Biggest Little Airshow

It's not every day we civilians can drive over to Ford Island. The Biggest Little Airshow gave up a chance to drive over the bridge to Ford Island and enjoy a wonderful show.Well planned event accommodated the masses by providing an organized parking layout and bus transportation to and from the Pacific Air Museum where the activities were held.Once into the event area, you are greeted with bleachers and tents to watch the show. Food vendors (Aloha Beer) were there to quench the thirst of hundreds with bottled water and of course, beer. Hangar 79 homes the retired decommissioned gets and carriers. The Exhibits and Pacific Air store sits in Hangar 100 ((I think it's 100; in any case, its next to Hangar 79)The air show amazed hundreds with the scale sized planes and engines that performed literally like real life jets. Kudos to the makers and the remote fliers. I attended the Sunday event; and even at the late hour of 2 pm; people were still in the bus lines filing in to attend the finale of the event. Simply amazing.Thank you, Yelp for giving me the opportunity to attend such a great educational event.(ps- I am a climate control person and being under the hot sun is not my idea of fun BUT the Biggest Little Airshow was a definite reason to compromise my climate control attitude)

Talk about a fun-filled family event! I know, I know, it sounds so cliché but that was definitely the case at this past weekend's Biggest Little Airshow at the Pacific Aviation Museum-Pearl Harbor. What makes this airshow the "biggest little" airshow, you ask? The live performances are done by pilots of remote control aircraft. In addition to the main airshow, there were tons of other activities to keep the whole family entertained. The airshow is held on Ford Island, where you usually need military clearance to enter. This event was open to the public and even offered free shuttle rides to and from Ford Island. Parking was definitely ample; however, the lots they utilized were several parking lots around the hangars so there were many different parking lots available-some near and some far. They also eventually had to use an overflow lot near the residential area. Check-in was a breeze, there were separate lines for those who pre-paid and those who needed to purchase tickets. Old planes and helicopters lined one side of the area which made for great photo ops. Across the aircraft was Hangar 79, where they had aircraft exhibits and activities for kids. Kids had the chance to do an arts and crafts project and make their own gliders and they also had the chance to go inside the aircraft exhibits. The cutest thing was there were flight suits and helmets for kids to wear while they walked around the hangar and take pictures inside of the cockpits. If that weren't enough, just past Hangar 79 was the Kid's Zone which was lined with bouncy slides, a bouncy obstacle course, rides, a rock climbing wall and a snow mound. Yes, a snow mound, which was basically a huge pile of ice which was desperately needed because it must have been 90 degrees out. How they kept the ice from melting too quickly is beyond me but I know the kids enjoyed it. Prices for the rides and activities were pretty reasonable. The entrance to the bouncy areas were only 2 tickets ($1 each ticket). Across of the Kid's Zone were bleachers that provided an unobstructed view of the runway and on the other side of the Kid's Zone were food vendors. They had a great mix of food vendors that included pizza, a beer garden, BBQ, shave ice, popcorn, funnel cake, nachos, and a few others. The food was no doubt priced sky high. I recall paying $4 for a bottle of Pepsi and $10 for the nachos; at least they were generous with the nachos and they piled it high with toppings. Anyway, I had a VIP pass for the air show so I didn't have to purchase any more food. The VIP tent, located next to the bleachers, included free drinks (including beer and wine), fresh fruit, vegetables, kalua pork sliders and dumplings. They also had little freebies on the dining tables like pens, magnets and flashlights. The VIP tent also came with a great view of the runway and the best part was shade from the sun. The actual air show was pretty good for an RC aircraft performance show. They got the show started right with the National Anthem and an introduction of the pilots and their aircraft. The show also gave a tribute to the Battle of Midway Warbird Performers. The Battle of Midway was a huge turning point in WWII where the US Navy became the aggressors of the war. The aircraft were pretty good replicas of the actual aircraft and the pilots proved to be skilled in their craft. They did tricks with the RC planes which included duets, spins, and even landing the aircraft smoothly. They ended the show with candy bombings for the kids, thanks to Jelly Belly!The Biggest Little Airshow seems to be getting better and better every year. The 2016 event included a lot of new vendors and much more activities for the kids. Our nephews had a blast the entire time they were there and it was a plus that they're already so into learning more about the military and aircraft in general. This is a great, family-friendly event that I hope they continue to have annually. It exhibits and airshow doesn't only teach children about aircraft but it also gives attendees a renewed appreciation for our military and our country.

