A Hometown Farewell: Scott Francis Caps His Air Show Career at McConnell
The skies over the Air Capital were busier than usual this past weekend as McConnell Air Force Base hosted the Frontiers in Flight Air Show on Saturday, October 24, and Sunday, October 25 in Wichita, Kansas. The show featured a wide variety of civilian and military aircraft, with static displays and aerial performances including the headliner act the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. According to McConnell AFB, and estimated 100 thousand visitors attended the two-day event.
For one Wichita native, the weekend was extra special. Scott Francis of Scott Francis Airshows was born and raised in Wichita. Following in the footsteps of his grandfather and father, Francis made aviation his career. He earned his pilot’s license while still in high school and has fond memories of growing up in the Air Capital, including spending time with his father, who was a test pilot for Beech Aircraft.
Francis has logged more than 10,000 hours in over 40 types of aircraft and currently serves as a captain for a major U.S. airline. He began flying in air shows in 2006 but still remembers attending his first air show as a spectator in Wichita.
“I was probably six or seven years old and went to my first air show with my dad at McConnell,” Francis said.
The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds were also in attendance that day in 1970, flying the F-4E Phantom II. The aircraft left a lasting impression on the young aviation enthusiast.
Fast-forward nearly 40 years, and with the Thunderbirds back in Wichita, Francis had the privilege of performing his final air show in his hometown. We asked him what it meant to bring his air show career to a close in the place where his aviation journey began.
“Walking away from a 21-year career is challenging. There have been many highlights, but I can’t imagine finishing it up in any place other than Wichita and McConnell,” Francis said.
Francis shared how the teams at McConnell and the Thunderbirds went above and beyond to celebrate the milestone, making the weekend even more meaningful with his family by his side. For Francis, the final performance was about more than bringing a career to a close. It was an opportunity to return to the place where his love of aviation first took flight, surrounded by family, fellow aviators, and a community that helped shape his journey. After 21 years of air shows, there could hardly be a more fitting place to make his final pass. Photos and article by Tanner Colvin Click to expand
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