FORT WORTH, Texas — North Texas’ first drive-in air show completed a successful two-day event on Sunday as the Air Force latest aircraft and popular aerobatic planes provided the weekend thrills.
The 30th Anniversary of the Bell Fort Worth Alliance Air Show featured the Air Force Thunderbirds. The nation’s newest fighter jets, including the F-22A Raptor and F-35A Lightning II, also performed each day.
AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS PERFORMED WITH ONLY FIVE F-16 JETS DURING THE TWO-DAY ALLIANCE AIRSHOW. (USAF)
The drive-in air show experience did not include deep rows of spectators standing along the flight line as the aircraft flew close. Nor did it have the usual aircraft static displays or a kids’ inflatables bounce area.
Much like a drive-in theater, visitors watched from their parked vehicle due to Covid concerns. This has been the approved model the Air Force has selected since July.
The Alliance Airshow was a sellout, having sold over 3,007 parking spots each day. Each spot was large enough for guests to get out and sit in lawn chairs, provided they wore a mask.
The Aircraft Performances
The Thunderbirds six-jet formation highlighted the skies above Alliance Airport. Cloudy skies on Saturday gave way to sunny conditions on Sunday, providing a beautiful performance.
One highlight each day was the Air Force Heritage Flight. A historic P-51 Mustang was joined in the skies by a F-22A, F-35A, and an A-10C Thunderbolt II to form a diamond shape formation.
The Heritage Flight has been a staple at air shows for over 20 years, honoring Airmen from yesteryear through today. The four aircraft performed several slow passes before the crowds on Saturday and Sunday.
An Air Force F-22A, A-10C, and F-35A join a P-51 Mustang during the Heritage Flight on Saturday. (USAF)
Aerobatic pilots Michael Goulian and David Martin performed a dizzying array of spins, high climbs, and low passes. Goulian’s Extra 330SC aircraft can perform a roll rate up to 420 degrees per second and a top speed of 260 m.p.h.
“Preparation and focus,” Goulian said Saturday at the conclusion of his first flight. “So great to be back to flying airshows in 2020. The team at Fort Worth Alliance Air Show has done a magnificent job to make a great family event!”
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
VIRGINIA BEACH — A virtual air show featuring live performances by U.S. Navy and Air Force aircraft will be broadcast across social media on Saturday from Naval Air Station Oceana.
The once cancelled 2020 Oceana Airshow will now take place from the coastal airbase without guests in attendance. Base organizers elected to fly with the new virtual format to provide local residents with a show “in a safe environment”.
This will be the only air show hosted by a U.S. naval base this season due to Covid concerns.
Air Force A-10C Demo Team commander Maj. Cody “ShIV” Wilton pilots the Warthog last week. (USAF)
“Moving the air show to a live-streamed event allows us to keep everyone healthy,” NAS Oceana commander Capt. John W. Hewitt said on Wednesday. “Showcasing what the Navy and Marine Corps team is capable of doing when we deploy around the world to defend America’s interests.”
The four-hour air show will begin at 12 p.m. EDT, and last four hours. The live performances will be shown via social media, including on YouTube, from Live Airshow TV.
The Navy’s F/A-18F Super Hornet, affectionately known as a Rhino, will perform a nearly 18-minute flight on Saturday. The Rhino Demonstration Team is excited to perform over their home base.
“We’re honored that even in a COVID environment, we are able to safely perform and showcase the incredible dedication by the men and women who maintain and operate aircraft from NAS Oceana every day,” Rhino Demo Team member LT. Matt “Syndrome” Lindeman said.
Oceana will be the Rhino’s first air show performance of the season due to Covid concerns. The pilots and maintainers have continued to practice each week to maintain their readiness.
“The demo profile is designed to highlight the mobility, versatility, and power of the F/A-18 Super Hornet, and enhance U.S. Navy recruiting in the area of Naval Aviation,” LT. Linderman added.
The Air Force F-22A Raptor and A-10C Thunderbolt II demonstration teams are also scheduled to perform. A Marine Corps. MV-22 Osprey is also poised to fly, performing vertical take-offs and hovering techniques over the air field.
