Team Charleston hosts 2024 Airshow and STEM Expo for 7000 local students

JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C  –  Joint Base Charleston celebrated U.S. military aviation past and present with the Charleston Airshow on April 20-21.

Opening to a large crowd of over 65,000 attendees, the “Heroes of Flight” themed event celebrated aviation heroes with thrilling displays. From the United States Air Force demonstration “Thunderbirds” to the U.S. Air Force Academy parachute team Wings of Blue, spectators enjoyed exciting performances and interacted with military personnel.

A powerful collection of modern and historic military aircraft and equipment populated the flight line, showcasing aerial performances by the C-17 Globemaster III, the F-35B Lightning, and historical aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang and North American SNJ Texan.

The airshow also hosted a STEM exhibit for 7,000 local students with engaging activities that aimed to ignite a passion for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

“It was a memory of a lifetime for a lot of people,” said Col. Samuel Todd, 437th Airlift Wing commander. “From the incentive flights all the way to the STEM exhibit, the atmosphere was terrific all weekend long.”

From people traveling out of state, to the local Charleston populous and civic leaders, the airshow was a way for Joint Base Charleston to reciprocate the support given by the local community.

“The Charleston and metropolitan region supports the military community so much,” said Col. Michael Freeman, 628th Air Base Wing and Joint Base Charleston commander. The air show was an opportunity for us to show some of that love back and show them what they are supporting.”