Flying high…for a cause!
In collaboration with Colorado Governor, Jared Polis and Mile High United Way, a group of local aviators will donate their time and resources to raise money and awareness for the Help Colorado Now program through a Flyover Fundraising Parade and Aerial Salute to essential workers.
With a generous $500,000 challenge match from Lockheed Martin, the aerial event hopes to inspire donations and challenge other individuals and corporations to come together as we continue to support those most impacted by COVID-19. This aerial parade of more than 30 aircraft is scheduled to take flight Thursday, May 14, 2020 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. in the skies above the Denver Metro Area. Organizers encourage people to watch from their homes and always follow social distancing public health guidelines.
The squadron of planes will take off from Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield and loop the Denver Metro Area Front Range, from Longmont to Castle Rock, as both a salute to essential workers and a fundraising awareness platform for the Colorado COVID Relief Fund. All donations made to the fund will support Colorado communities impacted by COVID-19. Hosted by Mile High United Way, the Colorado COVID Relief Fund is part of the State’s Help Colorado Now initiative. Donations can be made at www.HelpColoradoNow.org.
This collaborative effort among fellow airmen was born out of a desire to help the capable doctors, nurses and first responders who battle COVID-19 daily, and also the essential workers including janitors, grocery store clerks, sanitation workers, delivery personnel and the other unsung heroes that selflessly work daily to ensure communities have access to essential services and goods. These pilots, mechanics and ground crews have donated their time and talents, fuel and maintenance costs, equipment and resources (including the airshow smoke utilized), to raise awareness and funds to support the Help Colorado Now program. 
The planes in this aerial fundraising parade will vary in type, style and speed ranging from small jets to propeller planes. They are all Civilian Aircraft and most planes are former Military Aircraft known as “Warbirds.” The others are civilian Air Show aerobatic aircraft. Aircraft will fly together in formation groupings organized by speed while traversing the Metro area. From their homes, viewers will see three to four total groups of planes fly overhead at approximately 150 miles per hour (compared to the United States Air Force Thunderbird flyover which happened at about 500 miles per hour).
The flight path – found here – includes flyovers of major area hospitals from Longmont to Castle Rock as well as Columbine High School, the Castle Rock Star, Civic Center Park, Stapleton, Buckley Air Force Base, Southlands Mall, Lowery, Thornton Town Center and Longmont and Niwot High Schools. Organizers encourage people to watch from home and always follow social distancing public health guidelines.
The first group of planes takes off from the Rocky Mountain Metro Airport in Broomfield at 11:30 a.m., heading south along the front range to the Castle Rock star before turning back north and northeast to complete the aerial parade by 1 p.m. Organizers estimate that approximately 1 million people along this route will be able to view this salute from their homes and consider making a donation to HelpColoradoNow.org.
Author: Mile High Mamas
