Air show over downtown surprised residents; the show was aimed at state legislators

BATON ROUGE – A trio of World War II-era planes soared through the skies of downtown Baton Rouge Tuesday evening without warning, captivating and intriguing the audience below.

The breathtaking spectacle over the Mississippi River was produced by the renowned Titan Aerobatic Team to celebrate Louisiana Aviation Day. Three T-6 planes filled the sky with smoke as they flew in and out, up and down, performing stunts that amazed onlookers.

“The Titan Aerobatic team is from Louisiana, so we wanted to show what Louisiana has,” said Scott Gammel, president of Louisiana Airport Managers and Associates.

Despite LAMA’s best efforts to plan the show, the public was never informed. When the planes began flying around sunset, concerned callers contacted the WBRZ newsroom for more information and posted numerous messages on social media.

Gammel said the spectacle was intended for lawmakers at the Louisiana State Capitol, which is why they didn’t bother to inform passersby beforehand. This show was inaugural and they plan to do it again next year.

Hopefully by then, it won’t be as much of a surprise.