What to know about the Thunderbirds at U.S. Air Force Academy graduation
The graduation ceremony is set to begin at 9 a.m., and the Thunderbirds demonstration is scheduled to occur at the conclusion of graduation. While Thursday morning began cloudy and misty, the Thunderbirds are still set to perform as of 9 a.m. Thursday's weather still calls for rain and even low visibility in some areas due to clouds.
U.S. Air Force Academy graduation guide: traffic, entry, Thunderbirds and more
According to FOX21 News Storm Team Chief Meteorologist Matt Meister, Thursday will remain cooler than usual for May. Thunderstorms will begin around the middle part of the day and will stick around until 4 p.m.
A livestream is available for those who want to watch the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation, Individuals can also check out the Thunderbirds live in the link listed.
The community is reminded not to stop along I-25 or any roads on the Academy to watch the Thunderbirds for public safety. Visitors and the Colorado Springs community can expect traffic delays near the Academy on Thursday due to graduation and the fighter jets.
Got some good photos of the Thunderbirds? Share them with us here.
To watch graduation live, click the link above.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
9 hours ago
- CBS News
Residents, experts demand answers after building windows shatter during Chicago Air & Water Show practice
This past Friday, windows at several lakefront apartment buildings shattered during practice for the Chicago Air & Water Show. Now, aviation experts are calling for an investigation. Last week, an Air Force spokesperson said the Thunderbird jets were not traveling at supersonic speed, or faster than the speed of sound, at any point during the demonstration. But questions remained about what happened, and if someone would be held responsible for the damage. The booms were felt across the lakefront. They shook and startled people on the Belmont Rocks, and in the stands and dugout of Wrigley Field during the seventh-inning stretch of the Cubs game on Friday. The blasts on Friday were so strong that they broke the windows at four buildings — 3180 N. Lake Shore Dr., 3600 N. Lake Shore Dr., 3950 N. Lake Shore Dr., and 4200 N. Marine Dr. "It went through my body. I felt it in the apartment," said James Baran. "The window actually flexed right near me." Baran lives in the 3180 N. Lake Shore Dr. building and is on the board of directors. Three massive lobby windows were shattered in the building Friday morning. "I really believe it was a sonic boom," said Baran. "It was just so incredibly loud." While the Air Force said its F-16 jets were not traveling at supersonic speed, that does not mean people like Baran do not feel they deserve an answer as to what happened. "We really need a post-accident investigation here," said DePaul University transportation and aviation expert Joe Schwieterman, "because something went amiss." Schwieterman said either the Federal Aviation Administration or the National Transportation Safety Board should investigate what happened with the Thunderbird jets on Friday. He said the investigation should look at the angle of the planes, the direction of the thrust, and atmospheric changes. "There likely was a heavy vibration combined with a sound that just had a jarring effect," said Schwieterman. "This is quite unusual for an air show. Something really went wrong." CBS News Chicago reached out to the city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications, which referred questions to the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events and the Thunderbirds. CBS News Chicago also reached DCASE, which suggested contacting the Air Force. The Air Force had not provided a response as of 10 p.m. Tuesday. Both Baran and Schwieterman said the city and the public need to hear from someone so this does not happen again. "If nothing else, we have a teachable and learnable moment in that sound really can have impact," Baran said. CBS News Chicago also reached out to the FAA and the NTSB to see if they will investigate the damage. There was no immediate response. In further addition, CBS News Chicago has also reached out to the management of each building. They all declined to comment.
