An aerobatics aircraft of Team Oracle performs during the 59th Annual Chicago Air and Water Show over North Avenue Beach in Chicago, the United States, Aug. 19, 2017. The two-day Chicago Air and Water Show began on Saturday. (Xinhua/Wang Ping)
CHICAGO, Aug. 19 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of Thousands of people flocked to the North Avenue Beach and along Chicago's magnificent lakefront on Lake Michigan to watch the 59th Chicago Air and Water Show.
The show kicked off with jumping of the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights, with former Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross among them.
A Boeing 787-8 from the American Airlines circled the North Avenue Beach sky to lead the show.
A variety of military and civilian performers took turn to stage stunts, flying in tight formation and upside-downs.
The Blue Angels, a six-jet Navy team flying F-18 Hornet, performed aerial maneuvers and diamond and delta formations, which it is famous for. The team has been performing at the show since 1946.
Two F-22 Raptors were eye-catchers at the show. They fully demonstrated their stealth, speed, agility and situational awareness off the beach, drawing waves of screams and applauses.
Safety is not a concern as safety precautions have been taken before, during and after the show. All pilots perform stunts over the water in a set safety area, against Chicago's Skyline as a backdrop.
The annual event usually lasts two day, and for this year, it falls on this Saturday and Sunday.
The first show was held in 1959, and was called the Lakeshore Park Air and Water Show then. After tens of years' development, the show has expanded to be one of the largest and longest-running free events of its kind in the U.S.