The show was phenominal. These planes average about 1/10 the scale, some running on actual jet fuel, some computerized with diagnostics and cost about 5K. It ran from noon to 5pm. Be sure to bring an umbrella, get lots of cool berages then sit down to watch the show. One of my favorites was the T-Rex Helicopter doing acrobatics that shouldn't be possible at all but it did beyond the physics, at least of what I know and understand, of aeronautics. It is worth watching again. The last part supposed had a plane dropping jelly bellies that you could go out grab. We decided to stay out of the mad rush not wanting to get stampede on. Some of those kids were big. Beard and all. No thanks.There were a few food trucks there or you could eat at the Laniakea Cafe inside the museum. Read my review on that before making a decision. Thanks YELP for the free tickets.

Thank Emi and sponsors for the tickets to see this event! There were many helpful volunteers hiding and directing the traffic when you enter Ford Island. We came early and got parking that wasn't too far from the event. Others who parked further due to limited parking that was close to the event had to catch the school bus shuttle to the event. We got to see the air show!! I've never seen model aircrafts in action! It was so cool! They even had national competitors and former pilots come in and fly their plane model aircrafts. These aircrafts were the real deal because they flew so fast and did turns and tricks high up in the air. All the children were so excited to see the plane models in action. We decided to check the museum out, kamaaina rates are $15. Flight stimulator is $10. It can get very hot, because the main part of the event is the air show outside. Be sure to leave water containers/bottles at home because you can't bring them in! They'll check your bag! Please wear sunscreen, shades, or a hat. You can bring an umbrella for shade because the sun rays really do shine here. Bring a chair so you can sit and enjoy the air show instead of standing up. This experience is very kid friendly and is a great fun way for them to learn about airplanes! You can buy drinks and food inside of the event so don't worry about being hungry or dehydrated. There was pizza, sausage fest, teddy burgers, funnel cakes, lemonade, and barbecue. Have fun at the event! :)

Thanks to Yelp Hawaii, I scored free tickets for my daughter and I. We attended Saturday's event and we parked in the overflow parking lot, which had two buses shuttling us to the museum area and back.As soon as we were dropped off, the check-in process was smooth to where we were able to roam around checking out the displays of jets, planes and helicopters. There was a kid zone that had jumpers, rock climbing wall and a few rides. They had food booths that ranged from popcorn to Teddy's Bigger Burger! Bank of Hawaii Mobile was on site for ATM services too! The event also had displays of the remote control jets, which was fascinating especially because I never knew they had jet remote controls AND it flies so high up in the air. After we toured around, we toured inside the Pacific Aviation Museum, which was amazing! This is a definite must-see or must-visit for locals and tourists. I'll save the experience for a Yelp review on Pacific Aviation Museum though! Once we toured and seen everything, we were able to outside by the check-in area to board the bus to return to our cars. Hands down, this was one of the most organized events ever. Thanks again, Yelp Hawaii!

