EL CENTRO — The 2025 NAF El Centro Airshow is set to take flight on March 15, 2025, bringing exhilarating aerial performances to Southern California. This year’s airshow promises a day of heart-pounding excitement, precision flying, and family-friendly fun as the base celebrates two significant milestones: its 55th Airshow and the 250th birthday of the U.S. Navy.
The day’s festivities will feature a variety of impressive military and civilian aviation displays, culminating in a breathtaking performance by the U.S. Navy Blue Angels at 2:00 PM. The world-renowned aerobatic team will showcase their unmatched skill and precision, leaving the audience in awe with their high-speed maneuvers and stunning formations.
This airshow marks the 55th annual event at Naval Air Facility El Centro, an exciting tradition that has grown in scope and popularity over the years. In addition to thrilling air performances, the show will honor the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Navy, celebrating its proud history of service and dedication to defending our nation. It promises to be a memorable day of aviation history and modern-day excellence.
General Admission to the event opens at 8:30 AM, allowing guests to explore various displays and exhibits before the action-packed flying performances begin at 12:00 PM. Visitors will have the chance to get up close with military aircraft, interact with pilots and crew, and experience the thrill of aviation in a unique and dynamic environment.
Security Information:
For the safety and security of all attendees, a valid government-issued identification will be required to enter the airfield for all persons aged 18 and up. Additionally, all foreign nationals, defined as non-U.S. citizens or anyone without legal permanent residence status, will need to show a passport to gain entrance to the event. Paper copies or pictures of the passport will not be accepted, and all foreign nationals will be biometrically enrolled during the security screening process as they enter the airshow.
Admission is free, and parking is available on-site and also free. Attendees are encouraged to arrive early to secure the best viewing spots and enjoy a full day of activities.
For more information on the event, including the show schedule, static displays, and a list of allowed and not allowed items, visit the official event website at www.elcentroairshow.com. Stay updated on all the latest details and follow us on social media.
For more information, visit www.elcentroairshow.com or follow us on social media for updates.
Event Information:
The very first photograph I ever took when I was about 5 years old was of a Blue Angel jet streaking across the sky. I was using a little 35 mm camera—the kind that the film needs to be manually cranked to the next frame—and my mother thought the photo would never turn out. But it did.
I would have never imagined that one day I would have the chance to ride as a passenger in the #7 Blue Angel jet as a Key Influencer.
The ride started with a briefing by Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody Farrell, the #7 crew chief, who explained the instruments in the cockpit and how to withstand the g-forces of the intense maneuvers. Squeeze your calves, squeeze your thighs, squeeze your glutes and abs to force the blood from your lower body back into your head.
Then, we went to the airfield to meet #7 Major Scott Laux, who would take me for the flight of my life. The #7 jet is the only two-seater in the Blue Angels, and Laux flies the Key Influencer and media rider in each city they visit.
“Do you feel the need…for speed?” Petty Officer Farrell asked as he escorted me to the stunning blue and gold jet from my greatest fantasies.
“I’m trying my best to keep a lid on the ‘Top Gun’ quotes,” I replied.
He laughed. “It’s your day,” he said. “You can say as many as you want.”
Petty Officer Farrell strapped me into the backseat of the F/18 Super Hornet and explained again what to touch and what not to touch. The crew chiefs are some of the most valuable members of the Blue Angel team because they make sure the jet is safe and ready for the pilots. They check the instruments and controls and perform the preflight inspection. And Petty Officer Farrell's steady demeanor helped calm any last-minute nerves I had.
Then it was time to take off.
We roared down the runway and launched into the sky at a 45-degree angle. At first, it was a rush like the first drop of a roller coaster, but then we were soaring above the Valley in a view I had never seen before and will probably never see again.
Farmland and desert stretched as far as I could see as the curve of earth melded into the blue haze of the horizon. I asked Laux to fly over Southwest High School where I teach, and he turned on the smoke trails and even threw in a barrel roll over the school.
And then we flew north to the Salton Sea where Laux put me through my paces by executing turns at 2, 3, 4, and 6 times the force of gravity. Throughout the flight, the sharpest maneuver registered at a 7.4 g-force. I think both Laux and I were surprised I didn’t pass out.
Laux simulated a lot of the moves the Blue Angels use in the air show, except we had the entire sky to ourselves.
At one point, Laux flew the jet through and above the clouds so he could show me the capabilities of the F/18 to fly inverted. Looking up, I saw the Salton Sea glittering through a layer of clouds, and it was like sailing through a dream.
Before heading back to NAF El Centro, Laux took us low and fast through the Superstition Mountain canyons. I was Luke Skywalker on the Death Star run, Hiccup riding Toothless, and Goose behind Maverick rolled into one.
One last pass over Southwest High School and then it was time to land. I was both ready for it to be over and hoping it would never end.
There are dozens of people throughout the Valley who deserve to have this bucket-list dream come true. I had this experience only because someone in the community nominated me as a Key Influencer. Just the fact that someone out there thought I deserved this opportunity is enough to make me cry. And getting that opportunity has changed my life.
According to the Blue Angels webpage, a Key Influencer is a person who works with youth and helps to shape the attitudes of young people in their community. If you know someone who you think would make a good Key Influencer, look at Appendix K on the Blue Angels website to see if they qualify--and remember not everyone wants to ride in an F/18 Super Hornet.
The nominations are forwarded from our local air show team at Naval Air Facility, El Centro to the Blue Angels team. They then send their recommendations to the Chief of Naval Air Training staff, who chooses a Key Influencer and an alternate.
“Every year we look forward to the nominations from the Valley because they highlight the best of the community,” NAFEC Public Affairs Officer Kristopher Haugh said.
The heroes in our community will never get this chance if we don’t nominate them.
If you think you know someone who deserves the ride of a lifetime, contact Kristopher Haugh at nafecpao@gmail.com.
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