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Thousands Expected To Attend 2016 Westmoreland County Airshow

LATROBE (KDKA) -- The thunderous sound of jet fuel getting cooked off high above the Laurel Highlands can only mean one thing: It's airshow time!

"You got paratroopers, you got stunt planes, you got formation teams and really high tech jets," said Dwayne Pickles with the Westmoreland County Airport Authority.

One star of the show is the YF-22 Raptor, considered one of the greatest fighter planes in the air today.

Another major draw this year is a group of guys from Canada. The Royal Canadian Air Force Snowbirds are back to put on a show like no other.

"We're the only nine plane demonstration team in North America," said Major Indira Thackorie. "You have to have thousands of hours, you have to be the best of the best and suitable for the job to represent your country. And they go a great job of it."

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50,000 people are expected to head to Arnold Palmer Regional Airport to watch the show.

You may not know this, but in addition to being one of the greatest golfers of all time, Arnold Palmer is an accomplished pilot with countless hours at the controls of many different aircraft. But what these pilots stun even him.

"This is fantastic. It takes me back to my child hood," Palmer said. "They do things when we were learning to fly we were told never to do, and they get away with it and do it with ease."

The airshow runs this weekend. The gates open at 8 a.m. and the show starts at 11 a.m. As for the weather, it doesn't have to be dry for these birds to fly.

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