Chicago Tribune
4 days ago
- Chicago Tribune
Chicago Air & Water Show soars and stuns over lakefront
Crouched down, Thaliya Martinez fidgeted with her camera lens, preparing for a day of photographing aircraft at Chicago's annual Air & Water Show. Martinez, a freelance photographer and member of the Army National Guard, said she aspires to be a pilot one day. '(Flying) is just so fascinating,' said Martinez, who came to the show for the second time ever. 'Because it just proves that anything is possible.' The 2025 Chicago Air & Water Show took off Saturday morning with organizers expecting over 1 million attendees throughout the weekend. Known as the biggest event of its kind in the country, the show drew locals and visitors alike to Chicago's lakefront beaches. The show featured the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, both military groups that have performed in the show since the 1960s. A host of other military and civilian performers from the Marines, Coast Guard, Chicago Fire Department and Chicago Police Department also took to the skies. For Armen Tatevosian, a pilot who served in the Air Force, the show's performers did an amazing job executing their routines, even as some cloud cover swept along the beaches in the afternoon. 'Just the skill that these guys have are amazing,' he said. Tatevosian has come to the Air & Water Show for more than 20 years, and said the more technologically advanced aircraft have been 'awesome' to see. He attended Saturday's show with his wife and son. The Osprey tiltrotor aircraft and Thunderbirds were some of the Tatevosian family's favorite parts, he and his wife said. The air show also brought spectators from around the globe. Adrian Webster, an aviation photographer from the United Kingdom, flew to Chicago Thursday to take pictures of the performances during the weekend. Webster said air shows in Europe often don't allow aircraft to fly beyond a certain display line in the water. At Chicago's show, pilots frequently dipped close to the city's skyline, which he said was a 'completely different dynamic.' 'I've watched God-knows-how-much stuff online about U.S. air shows,' Webster said. 'Really wanted to go to one, so here I am.' Webster said he was most excited to photograph the B-2 Lancer, adding he hoped 'the aviation gods are on my side today.' Win Win, a data engineer who lives in the Wicker Park neighborhood, biked down to the Air & Water Show with less than an hour left in Saturday's schedule. He was able to catch the Thunderbirds' performance. 'It just mind-blows me that humans can … do these mind-blowing tricks with airplanes at high speeds — just like that,' Win said, gesturing to the Thunderbirds splitting off into all different directions overhead. He said he's 'for sure' returning to the show next year. The 'precision' action during some routines, like two planes flying so close they look like they're about to touch, were some of the highlights of the show. Martinez is a few years out from earning the certifications she needs to become a pilot, she said. As a Black woman, she's excited to enter a field in which people like her are underrepresented, she added. According to Sisters of the Skies, a pilots association, less than 1% of professional pilots in the U.S. are Black women. Saturday's show was one more way to increase her familiarity with aviation photography and flight itself, Martinez said. 'I'm looking to get some better shots, new angles,' she said. The show continues Sunday from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
CBS News
4 days ago
- CBS News
Heat can't keep crowds away from Chicago Air & Water Show on the lakefront
The stifling heat on Saturday did not stop tens of thousands of people from packing the lakefront for the first day of the Chicago Air & Water Show. Fans at North Avenue beach did their best to stay cool while enjoying the show, many bringing personal fans to beat the heat as they watched the Thunderbirds and other high-flying acts. "We have our chairs, and we have our umbrella to shade us from the sun. We have our beautiful fans," said Roseanna Thompson. She and her husband, Nathaniel, showed up early for what they called the best seat in the house. "He was giving me a hard time about our setup, because he thinks I do too much," she said. It might have seemed like too much, but once they got there, it was the perfect setup, especially as temperatures climbed into the 90s. "Now he's so proud of it. He's just looking around just taking in all the compliments," Roseanna said. "Yeah, I'm cool now" Nathaniel said. "We come out here together, spend the day together. It's great," Nathieal said. Keeping their eyes on the Thunderbirds while staying cool seemed to be the main focus on day one for the crowds on the lakefront. Not far down the beach from the Thompsons, Dwayne Ford was enjoying the show with his family. "They love to see the water show and see the airplanes and see the tricks they do," he said. While Ford has brought the kids to see the show the past few year, it was mom's first time here. "It's amazing. Like he said, it's hot our here, but you don't even think about it when you see the planes just doing these tricks. It's like, wow," Desirea Watson said. "I like when they do spirals, and then they do freefalls," Maysen Ford said. The key is to come prepared and stay hydrated, especially with another packed day ahead on Sunday.
