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LA - Louisiana Congressman Ralph Abraham wants Barksdale Air Foce Base to reconsider its plans to skip the air show in 2018.

In July it was announced that the air show will resume in 2019 and every odd year following.

Barksdale cited high costs to 2nd Bomb Wing mission; using 2,500 Airmen per day for three days and nearly 46,000 man-hours during the year for planning and executing the air show.

Congressman Mike Johnson and Senator John Kennedy joined with Rep. Abraham in the letter. 

“Since it was first held in 1932, the Barksdale Air Force Base Air Show has played a significant role in developing public support and enthusiasm for aviation, helping to inspire a new generation of pilots and building support and enthusiasm for the U.S. Air Force and its programs. Allowing the public to see and experience U.S. Air Force operations up close instills a sense of great pride and patriotism that can only come from seeing U.S. Air Force aircraft in action,” the members wrote.

“We’re very fortunate to have Barksdale in Louisiana, and we greatly appreciate the work that Gen. Rand and his command do at the base. We’re hopeful that we can work with the base to resolve this issue so that the state and Shreveport-Bossier area can continue to benefit from the air show,” said Dr. Abraham, who serves on the House Armed Services Committee and volunteers as a pilot with the Air Force’s Civil Air Patrol.

To view the letter, click here.