The Rochester International Airshow takes flight this weekend with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II demonstration on August 8 and 9 at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport, featuring a roster of military and civilian aerial performers.
Gates open at 9:30 a.m. with flying beginning around 10:30 a.m. and concluding by 3:30 p.m. on both days. The Thunderbirds, the Air Force’s elite precision flying team, are returning to Rochester for the sixth time in 19 years, according to the official airshow website.
The F-35B demonstration marks a homecoming for Major William Horn, a Rochester native and 2014 University of Rochester graduate who now serves as a U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Demonstration Pilot. Horn will showcase the single-seat, supersonic jet’s midair hovers, vertical landings, and short takeoffs—capabilities unique to the F-35B variant. According to the University of Rochester, Horn has logged approximately 1,000 hours flying in the military and joined the USMC F-35B Demonstration Team in 2025.
Horn’s path to the cockpit began during his sophomore year at the University of Rochester when he attended a career fair and discovered the opportunity to become a Marine Corps pilot. He was drawn to aviation by his father, who flew a C-130 for the U.S. Navy, and his uncle, who flew an A-4. After earning his degree, Horn spent a year working to secure a highly competitive Marine Corps aviation contract, which he signed in 2015. His call sign, “Braankles,” came from a skateboarding accident in Japan early in his career that broke his right ankle and foot.
Beyond the Thunderbirds and F-35B, the airshow lineup includes Rick Volker performing aerobatic maneuvers in his Sukhoi SU-26M, the U.S. Army Golden Knights parachute team, and a range of historical warbirds and classic jets. The Commemorative Air Force’s P-51C Red Tail and RISE ABOVE Exhibit will also be featured, celebrating the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), according to the performers list.
The airshow is held at Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport. Admission is free. A portion of proceeds will benefit the Sunny Mike Foundation, the 2026 charity of choice for the event.
Sources
- University of Rochester — profile of Major William Horn, his background, military training, and participation in the 2026 Rochester International Airshow
- Rochester International Airshow official website — performer lineup, gates and flying schedule, event dates
- Monroe County government — announcement of Major William Horn as F-35B pilot and event details
- TechTimes — F-35B demo details and Major William Horn’s background as Rochester native
- Democrat and Chronicle — airshow overview with Thunderbirds, F-35B, and Golden Knights