Aerobatic pilots Michael Goulian, aboard his Extra 330SC, and Scott Francis, in the MXS aircraft, will provide a dizzying array of maneuvers.
Oceana base officials caution local residents from parking near the base to catch the event in person.
“The best way to view the air show is on your phone, tablet or computer,” Capt. Hewitt said. “We need to make sure emergency services personnel can get wherever they may need to go and that nobody is spreading the virus outside of our gates trying to get a better view of the show.”
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
WASHINGTON — Historic warbirds and massive bombers will fill the skies over the nation’s capitol next week to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.
The Arsenal of Democracy flyover will see waves of aircraft formations fly across Washington, D.C. on September 25. Separated by two minutes, each wave of aircraft will honor historic battles of the European and Pacific theaters of war.
The 75-minute flyover will then conclude with a missing man formation.
The Arsenal of Democracy Flyover will commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of WWII. (U.S. Army)
“Approximately 70 World War II aircraft will take to the sky in historically sequenced warbird formations,” Tony Vericella, Executive Director of the 75th WWII Commemoration Committee, said on Tuesday. “These formations will fly over the Washington Mall in two minute intervals.”
The aerial parade will fly south along the Potomac River before moving east over Independence Avenue and the National Mall. The first waves of airplanes will flyover the Lincoln Memorial beginning at 11:30 a.m. EDT.
Arsenal of Democracy Flyover to Honor the end of World War II 7
“The formations will represent the War’s major battles concluding with a missing man formation,” Vericella added.
During a radio broadcast in December 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt called on America to become ‘the great arsenal of democracy’. Roosevelt asked the nation to furnish Great Britain with aircraft and supplies as war spread across Europe.
The Commemorative Air Force, museums, and private individuals have donated the warbirds for the aerial parade. Aircraft will represent major scenes of the War from the Civil Air Patrol to D-Day, and Iwo Jima.
“We’re proud to serve as a principle organizer of the Arsenal of Democracy Flyover to help ensure we recognize and remember the enormous sacrifices of our nation’s heroes,” CAF president Hank Coates said.
The B-29 Superfortress “FIFI” is scheduled to flyover Washington, D.C. on September 25. (Charles Atkeison)
Of the nearly 70 planes, these are just a few of those scheduled to fly:
Six B-25 Mitchell bombers, including “Panchito”, will fly in formation. Two B-29 Superfortress’s, *FIFI* and DOC, are also scheduled to fly.
Six C-47 Skytrain’s, the leaders of the Allies D-Day invasion to liberate France, are also due to fly. The C-47 That’s All Brother, who led the first wave of D-Day aircraft in 1944, is also schedule to fly.
Five Curtis P-40 Warhawks are scheduled to fly. The Army Air Force’s front line fighter was in the air during the attacks on Pearl Harbor in 1941.
Four B-17 Flying Fortresses, including Aluminum Overcast, and nine P-51 Mustangs will also take part. The Army’s T-6 Texans, Navy’s SNJ-2s, and the British Harvard aircraft will be included in the warbird formations.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe (V-E) Day, the Arsenal of Democracy, in conjunction with the WWII 75th Commemoration Committee, produced a video tribute.
Ever since flying began, the need for enhanced range of aircraft existed. In 1923, the first air refueling took place. The video above depicts a KC-135R refueling a NATO E-3 AWACs for training. The dangers of two aircraft flying in close proximity can not be understated. At 38 seconds into the video – within the next 2 – the aircraft were within inches of each other.
While nearly every air refueling occurs without incident, the danger exists nonetheless each time two aircraft fly so closely to each other.
Here is a short video with the history of Air Refueling.
My Experience With Air Refueling as a KC-135 Pilot
kc135e: The 2nd model with improved tf-33 engines producing 18,000 lbs thrust per engine and thrust reversers. (source: 190arw)KC135R: The third engine refit with cfm-56 engines capable of 22,000 lbs of thrust per engine. (source: 190ARW)
With over 20 years flying the KC-135 D/E/R, many questions arose whenever I gave orientation rides for civilians. These were my most frequent questions I was asked:
Q: How much fuel do y’all carry? A: About 32,000 gallons or about 1 gallon of milk per day for 87 years!