I had no idea what this Event was all about. I just went in blindly, trusting my friend, Jules, who invited me as her +1. She had won free tickets through Yelp - how lucky! Thanks Jules!We got to Ford Island before the show started so that we didn't have to catch the shuttles from the overflow parking area at the Pearl Harbor Visitor Center. Everything was clearly labeled - the directions, the ATMs, the restrooms, the Kids' Zone, etc. The volunteers were helpful and organized!There were many vendors and food selections! We had the Kalua Pork nachos; Mango Lychee Bubble Tea with Ice Cream; Ribs; grilled Corn on the cob; and Lemonade in a refillable jar! Activities for children and adults included dress up as a pilot; make an airplane and fly it through a hoop; look through (and purchase) the used books on aviation; sit in the cockpit of a helicopter; collect candy from the Jelly Belly drop; tour the museum; visit the gift shop; go to the $5 concert by Maunalua; see the Nagaoka fireworks show at 8 pm! We spent a total of 11 hours there from start to finish! Time really flew by!The main event was the "Biggest Little Airshow". Model airplanes were flown individually and in groups. They did tricky maneuvers and had to adjust their flight plans according to the winds just as pilots in full sized planes do. We sat at the top of the bleachers, shaded by a large banner. We applauded the skills of the remote controllers' upside down techniques; cargo delivery moves; and smooth landings! Amazing! Many of the owner-operators of the planes have won National Awards in model aircraft flying competitions and are former pilots!Thanks to Yelp for being one of the sponsors of this Airshow! It's a great family activity as well as an educational opportunity! I have a better understanding of this hobby and a deeper appreciation of our Nation's history! Mahalo to Emi & Yelp Hawaii!

My son had such a blast at this event. He was so intrigued by the little airplane show and the real life size gigantic planes and aircraft in the hang glider. He even got to tour inside of some of them. It was a hot and I was a little unprepared. Pizza was sold but there were hardly any other options than to indulge in pizza.. We weren't allowed to bring in bags so money money money.. When we came the second time to see the battleship, he kept asking if we will go back to see this show. Such good memories!! There were some information tables offering some pilot programs/camps but since my son was too young, I'm sure we'll be back if he's still interested in planes.

I had so much fun learning about planes and watching them fly in the air this past Sunday at Ford Island. Thanks to Yelp Hawaii and Emi H. for the free tickets. Thanks to all the other sponsors for making this event possible. See my picture below of the sponsors.There were so many kids there. They looked like they had a blast. They were sitting in the different aircrafts at the Aviation Museum and learning about them. Outside, they had the different planes flying around. They had this segment called "Candy Bombers" where the planes dropped candy from the sky and the kids got to pick them up. This was very interesting. It was raining candy!They also had a slide and rides at this event that you needed to buy scripts for. I didn't see too many kids on them though. They were too busy checking out the planes.They had about 7 food vendors to feed the hungry masses. We opted for a slice of Papa John's pizza and garlic butter corn on the cob from Waimanalo Farms. It was so hot that we couldn't pass up the lilikoi 'Nalo Made Lemonade.

Much Mahalo @ #yelphawaii & Emi for the tickets to Air show @ Aviation Museum!!Big Mahalo to Yelp for sponsoring this event!! ( I heard the emcee announce this, watching the show) yay!! I was so happy, when I got the email confirmation. It was so easy confirming & getting our tickets. I rsvpd for my son, my momma's boy. When he was in preschool, he used to love airplanes!! This would be a great experience for us both. I went on the 2nd day of show, I wanted to take the shuttle bus in, didn't know about strict bag rules by security guard, no bags were permitted. Change of plans: I need my personal belongings, I decided to drive in. It was actually more convenient & got a chance to see how it feels to drive in to Ford Island. It's beautiful, they have their own island.Finding parking & entering the show was not a problem! We bought a few snacks & ate before we checked out the events. It's nice that they have food booths at the show including some alcohol. It was a very hot day! I'm glad there were tents to cool us from the heat. We had fun checking out the museum. Learning about the history of planes. My son tried on the jacket. He had fun & I could see it. Brings back memories of his preschool days!!We got to check out the air show, so neat how the plane drops candy!! I see all the kids running to pick up the candies, they were jelly beans. My son would run to get them if he was younger. He is in his pre-teen years, I think he is embarrass. We also enjoyed looking at the planes in front. Just amazing!! It was a nice learning experience & now time to test my son. Thank you Yelp!! Come check out the next air show!! & Aviation Museum. You sure will enjoy it!!

Thank you emi and yelp for the free admission to this event! It was fun watching the remote control airplanes and helicopters, and to be able to view the real planes in hangar 79, which is part of the museum. The planes up close were spectacular, and we found parking close to the entrance.One of the other perks of going to this show is that we got to drive into ford island to enjoy an airshow, and pass the massive traffic to drive straight to the other parking lot close to the food booths and area to watch one of the best fireworks show on ford island.