The biennial Canberra Airport Open Day will allow visitors to climb aboard modern Qantas and Virgin aircraft, or a Constellation gem flown in by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society.

A retired Royal Australian Air Force DC3 aircraft will be on display, while a full-scale mock-up of the F-35 Lightning II will engage those with top gun dreams. Lockheed Martin said the F-35A, the conventional take-off and landing variant of the aircraft, has been selected for the front line of the air force's post-2020 air combat resources.

But it is not a real aircraft open day without a few acrobatic moves in the sky, and Sydney pilot Joel Haski will be happy to oblige.

The 41-year-old will bring four planes to the nation's capital, including what is called the Red Baron Pitts Special, a 200-horsepower aircraft designed for what he called a kind of ''gentleman's aerobatics''.

''It was built in 1978, and is essentially a modern acrobatic aeroplane - but because it's red and we've painted it with the colours, it brings back that Red Baron style,'' Mr Haski said.

''In terms of that performance, it's probably not much better than the World War I aircraft.''

The open day runs from 9.30am to 1.30pm.