Q: How much does this big airplane weigh and how does it take off? A: About 320,000 lbs at full gross weight and honestly, we really have no clue how it takes off! (kidding)
Q: How far do y’all fly on a tank of gas? A: About half way around the world, if we fly farther than that, we went the wrong way!
Q: How do you find each other (receiver and tanker)? A: We plan to meet each other at a specific time, altitude, and location, based on an established and approved Air Refueling Track (line) or Military Operations Area (anchor area). The pix below shows the US air refueling tracks and anchors. Each one has properties that identify altitudes and coordinates for entry and exit.
From dod publication AP/1b military training routes
The U.S. Air Force, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force reserve have flown many models of air refueling tankers with the latest being the KC-46 Pegasus. Each aircraft has had a role in keeping the mission moving.
Air refueling takes training, practice, and proficiency to execute safely. The challenge is worth it though. We kept important missions moving. With thousands of hours in the air refueling business – the office views were amazing too! Here are a couple of my favorite pics that I took while flying the mighty KC-135…
just a standard day over kansas refueling the thunderbirds: source chris turnerbetter not leave out the blue angels! source chris turner
Call it one of the more unique aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as drive in movies are growing in popularity, drive in airshows are actually starting to become a thing.
The Alliance Air Show in particular will be different but will still feature some of your favorite flying acts . “The circumstances of the COVID-19 pandemic provided the unique opportunity to be innovative in how to move forward with hosting the air show for the North Texas community,” said Christina Carey, director of special projects for Alliance Air Productions, producer of the event and a nonprofit organization created by Hillwood. “Our newly reformatted event will be a memorable, fun and socially distanced drive-in experience as we celebrate 30 years of soaring excellence.”
Drive In Air Shows Are Starting To Take Off In COVID era 14
Much like a drive in movie, drive in airshows are exactly what you would think they would be. Instead of congregating around a flight line, guests remain in their car (or nearby their car) and watch the show. In order to comply with social distancing, these new drive in shows will lack the static displays, bouncy castles, and assortment of food. What they lack in terms of flight line entertainment, they will make up with thrills in the skies. The performances will remain the same. And in a season where so many airshows have been cancelled, that is a good thing.
Is this the new normal? Hopefully not. But until COVID-19 is in our rear view mirror, it is better than nothing.
Alliance Air Show in Fort Worth, Texas
Held October 17-18, 2020. The current plan is to offer a limited number of parking tickets available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis in mid-September at AllianceAirShow.com. There will be no parking tickets sold onsite.
Wings Over North Georgia Air Show
Held October 24-25, 2020. Wings Over North Georgia officials explain there will be portable restroom accommodations and food vending sites. Cowman encourages guests to also bring their own food and drinks to Georgia’s largest tailgate party. Tickets are $130 per car. You can learn more at Wings Over Georgia’s website.
Airlines love efficiency to save both time and money. Back in the ’80s American Airlines famously removed one olive per salad to save $40,000 of dollars a year. American and all other airlines then removed coach meals all together to save even more money. The holy grail of savings though isn’t just saving money with less foods and lighter planes. The ultimate efficiency is squeezing one more profitable flight into the schedule than your competitors. Multiple Jet Bridges were seen as one potential solution.
That’s why for years airlines have thought of creative ways to board planes and deplane planes faster. When jets like the 707 and DC-8 first came out, a few airlines experimented with dual jet bridges by parking the jet parallel to the terminal. It worked in that boarding times were faster. The challenge was that each aircraft that parallel parked to the terminal took up so much real estate. The idea quickly faded as additional traffic required more efficient use of aircraft parking around terminals. Pulling into a gate became the common way to park a jet at a gate.
More Modern attempts at expediting boarding
The concept of rapid loading and unloading never truly went away. Over the years airlines have experimented with boarding via groups that would lead to faster boarding times. They tried from back to front, then window to aisle. Southwest Airlines famously doesn’t assign seats. Some boarding ideas work better than others but there is always one choke point. That is from the door to the aisle to your seat. The narrow passageway is a blocker.
