Soaring Above: Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show Blends Power, Precision, and Patriotism

Each year around Independence Day, Battle Creek, Michigan becomes a hub of controlled chaos in the sky. This weekend, the 2025 Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show & Balloon Festival once again lived up to its name—delivering a carefully choreographed fusion of military aviation, civilian aerobatics, and classic Americana.

I was there on July 3rd for the arrival and performance of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, and what I witnessed was more than just a show—it was a modern demonstration of military capability wrapped in crowd-friendly precision.

Military Powerhouse Lineup

The military presence this year was the most impressive I’ve seen at a regional show in recent memory. It wasn’t just the number of aircraft—it was the variety, the quality of the demonstrations, and the energy each crew brought to the flightline.

USAF Thunderbirds – F-16 Fighting Falcon

The Thunderbirds headlined the show with their full six-ship performance in the F-16C Fighting Falcon. If you’ve seen them before, you know the routine—the tight Diamond formation, the solo high-speed passes, the Delta rejoin—but each time they fly, it feels different. There’s something visceral about hearing the thunder of afterburners overhead, synchronized with split-second timing. The July 3rd performance had clean visuals, tight spacing, and a sense of energy that didn’t feel like “just another stop” for the team.

F-35A Lightning II Demo Team

Major Melanie “MACH” Kluesner brought the F-35A to life with a performance that was as technical as it was aggressive. Compared to legacy fighters, the F-35 doesn’t just fly fast—it seems to pivot in the air. High-angle-of-attack maneuvers, tight loops, and full-throttle passes made this one of the more dynamic solo routines I’ve seen. Kluesner’s demo also included a U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight alongside a P-51 Mustang—a brief but symbolic blend of past and future in the same airspace.

F/A-18F Super Hornet “Rhino” Demo

The U.S. Navy’s Super Hornet demo team delivered exactly what you’d expect from a twin-engine naval strike fighter: raw noise, tight turns, and low passes that make you instinctively duck. It’s a bigger aircraft than the F-16 or F-35, and the demo leaned into that with heavy vertical climbs and high-G break turns. From a technical standpoint, it’s a reminder of just how maneuverable a 44,000-pound aircraft can be in trained hands.

U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team

The Golden Knights dropped in from a C-146A Wolfhound and put on an impressive series of jumps—baton passes, flag displays, and pinpoint landings that kicked up dust just feet from the crowd. What makes their performance stand out isn’t just the precision, but the coordination with ground narrators and local military liaisons. Their presence at Battle Creek served as a personal connection to military service, especially during the opening National Anthem jump.

WWII Warbirds – P-51 Mustangs (Jack Aces 3-Ship)

It’s easy to forget how nimble and fast the P-51 Mustang still is—until you see three of them flying formation just a few hundred feet above your head. The Jack Aces brought in a pair of TF-51Ds and a standard P-51, flying clean formations and low-speed passes to showcase the aircraft’s WWII-era handling. The sound of those Merlin engines is unforgettable and was met with an emotional response from the crowd—especially veterans in attendance.

Civilian Performers (Quick Snapshot)

• Redline Airshows (Ken & Austin Rieder – dual RV-8s)

• Skip Stewart in the high-energy Pitts Special “Prometheus”

• Bill Stein flying the color-shifting Edge 540

• Kyle Fowler in his unique Long-EZ inspired “GoEZ”

• Adam Baker, RJ Gritter, and others rounding out a strong aerobatic schedule

• Smoke-n-Thunder Jet Truck – yes, a truck racing planes again, and yes, people still love it

These civilian acts weren’t filler—they held their own between the heavy hitters, delivering tight routines, fast transitions, and just enough showmanship to keep the crowd engaged without going over the top.

Beyond the Jets: Balloons, Drones, and Night Shows

While the air show side draws headlines, the “Field of Flight” part still holds its own. Over 50 hot-air balloons launched each morning and evening, depending on weather, with colorful ascents from the airport grounds. The real crowd favorite was the Balloon Illume, where balloon crews tether their aircraft and fire burners in sync with music, lighting up the field like a lantern festival.

Newer to the schedule but just as visually striking, the evening drone light show featured dozens (if not hundreds) of coordinated drones performing pre-programmed aerial routines above the crowd. It’s a futuristic contrast to the balloon traditions—and a welcome addition to the nighttime program.

Night air shows followed, with pyro-laden aircraft flying glowing loops against the sunset, capped off by full-scale fireworks shows on multiple nights.

The Legacy of Battle Creek’s Field of Flight

The Battle Creek Field of Flight isn’t just a Midwest event—it’s become a national name in the air show community. Starting in the 1960s as a simple balloon gathering, it has evolved into one of the largest combined air and balloon festivals in North America, regularly drawing in top-tier military demo teams and over 100,000 attendees.

What makes it unique is its balance: cutting-edge military tech, heritage warbirds, civilian aerobatics, hot-air balloons, drone tech, and family-focused ground events all in one package. It’s a logistical challenge few other events can match, and the team behind the show—including Air Boss Ryan Seiler—pulls it off with consistency year after year.

Closing Thoughts

There’s a reason I come back to this show, and it’s not just because I live within driving distance. It’s because Battle Creek manages to capture the full spectrum of flight—from vintage piston engines to 5th-gen stealth fighters—and packages it in a way that’s approachable, exciting, and authentic.

The roar of an F-16, the shimmer of a balloon glow, and the spark-trailing loops of a night air show all say the same thing in different ways: flight is still one of the most thrilling, inspiring things we can do. And Battle Creek makes sure we don’t forget that.