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Bethpage Air Show kicks off Memorial Day weekend at New York's Jones Beach

Xinhua, May 29, 2016 Adjust font size:

The 13th annual Bethpage Air Show kicked off as scheduled on Saturday despite an earlier plane crash incident, attracting tens of thousands people to Jones Beach in Long Island, New York.

Despite the scorching hot summer weather, crowds started to arrive at the beach as early as 7 a.m. and the parking lots had already been filled to capacity before noon. The show will run daily from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

Teams of vintage fighter jets soared through the sky in low altitude, their formations shift constantly from vic to trail to echelon, while leaving bright white lines of exhaust fumes that did not disperse for many minutes at a time.

This year's show features military jet teams including the U.S Navy Blue Angels, the U.S. Army parachute team Golden Knights, the Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds, as well as civilian teams including American Airpower Museum Warbirds and the French Breitling Jet Team.

The crazy stunts by the warplanes had put the crowds in shock and awe. Every time the jets did a spin or dive or barrel roll, cheers, applauds and excited screams echoed throughout the 6.5 miles (10.46 km) of beautiful white-sand beach.

The airshow came after a vintage WWII era plane crashed into the Hudson River on Friday night, killing the pilot onboard. The aircraft, which belonged to American Airpower Museum, was scheduled to perform at the air show.

A statement posted by the show organizer said that the show "will continue as planned, but with heavy hearts."

The Bethpage Air Show is an annual American air show held each May on Memorial Day weekend. It is staged in the airspace above and off the coast of the Jones Beach State Park in Wantagh, New York, located on Long Island. Endit