TWA Tried the Triple Jet Bridge for their 747 at LAX
In the early days of the Boeing 747, LAX introduced a set of boarding bridges for the 747. It included a bridge for the first class section another one for coach and a third telescoping bridge that went over the left wing. The TWA Museum recently posted a photo of this wild setup along with a story about the design. Although boarding was more efficient, the aft boarding door that went over the wing was mechanically complex and risky. We posted the link to their story below for you to check it out in more detail.
Challenge: Quickly moving 350 passengers onto and off from a 747. A solution: The “Skydock” at TWA’s Los Angeles…
Southwest Airlines, the airline that once made famous their 10 minute turns, has also dabbled in dual jet bridges (officially known as Mobile Telescoping Dual Bridges) at Dallas Love Field, Austin, and most recently Albany, New York. Each time one was installed, the local news posted a story about the ‘innovation’ to great fanfare.
After a testing period, the bridges were quietly removed with little to no information about why. For a while dual jet bridges were locate at Albany and used on a fairly regular basis. A 2019 news story in the Times Union described the bridges as being retired. According to the article, the bridges outlived their designed lifespan. The article does acknowledge that they have had mechanical challenges for years and were often out of service. Southwest hasn’t given up on dual boarding though. They have a number of airports (mainly in California) where they continue to allow passengers to descend a flight of stairs to the tarmac to then board their flight from air stairs placed at the back of the jet.
Dual boarding via stairs is in use at 4 California airports. ImageL Southwest Airlines
The A380 Made Dual Jet Bridges Cool Again
The massive size of the A380 made boarding a real challenge. To account for the high volume of passengers boarding and deplaning, many airports have constructed gates that are specifically built for the A380. These gates have two (and sometimes three) jet bridges that allow for the downstairs and upstairs of the jet to be loaded simultaneously. Brussels airport even shared a campaign about the new gates in a YouTube clip that can be seen below.
What makes this approach unique is that due to the layout of the A380, all bridges can link to the jet without the need to telescope over the wing. The idea works. However with the A380 rapidly leaving the fleets of many airlines, the need for such a unique gate setup may be short lived.
Other airports have successfully installed dual jet bridges but very few telescoping bridges over the wings. The most notable was KLM’s telescoping bridge for their 747 fleet in Amsterdam. With the 747 now retired, it is unknown if the bridges will still stay in service for their other wide bodies in the fleet.
United also tried telescoping jet bridges over the wing at Denver on a few gates. However, one telescoping bridge damaged a 757 wing. The attempt at efficiency was discontinued and the dual jet bridges were removed from service.
Multiple Jet Bridges are utilized in a limited way for widebodies but telescoping bridges just don’t seem to work
At major airports, some gates have multiple jet bridges for wide bodies that connect to the jet ahead of the wings today. It’s fair to say that dual telescoping jet bridges never really took off though. The reasons are pretty obvious. They are complex to operate and maintain a jet bridge that telescopes over a wing then descends back down to be level with a rear boarding door.
Even though its technically feasible, such a set up is always complex, risky, and expensive. And there is a real risk of damaging the wing. A jet out of service is much less efficient than saving a few minutes in a turn. File this idea in one of those good efficiency ideas that’s never really been efficiently executed.
It’s been a pretty sad time for commercial aviation lately. Planes have been retired left and right. Almost all the Mad Dogs have disappeared along with a host of A340s, 747s, 757s and 767s. So when we see an airline operating a new type of jet we get just a wee bit excited.
National Airlines is a small Florida-based airline that provides cargo and military charter services. They also have occasionally operated odd route combinations for scheduled service. In the past, they’ve flown from Long Island Islip airport to Puerto Rico. Their most recently scheduled service was supposed to be centered around infrequent service between Puerto Rico, Orlando, and Windsor International Airport. However these routes were delayed, presumably due to the combination of COVID-19 and charter demand for their aircraft.
MSP Aviation 4K recently filmed the airline’s first A330 departure from Minneapolis International Airport. His gorgeous 4k footage captures the silver and blue A330 in all its glory.
