Lauderdale Air Show to see change this year

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (WSVN) -- There's change in the air at this year's Lauderdale Air Show. The headlining act canceled, now another team is ready to take their place.

The Lauderdale Air Show is scheduled to take off again this year on April 20, but the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds won't be showing off moves.

Instead of the Thunderbirds, the Spanish Air Force will be making it's way across the Atlantic. "The Lauderdale Air Show is ecstatic that we're having the Spanish Air Team," said Chuck Malkus, "Which is renowned, to participate in this year's show."

The Mayor of Fort Lauderdale said the timing couldn't have worked out better, since we're celebrating 500 years since the Spaniards came to America with Viva 500. "It's really kind of appropriate," said Mayor Jack Seiler, "That 500 years later, after they first came here by ship, now we have the Spanish Air Force and their demonstration team coming by air. It's going to be spectacular."

Federal budget cuts are the reason the Thunderbirds won't be taking flight in the South Florida skies this year, but Mayor Seiler said he still has hope. "I'm not prepared to right them off," said Seiler. "I think differently, I really do. I think that when the budget gets straightened out in Washington D.C. and the negotiations get completed, I think there's a chance we'll see a lot of those events get reinstated."

Air shows around the country are also feeling the cuts. Many of those shows can be scrapped all together, which would mean the potential of some of those tourists coming to the Lauderdale Air Show. "They're almost based completely around the military demonstration," said Seiler, "Those are going to get canceled if the sequestration cuts continue. Our air show has some dependency on the military but obviously, we've got so much more to offer."

The Fort Lauderdale Air Show features the U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet demo and the Geico Skytypers. The mayor said it will be a show you won't forget.

For more information, click here: http://lauderdaleairshow.com/

(Copyright 2013 by Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)