The 2017 Aviation Roundup air show officially took place on October 7-8 in Carson Valley at the Minden-Tahoe Airport with a list of stellar performers! Highlighting the air show acts were the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds as the headliner, the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, Canadian CF-18 Hornet, and much more.

Gates opened at 10:30 am so the crowd could visit a variety static displays and tents. The weather was perfectly sunny both days, but Saturday was nice and warm while Sunday was very cold and windy.

Flying activities officially started at noon with the opening ceremonies. The U.S. Army Golden Knights would perform for the start of the show with a full demonstration later on in the day. On Sunday, the team had to cancel their jumping routine due to the heavy winds, which lead to a 30 minute gap in between performers for spectators to take a break before flying resumed.

There was a good amount of aerobatic performers at the show this year. The list included Rob Holland in his MXS-RH Ultimate Aerobatics aircraft, Jacquie B in her Extra 300, former F-4 Heritage Flight pilot Jerry "Jive" Kerby in his RV Wild Blue Rodeo RV, and Bob Carlton in his Super Salto Jet Sailplane.

A major highlight was the Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet Demo Team making their first ever appearance in Carson Valley. Every year the team has a new theme and this year's commemorated the 150th Anniversary for the nation of Canada. The CF-18 demo jet featured a very special red paint job with a large maple leaf on the top to celebrate the special anniversary. Piloting the jet was Capt. Matthew "Glib" Kutryk. In his routine, Capt. Kutryk showcased the many manoeuvres of the CF-18 in a demo that included the many capabilities of the jet and dedication to 150 years of Canada. This weekend marked the end of the 2017 season for the team as next year will feature a new pilot and theme.

Concluding the air show was the U.S. Air Force Aerial Demonstration Team the Thunderbirds. This marked one of only two of their performances this year in the state of Nevada. They were the headline act of the last show in 2015 and fans were glad they made their return to Carson Valley. This time, they were able to stage their jets at the show. It was a great opportunity for the crowd to witness the ground action that took place prior to the flying demonstration. Lead by Lt. Col. Jason Heard, the Thunderbirds showcased their many flight routines which included formation flights, formation breaks, solo head on passes, and solo sneak passes. After their aerial performance was finished, the team walked over to the crowd line to meet fans and sign autographs.

After the flying portion of the show concluded, spectators were able to continue visiting the static displays and tents that were available to see prior to gates closing at 5:00 pm. Special thanks to the organizers, volunteers, performers, and attendees who all made the 2017 Aviation Roundup a success!

Flying display participants:

U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds
U.S. Navy F/A-18 VFA-122 TAC Demo Team
Canadian Forces CF-18 Hornet Demo Team
U.S. Army Golden Knights (Sunday performance cancelled)
F4U Corsair Solo Display
Rob Holland Ultimate Airshows
Jacquie B Airshows
Jerry “Jive” Kerby Wild Blue Rodeo
Bob Carlton Super Salto Jet Sailplane
Smoke ’n’ Thunder Jet Truck

Static aircraft

(2) F-5E Tiger II - VFC-13 “Saints,” NAS Fallon, NV
C-130H Hercules - 152nd AW “High Rollers,” Reno ANGB, NV
CH-47 Chinook - Nevada Army National Guard
P-51D Mustang “Man-o-War,” - CAF SoCal Wing
F6F Hellcat - CAF SoCal Wing
Yaklovev Yak-3 - CAF SoCal Wing
B-25 Mitchell “Executive Sweet,” - CAF SoCal Wing

Thunderbirds F-16 Fighting Falcon Mock-Up