After These First Kills, Eagle Drivers Racked Up a 104-0 Score
The 60’s were a decade of innovation, from the first video game console, computer mouse, and cool cars like the Datsun 240Z! But the year 1967 birthed the concept of a new American fighter, one that would compete against the Fairchild Hiller and North American Rockwell. The Vietnam War had presented a platform for the F-4 Phantom to prove itself, but lessons had been learned and advancements were required to enter the next phase of air-to-air combat. Christmas came early on 23 December 1969 as McDonnell Douglas earned the Air Force’s blessing for a new fighter contract, officially starting the legacy of the “Eagle.”
1st TFW F-15. Image via USAF
The Specs of the F-15
Two Pratt & Whitney F100 (or) two General Electric F110 turbofan engines offer 29,000 pounds of thrust class (with afterburning) into an airframe that’s only 63.8 feet long and 42.8 feet wide. The maximum gross takeoff weight of 81,000 pounds includes an armament of cannons, precision guided munitions, and medium/short-range missiles which vary based on specific fighter categories. For the F-15A/B/C/D air-to-air category, the plane is fitted with a 20mm cannon, AIM-120 (AMRAAM) missiles, AIM-9 (Sidewinder) missiles, and AIM-7 (Sparrow) missiles. With a top speed of 1,875 miles per hour, 2,400 mile range, and a maximum service ceiling of 65,000 feet, the F-15 is designed to be utilized in a variety of missions.
A right side view of two F-15 Eagle aircraft, from the 36th Tactical Fighter Wing, in flight over Eiffel Province.
Proving Ground for the F-15
The year is 1979. The Cold War is running rampant, and the Soviets are doing their best to arm the Syrians and Egyptians with the best air defense available. During this period, the answer was the proven Soviet-built MiG-21. The Israeli government turned to the West, and the United States delivered 25 F-15s on 27 June 1979. With virtually no prior combat experience, the F-15s had yet to make a name for themselves Little did they know, the opportunity would come only minutes later.
Image via US Air Force
That same afternoon, four Syrian MiG-21s were detected rapidly approaching Israeli airspace. Quickly scrambling to meet the challenge were four Israeli Air Force F-15s. Brigadier General Moshe Melnik was one of the four Eagle drivers who took to the skies that afternoon. Utilizing the Python 3 missile (which was specifically designed for the Israeli F-15s), Moshe and his fellow airmen were able to successfully defeat the enemy in a matter of 30 seconds.
image via US Air FOrce
To the Video
Check out this short video from the Smithsonian with actual footage from Brig. Gen. Moshe Melnik’s F-15!
Today there are currently 670 F-15s protecting the skies from bases along the USA, Europe, and Asia. The “Eagle” remains a key component to air superiority. Heck, it even shot down a satellite! We look forward to seeing it continue to live out its incredible legacy as the F-15 continues in production, with new jets to be delivered soon.
Stealthy aircraft startup Celera stepped into the light with their new ‘bullet plane’. For the past few years, we’ve heard rumors of a super efficient aircraft that had an unusual blimp-like appearance with a pusher engine. On the surface, it looks a bit like a Burt Rutan inspired design, a bit like a fat Beechcraft Starship. Its reported efficiency might lead to a revolution.
For generations, the private flight market has been segmented into two groups. Private jet travel is the domain of oligarchs, celebrities and the rich. Small private planes were more a mix of hobbyists and small business owners who needed to travel to places on schedules and locations where airlines couldn’t accommodate. You either flew an airline at an affordable price or you ponied up large sums of cash for a private flight. There wasn’t much of a middle ground.
Enter Otto Aviation With a Potentially Revolutionary Solution
Photo: Otto Aviation
Otto Aviation’s ‘Bullet’ plane could be a game changer. By designing an aircraft that maximizes laminar flow (not just on the wings but the entire aircraft), the plane is able to achieve efficiencies that most engineers would only dream about.
According to Otto Aviation, their Celera 500L demonstration aircraft is able to fly at near commercial speeds with 8x lower fuel consumption, and a 5-7x lower operating cost than a comparably sized jet. The aircraft can fly up to 4,500 nm at a time. That range would put it in the same ballpark as a Boeing 737 MAX or A321NEO.
Otto Aviation lists on its website that the hourly operational cost is around $328. These efficiencies mean that a person could afford to rent a 500L with up to 6 passengers for about the same cost as a commercial ticket. This could be a game changer.
