DENTON, Texas -- Think of it as a cross between the Blue Angels and American Idol.
Eight top-notch air show pilots -- touted as the best on the planet, actually -- will face off at the Denton Municipal Airport this weekend. But instead of just filming them flying, the producers of the eXtreme Airshow Challenge are borrowing and mixing formats from sports events and reality television to create a more dynamic effect.
"We'll have professional commentary done NFL style and continue broadcasting in a professional sports format," said Greg Gibson, event coordinator. "It will be a completely new experience for anyone coming to an air show."
About 20,000 people are expected to attend Saturday and Sunday, officials said. The show is organized by the Association of Competition Airshow Pilots.
Fans are looking forward to the event, city officials said.
"There's a lot of excitement out there," Denton spokesman John Cabrales said. "Air shows have been a tradition as long as they've been around. They're nice family events and they also attract veterans of previous wars to come out and watch old aircraft and new pilots."
The competition will be judged live -- American Idol style -- on 30-foot video screens. The point system is similar to that used during NASCAR.
AIR SHOW
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