.