What is laminar flow and why is this a breakthrough?
No aircraft engineer designs a high drag aircraft. Drag leads to inefficiencies and additional cost. The ideal behind Otto Aviation’s Celera 500L aircraft is to minimize drag by keeping the airflow laminar or smooth across the body of the aircraft to the max extent possible. This is why the engine is at the rear of the aircraft and partially why there are less windows. The smooth body results in what the manufacturer is claiming as a 59% more efficient aircraft than a similar sized aircraft. The glide ratio is 22:1! That is closer in range to an inefficient glider than a business jet.
If Otto’s claims are true, they are saying that the Celera 500L can travel at speeds of up to 460mph on the equivalent of a V12 Red A03 550 horsepower engine that sips fuel at around 18-25 miles per gallon at cruise with seating for 6 and a 6 foot tall cabin. That is revolutionary.
The Celera 500L Cabin mockup. Image: Otto Aviation
The trend towards direct and smaller planes has been ongoing for the past 50 years
The shift to smaller, more nimble aircraft has been going on for a while. Otto Aviation might just be the next step. Back in the 1970s, the trend was towards large, intercontinental aircraft like the Boeing 747, DC-10 and L1011. The thought was that the skies and airports would become so crowded that larger airplanes would be required to shuttle passengers to large hubs where they could then connect to smaller destinations.
For the next 40 years, that theory largely held true. Even newer, more efficient jets like the Airbus A330, Boeing 777, and Boeing 747-400 became successful by serving large hubs. In the early 2000s, some cracks in this theory started to emerge. The Boeing 757 offered transatlantic service to connect smaller markets. The success of this offering and the growing range of the A321 and Boeing 737NG families opened up the door to more point to point service. These single aisle jets could now fly transcontinental and from the West Coast of the US to Hawaii with little problem. Then came the Boeing 787 (and the A350) which unlocked intercontinental travel between midsized markets.
Large aircraft like the A380 (pictured) and the 747 are already being retired in large numbers. The Celera 500L could disrupt the airline industry further. Photo Simon_sees from Australia (CC BY 2.0)
With the Corona virus pandemic and focused development of the Airbus A321XLR and 737 MAX, the expectation is that the market will continue to move towards smaller aircraft that could fly point to point, bypassing major hubs. Jetblue’s founder, David Neeleman, is even building a new airline around the mid-sized A220 jet that can fly infrequently between small cities. The shift to smaller wide-body and single aisle jets is already happening. Jumbo jets like the venerable Boeing 747 and A380 are already being retired en masse.
The Bullet Plane Could Bring About The Next Shift To Small
Image: Otto Aviation
Otto Aviation’s 500L (and larger 1000L) could be the next big shift in aviation. If you could fly privately between small airports affordably, an airplane could become more like an Uber than an all day ordeal. The ‘bullet’ plane could open up new markets. Imagine flying direct from Springfield, Illinois to Monterey, California for the weekend. Such a trip might not be challenging today without taking a day off of work. You’d likely have at least one connection. In the future, that trip could be just a four hour direct flight. Or consider the option to live in a small town like Tulsa and travel to Cleveland for a meeting. What would have been a two day business trip is now a single day out and back.
Can the ‘Bullet Plane’ deliver?
If Otto Aviation’s plane delivers on its promise of affordable private travel, it might also leads to a dramatic and almost unprecedented shift in air travel trends and society. Today, many business travelers and companies are located in large cities like Denver and Chicago and Dallas partly due to the transportation options. COVID-19 has already shown that a workforce can largely work distributed and at home. Still, one major advantage of living near a large city is the ability to travel, even if for pleasure.
Could the Celera 500L "Bullet Plane" Really Revolutionize How We Fly? 25
We plan to stay close to this story. It’s an exciting development for aviation, one that could be as disruptive as the jumbo jet.
NEWBURGH, NY — The Air Force Thunderbirds and F-35 Demonstration Team are just a few of the military aircraft scheduled to perform this weekend during the New York Airshow.
