F-35A demo out of Punta Gorda air show; MiG-17 and Skyhawk added for Nov. 7-8

File photo: the Blue Angels' C-130T "Fat Albert" performs a jet-assisted takeoff at the 2003 Florida International Air Show in Punta Gorda. Photo: Expert Infantry / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0). Resized; website wordmark added. Photo source · License

The military jet act many families were counting on at this year's Florida International Air Show will not fly. Organizers announced Sept. 23 that the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team will not appear at the show, set for Nov. 7-8 at Punta Gorda Airport, and said the change was a military decision outside the control of the Air Show's board.

In its place, the Air Show has booked two vintage jets. A MiG-17 and a TA-4J Skyhawk have been added to the flying schedule, with Bill Culberson of FighterJets, Inc. flying the MiG-17 and Rick Sharpe, also of FighterJets, piloting the Skyhawk, a two-seat trainer descended from the Douglas A-4. Air Show President Denise Dull said the board "is pivoting quickly and remains committed to presenting a full and exciting lineup."

2026 Florida International Air Show basics

Item	Detail
Dates	Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 7-8, at Punta Gorda Airport
Gates	9 a.m. each day; show scheduled rain or shine
Tickets	Sold by day; valid only for the date purchased
Lineup change	F-35A demo team out; MiG-17 and TA-4J Skyhawk added

Source: floridaairshow.com; floridaairshow.com

What else is on the schedule

The 2026 roster also includes aerobatic pilot Aarron Deliu, Red Bull Air Force pilot Kevin Coleman, Franklin's Flying Circus and The Chuters Jump Team, according to the Air Show. On the ground, organizers list static aircraft, exhibitors, food vendors and a STEM Innovators Pavilion aimed at younger visitors.

Tickets are sold by the day and are valid only for the date purchased, so pick Saturday or Sunday before you buy.

Why the two added jets matter locally

Both added aircraft are older military designs: the MiG-17 entered service in 1952 and the TA-4J in 1969, per WGCU. The Air Show notes that the Skyhawk family has its own place in air show history, since the Blue Angels flew A-4s from 1974 to 1986.

The show leans on local labor and benefits local groups. Organizers say more than 500 volunteers help produce it, roughly 30 nonprofit organizations take part and benefit each year, and the nonprofit has donated more than $3 million back to the community since 1983.