Jets, sweat and cheers: Pacific Airshow blasts into Surf City

The NASA Freedom 250 F-5 jets do a fly by during the Pacific Airshow on Friday in Huntington Beach. (James Carbone) As of Friday afternoon, the high temperature in Huntington Beach was expected to hit 98 degrees on both Saturday and Sunday, and people who hit the sands there will certainly have things to see and hear.

A B-25 flies by the Huntington Beach Pier during the Pacific Airshow on Friday. (James Carbone) The Pacific Airshow, celebrating its 10th year, kicked off Friday and runs through Sunday.

The show is expected to be watched by more than one million ticketed and non-ticketed spectators — a number that director Kevin Elliott called a conservative estimate. It is the largest air show in the United States, in terms of attendance.

The Dawn Patrol Formation Team during the Pacific Airshow just south of the Huntington Beach Pier on Friday. (James Carbone) The show also offers a STEM Lab stage with meet and greets, signing sessions and more.

Friday’s Pacific Airshow schedule started with the United States Air Force Wings of Blue flag jump shortly before 10:30 a.m. The Air Force Thunderbirds typically close out the action after about 3 p.m.

Kids wave at the planes flying by during the Pacific Airshow on Friday in Huntington Beach. (James Carbone) NewsHuntington Beach Get our free TimesOC newsletter, sent twice a week, for the news that matters to your community.

Matt Szabo covers the city of Huntington Beach and sports for the Daily Pilot. A Southern California native and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo graduate, he has been working for L.A. Times Community News since 2006 and still loves talking to people about their hopes and dreams.