To keep the few remaining air shows alive, air show organizers and the Air Force have adopted the “drive-in airshow” format. Surrounded by forests and the Hudson River, Orange County Airport will host the two-day air show.
The F-22A Raptor, GEICO Skytypers, and civilian aerobatic planes are also scheduled to perform.
The F-35A Lightning II, a fifth generation stealth attack jet, will demonstrate high speed passes and loops over the air field. This show will mark their fourth drive-in show this summer.
The F-35A Demonstration will perform high speed aerial maneuvers over the New York airshow. (USAF)
“We’re excited to see air shows adopt this (drive-in) presentation style,” F-35A Demo Team spokesperson Capt. Kip Sumner told AvGeekery. “It’s been great to get on the road and share our love of aviation, engineering, and photography with the public and we know it’s going to be an amazing show.”
The F-35 Demo Team is based at Hill AFB, Utah, and will perform on Saturday and Sunday. The team’s commander and pilot enjoys two things when she flies, vapor and the crowd’s excitement.
“We’re really excited to be back on the East Coast to perform for the people of New York,” Air Force pilot Capt. Kristin “Beo” Wolfe told AvGeekery on Wednesday. “It’s awesome to be able to bring some aviation excitement to a state that’s been heavily impacted by this pandemic.”
The F-35A will perform a special flyover of Orange County Airport. The patriotic Heritage Flight, flown by historic and new Air Force aircraft, is scheduled each day.
“We are planning on performing our full demonstration routine along with a Heritage Flight with the F-22 and a warbird,” Capt. Wolfe added.
The Thunderbirds six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets will display both slow and high speed precision maneuvers.
The Thunderbirds diamond soar over the airfield of Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, on Aug. 6th. (USAF)
“We are honored and excited to perform our second show of the year,” Thunderbird 12 Capt. Remoshay Nelson told AvGeekery.com on Wednesday. She expressed that the entire squadron is ready to begin their second air show of the year.
“We look forward to putting on two great shows for New York residents who are able to enjoy the drive-in show,” Capt. Nelson added from the flightline. “New York has been hit hard by COVID-19 so we hope this can bring a bit of hope, inspiration, and entertainment as we continue to battle this virus.”
The Thunderbirds’ red, white, and blue jets will close out each afternoon. The pilots and logistic crews have worked long hours this summer to sharpen their 42-minute demonstration.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
PENSACOLA, Fla. — The U.S. Navy Blue Angels announced on Monday the departure of one popular jet pilot and the return of a former pilot for the 2021 air show season.
The squadron had announced in July all six jet pilots would remain for their 75th anniversary season. Their special year will arrive with a fleet of new jets.
The Navy’s Flight Demonstration Squadron will see the return of Navy Cmdr. Benjamin “Baxter” Walborn to the squadron. Walborn, who served as the narrator, opposing and lead solo between 2009-11, will become the new lead solo.
Commander Benjamin Walborn of Strike Fighter Squadron 37 at NAS Oceana, provides some remarks during a commissioning ceremony aboard the Battleship USS Wisconsin in July 2019. (US Navy).
Cmdr. Walborn will replace current Blue Angels lead solo pilot Lcdr. Brandon Hempler. Pilot Lt. Cary Rickoff will continue for a second season as the opposing solo.
The Blue Angels are in the middle of transitioning from their classic F/A-18 C/D Hornets to the faster F/A-18 E/F Super Hornets. Since departing the Blue Angels, Walborn has been busy piloting the Super Hornet at NAS Oceana in Virginia.
“The flying is very challenging in order to get to the Blue Angels’ standard that we want in order to accurately represent all the other aviators out there,” Cmdr. Walborn said during an interview with the U.S. Navy.
Walborn, who earned his wings of gold in April 2004, first joined the Blue Angels in September 2008. He has served the last three years as a commanding officer and Super Hornet pilot with the “Ragin’ Bulls” of VFA-37 at NAS Oceana.
The U.S. Navy Blue Angels provide cockpit video over Jacksonville, Fla. during a May 2020 flight.
He carries fond memories to this day of his time around air shows. For Walborn, it was not the flying as much as it was the community surrounding each air show.
