DAYTON — The Navy Blue Angels landed at Dayton International Airport on Tuesday as part of a preview for the 2026 Dayton Air Show, which will occur just weeks before America’s 250th birthday.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
Blue Angel #8, Lt. Command Lilly Montana, flew into Dayton along with Blue Angel #7, Lt. Ronny Hafeza. The pair is planning next year’s show sites, but Dayton is not just another stop.
“It is special to be here,” Montana said. “There’s so much aviation history here, and we’re excited to share that history next year.”
TRENDING STORIES:
- Thieves accused of stealing from Ohio man’s home, knowing he was dead inside
- Ohio missionary accused of sexually abusing children in Haiti
- 1 dead after crash on I-70 in Huber Heights during winter weather
The pair of pilots briefly spoke to about 100 people gathered in a hangar at the airport, then launched those planning meetings.
The Blue Angels team does dozens of shows every year, starting in March. The CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show is set for June 13-14.
Team members said their work is a year-long process.
“It’s a very rigorous work schedule, so every minute is accounted for,” Hafeza said. “So at the end of the day, go home, eat your dinner, get ready for the next day.”
Montana added that they’re on the road about 300 days a year.
“And even when we’re home, we’re flying every single day, sometimes twice a day,” she added.
The demands may be high, but it’s also a very high honor to join the Blue Angels. Each of the pilots who landed in Dayton told News Center 7 they applied several times before being picked for the team.
“Joining this team has been nothing short of an incredible dream come true,” Hafeza said.
More information about the 2026 CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show can be found here.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
