Pilots practice ahead of Kirtland Air Force Base's Air Fiesta this weekend
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After six years, Kirtland Air Force Base's Air Fiesta is back, and on Friday, they were out practicing for this weekend's event. 'You want to make sure that you've got your tactics down pat. You want to make sure that you know your routine is tight because this is the first air show in six years. You don't want to go out there and disappoint. We want everything to be perfect. We want precision out there,' said Chief of Media at the Kirtland Air Force Base Public Affairs Office, Robert Smith.
Base officials said this weekend's event was two years in the making, and although the fiesta hasn't happened in six years, they hope, after this year, to make it every two to three years: a chance for the general public to see the Air Force in action. 'Not everybody gets to see these things on a day-to-day basis,' said Smith.
From cargo planes to vintage planes, visitors can get an up-close look at powerful aircraft on the ground and in the sky. Smith added, 'For those of us on Kirtland, you see some of the cargo aircraft, but we don't see these fighter aircraft every day.'
With demonstrations of how the planes refuel mid-air and some big performances too, including the U.S. Army's parachute team, the Golden Knights.
The event is free to the public. Gates open at 8 a.m. and the event runs until 5 p.m. Visitors are asked to go to one of the park and ride locations, including the Isleta Amphitheater and Gateway Center on Gibson. 'All you do is park there, we get you here, have a great time, and then we'll bus you right back,' said Smith.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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