“The most memorable is going to the crowd lines, visiting the schools, and meeting all the people around the United States,” Walborn said. “It is pretty amazing when you go up to the crowd line and see children looking up to you with big smiles on their faces, because I remember … when I was that kid.”
The Blue Angels’ 2021 season is scheduled to begin at NAS Jacksonville air show the weekend of April 10-11. Later, that September, the Blue Angels will perform at NAS Oceana, and Cmdr. Walborn will perform for his former squadron.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Pierre Sprey, A-10 Close Air Support Aircraft Developer
Articles dedicated to Colonel John Boyd, Thomas P. Christie, Pierre M. Sprey, Chuck Myers, Colonel Everest Riccioni, Harry Hillaker, Dr. Raymond Leopold, James Burton, Colonel Mike Wyly, and Franklin “Chuck” Spinney – the Fighter Mafia and Acolyte core; an independent, free-thinking group of pentagon analysts, pilots, and engineers that demonstrably changed the culture, theory, and production of air combat assets.
As the second installment in the Fighter Mafia series, (please read the first article in series Colonel John Boyd– if you haven’t yet), we explore a true game-changer, legend, and visionary – Pierre Sprey (pronounced “Spray”). As a result of talking with Pierre Sprey, we made some changes to the first article to accurately reflect historical events and capture even more about John Boyd.
Author’s personal note: As a relatively poor youth reared in Kansas, I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world. Many of us in the aviation world probably grew up the same and desired more out of life and truly wanted to become better people and change lives around us. After talking with Pierre, I remain humbled that due largely to his (and others) passions, desires, and commitments, he changed history for the better and made a difference. Few ever get that chance and we should celebrate those that selflessly took stands that made greatly impacted history!
courtesy of pierre sprey
Background
At the age of three Pierre Sprey emigrated to the United States in 1941. Under threat of German occupation of France moving south, Pierre’s family escaped France at Nice and traveled on one of the last steamers from Casablanca to New York. Growing up in Queens, Pierre attended Forest Hills High School. After graduating in 1953, Pierre sought a Mechanical Engineering degree from Yale and spent summers interning with Grumman, bucking rivets on the F11F Tiger and working in the experimental machine shop building wind tunnel prototypes.
F11F-1 Tiger. image via us navy
A Numbers Guy
Originally desiring an Aeronautical Engineering degree to design aircraft (not available at Yale), Pierre understood after his third summer internship working in Stability and Control at Grumman, that the likelihood of designing his own airplane would be 20 years away at the earliest. Pierre, a numbers guy, found a niche the fourth summer working in the Research Department with mathematicians and statisticians and decided on a new path diverging from aircraft design. Pierre graduated Yale in 1958 with a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering with a Minor in French Literature.
image via us navy
The Ultimate Numbers Guy
With a new purpose, Pierre attended Cornell for a M.S. in Operations Research and Mathematical Statistics and set upon a blazing path using numbers and data to encapsulate and solidify national defense decisions. Grumman wanted and needed a numbers guy and Pierre became a one-man number-crunching consultant within the company during graduate school. Since few engineers could apply statistics to practical problems, Pierre’s work blossomed thanks to peer demand throughout Grumman’s departments, thereby aiding Pierre in understanding the true complexities hidden within aircraft design. Pierre graduated Cornell in 1961 and converted from consultant to full-time employee at Grumman.
image via us navy
Whiz Kids
One benefit for single-handedly operating a practical applications statistics shop was in 1965 Pierre became the natural selection from Grumman to attend the relatively new, prestigious Hudson Institute’s seminar, attended by major airplane manufacturers and hosted by founder Dr. Herman Kahn. At the seminar, Pierre became acquainted with Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense, Robert Valtz, who hired Pierre into the Pentagon for the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (SECDEF) for Systems Analysis (known internally as the “Whiz Kids”). The Whiz Kids had been established in 1961 by then-new Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara. The group consisted of smart young economists, MBAs, and mathematicians who addressed major defense budget questions posed by McNamara. When he joined in 1966, Pierre was the Whiz Kids’ first aviation-experienced engineer.
Robert Mcnamara. image via getty
For More of the Pierre Sprey Story Bang NEXT PAGE Below
