airshow – Exploring San Diego

A Passion That Took Flight

The museum began in 1992, not as a large institution, but as a personal passion project. Founder Mark DiCiero built his own helicopter and learned to fly it—an experience that sparked a lifelong fascination with rotorcraft.

What started with one aircraft quickly grew. As DiCiero began collecting and restoring helicopters, a vision took shape: preserve these machines not just as artifacts, but as working pieces of history.

Hours of operation at Classic Rotors:

Tuesday & Friday 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Saturday 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

Mon, Wed & Thur by Appointment

Classic Rotors Helicopter Museum in Ramona, California, is one of only a few museums worldwide dedicated solely to the preservation of rare and vintage rotorcraft. Located at the Ramona Airport, it features a collection of over 40 aircraft, including unique prototypes and experimental designs.

Building a “Living” Museum

From its earliest days, the Classic Rotors Museum took a different approach. Rather than focusing solely on static displays, the museum became a working collection:

Aircraft are restored to flight-ready condition

Volunteers handle everything from maintenance to tours

Demonstrations bring helicopters back into the sky

This philosophy has turned the museum into one of the few places in the world where you can see vintage rotorcraft not just up close—but in motion.

A Rare Focus on Rotorcraft

While many aviation museums feature helicopters as part of a broader collection, Classic Rotors is dedicated almost entirely to them. Its growing collection includes:

Military helicopters from past conflicts

Experimental and early rotorcraft designs

Rare models that are difficult to find anywhere else

Each aircraft tells part of the story of vertical flight—from its early innovations to its role in modern aviation.

The 2026 Yuma Airshow just wrapped up its 60th-anniversary celebration, and if you weren’t at MCAS Yuma this past Saturday, you missed a masterclass in horsepower and heritage.

As the official kickoff for the U.S. Navy Blue Angels’ 2026 season, the energy was electric. From the smell of JP-8 fuel to the chest-thumping roar of the afterburners, here’s the breakdown of why this year’s show was one for the history books.

1. The Blue Angels Strike First

There is nothing quite like the sight of six F/A-18 Super Hornets screaming over the Arizona desert in a diamond formation. Being the season opener, the Blues were razor-sharp. Their maneuvers—from the high-speed passes that sneak up on you to the graceful “Fleur-de-Lis”—proved exactly why they remain the gold standard of aerial demonstration.

2. A Local Powerhouse: The F-35B Lightning II

Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron One (VMX-1) put the Lightning II through its paces is a different beast. Seeing a stealth jet hover mid-air and then transition into a vertical landing never gets old. It’s a loud, proud reminder of the cutting-edge tech based right in our backyard.

3. Shockwave and Spectacle

It wasn’t just about the jets. The Shockwave Jet Truck literally melted the tarmac, hitting speeds that seem to defy physics while racing planes down the runway. Combined with the “Wall of Fire” pyrotechnics, the heat from the explosions was felt all the way back in the grandstands.

4. Heritage in the Air

The show did a fantastic job honoring the past 60 years. Seeing vintage warbirds flying alongside modern fighters provided a moving “Heritage Flight” that connected the dots between the propeller-driven legends of WWII and the supersonic titans of today.

The Takeaway

The Yuma Airshow remains one of the best free community events in the Southwest. It’s a day where the gates of the base swing open, the community connects with our service members, and everyone—from toddlers to veterans—spends the day looking up in awe.

Missed the action? Keep an eye on the official Yuma Airshow site for 2027 dates and performer announcements.