Northwest Oregon and southwest Washington are getting a high-octane Fourth of July wake-up call this Saturday, as the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing sends F-15s roaring over local parades and ceremonies. The jets will rip by at roughly 1,000 feet above ground and about 400 mph, close enough that you will almost certainly hear them before you spot them.
According to a media advisory from the Oregon Military Department, the flyover schedule calls for passes over Lake Oswego at about 10:05 a.m., Portland’s Hollywood District at about 10:08 a.m., Corbett at about 10:11 a.m., Yacolt at about 10:15 a.m., and a later swing over Ridgefield at roughly 10:43 a.m. Those same times have also been shared by The Oregonian/OregonLive.
A Closer Look at the Jets
The 142nd Wing has been transitioning to Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II and was the first operational unit to field the new variant in mid-2024, according to the National Guard. Boeing lists a service ceiling near 50,000 feet, a top speed around Mach 2.5 and a maximum external payload of roughly 29,500 pounds, though the holiday flyovers use the jets in a clean, non-combat configuration.
What to Expect
The Oregon Military Department’s advisory notes that each pass will be at roughly 1,000 feet above ground level and about 400 mph, and it warns that flights could be changed or canceled for bad weather or operational needs. Because the aircraft are fast and relatively low, residents near parade routes, riverfronts and beaches should plan on loud overflights that can easily startle kids, pets and anyone not expecting a military-grade soundtrack with their marching bands.
If you are hoping to catch a glimpse, your best bet is to arrive early along parade routes and ceremony sites, then keep an eye on updates from local organizers and news outlets in case anything shifts. For the full city-by-city schedule and the official advisory, see the Oregon Military Department, and for additional local coverage check out The Oregonian/OregonLive.
