Starfighters Space Showcases Historic F-104 Fleet at Texas Airshow
Event summary
- Starfighters Space will participate in the AIRSHO event at Midland International Air & Space Port on September 12-13, 2026.
- The company will showcase its fleet of flight-ready Mach 2+ F-104 supersonic aircraft in both flight and static displays.
- Piercarlo Ciacchi, Director of Flight Operations, will pilot the F-104, bringing over 7,000 hours of flight experience.
- Starfighters operates the world's only commercial fleet of F-104 aircraft, used for high-speed research and aerospace testing.
The big picture
Starfighters Space is leveraging its unique fleet of F-104 aircraft to position itself as a key player in high-speed aerospace research and testing. The company's participation in the AIRSHO event underscores its strategic focus on bridging aviation history with next-generation aerospace applications. With only a handful of airworthy F-104s remaining, Starfighters controls a critical asset in the supersonic flight sector, making it a notable entity in the broader aerospace and defense landscape.
What we're watching
- Regulatory Dynamics
- How FAA's proposed rule changes on supersonic flights will impact Starfighters' operations and commercial potential.
- Market Differentiation
- Whether Starfighters can sustain its niche as the only commercial operator of flight-ready F-104 aircraft.
- Strategic Positioning
- The pace at which Starfighters expands its aerospace testing capabilities to support hypersonic and spaceflight technologies.