It is difficult to explain what the Spirit of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo means to me without first talking about the kids.
You see it in their faces when the first aircraft roars overhead. You see it when they meet a pilot, climb inside an aircraft or discover something new in the STEM Expo. For some, it is simply an incredible weekend with their family. For others, it may be the moment that plants a seed—a belief that they could become a pilot, an engineer, a mechanic, a member of our military or something they had never imagined before.
That is why we do this.
The flying is spectacular. The aircraft are extraordinary. But the greatest impact of an air show is not always what happens in the sky. It is what happens in the imagination of a child standing beneath it.
And as I walk the grounds, to catch a glimpse of that wonder and amazement as a child looks skyward always brings a smile to my face.
Bringing that experience to life takes an extraordinary amount of work. Each Spirit of St. Louis Air Show & STEM Expo is the result of roughly a year and a half of planning by a core team I am genuinely honored to be a part of. Long before the first aircraft arrives, this volunteer team of about 15 people is meeting, planning, solving problems and working through thousands of details that most people will never see.
Then, as the show approaches, that core team is joined by more than 1,000 other volunteers who give their time, energy and talents to make the weekend possible.
I am continually amazed by the people I get to work alongside. They are parking cars, welcoming guests, supporting pilots, moving aircraft, buying out 4 different hotels, planning VIP events, setting up tents, staffing the STEM Expo, preparing food, managing logistics, assisting the media, working on the flight line and doing countless other jobs across the grounds. Many work incredibly long hours with very little recognition. They do it because they believe in the mission and because they care deeply about giving our community—and especially our children—an experience they will remember.
The culmination of a year and a half of planning translated into five very long days for me, with early mornings, late nights and almost constant movement. And they were amazing days of exhilaration and exhaustion. Much of my time was spent working with the media, helping tell the story of the show, introducing reporters to the remarkable people who make it happen, creating informational and fun live streams, hosting events, and ensuring our community understood the opportunity that was coming to St. Louis.
I also had the privilege of helping host some very special guests, including the Canadian Honorary Consul, Missouri’s Lieutenant Governor and the Commander of the 375th Air Mobility Wing at Scott Air Force Base. Their presence reflected the many relationships behind this event and the important connections between aviation, public service, our military, our international partners and the St. Louis region.
But some of the most meaningful moments came from the time spent with the incredible demonstration teams who joined us.
The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team brought one of the most extraordinary aircraft in the world to St. Louis. Watching the Raptor perform is almost beyond description, but what stays with me just as much is the quality of the people behind the aircraft. A special thank you to Laz, the pilot with the F-22 team, for the time, professionalism and enthusiasm he shared with us. His leadership was phenomenal, and his team was top quality. And his flying … wow!
The Blue Angels once again showed why they are among the most respected ambassadors in aviation. Their precision in the air is matched by the way they engage with people on the ground. Max, the Public Affairs team member assigned to our event, was phenomenal to work with. Max, thank you for your friendship, your support and everything you did throughout the week. Having the Blue Angels with us is always special, and their willingness to spend time with our community—especially with young people—is an important part of their impact. But your attention to detail and willingness to work hard alongside us made the weekend a pleasure.
And then there are the Canadian Snowbirds.
The Snowbirds have a remarkable ability to become more than visiting performers. They become part of the air show family. Their warmth, professionalism, humor and generosity made an already special week even more memorable.
To Snowbird 1, “Hatch”; Snowbird 7, Ian; Snowbird 8, Marc; Snowbird 9, Thomas; Snowbird 10, Jeremy; Snowbird 11, Jerin; and Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer Phil—thank you.
Thank you for the time you gave us, the friendships you strengthened and the way you represented Canada. Thank you for every conversation, every interview, every photograph and every interaction with a young person who looked at you and saw a new possibility for their future.
There are moments during air show week when exhaustion begins to take over. Five long days eventually catch up with everyone. But then you see a child looking toward the sky in absolute amazement. You see a volunteer step forward to solve another problem. You see a pilot stop to speak with a family. You look around at the thousands of people who chose to spend their weekend with us.
And it reminds you exactly why it is all worth it. And it keeps you going.
To the core team that spends a year and a half planning every detail: thank you for allowing me to serve alongside you. You are some of my closest friends after 14 years of doing this together and I thank God that we are on the same team, making a difference.
To the volunteers who gave so much of themselves: thank you for being the heart of this air show. We could not do this without you. Your willingness to sacrifice your time and deliver excellence in everything you do is amazing to see.
To the performers, military personnel, sponsors, vendors, community partners, first responders, media members and everyone else who helped make the event possible: thank you for believing in what we are building.
And to every person who came through the gates and spent part of the weekend with us: thank you. Thank you for bringing your families, supporting the show and sharing in an experience that means so much to all of us.
We hope you enjoyed the aircraft. We hope the STEM Expo got you dreaming with direction. We hope you felt the excitement. Most importantly, we hope that somewhere in the crowd, a young person looked into the sky and began to dream a little bigger.
That is the true impact of an air show.
And that is why we will begin working toward the next one.