UPDATE: This feature has been updated with Tuesday’s schedule.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — The Navy’s Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds announced Friday that several joint flyovers across the United States will begin Tuesday to salute healthcare professionals and the military.
Operation America Strong will see each squadron fly a six-jet delta formation either together or separately. Some U.S. cities will see one squadron, while the larger cities will have both perform side-by-side.
“Flyovers in Newark, New York City, and surrounding boroughs will start at noon, and last approximately 35 minutes,” The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels announced on Saturday. “Flyovers in Trenton will start at 1:45 p.m. and last approximately 10 minutes. Flyovers in Philadelphia will start at 2 p.m. and last approximately 20 minutes.”
[youtube id=”0Q1_8IFWhC8″ width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”] The Thunderbirds and Blue Angels will fly across select areas hit the hardest by COVID-19. The complete schedule with locations is expected by this Wednesday. Each team flight will occur every one-to-two days until the middle of May.
“We’re excited to fly over cities across America as our way of saying thanks to the healthcare workers, first responders, and all the people who selflessly run into the breach working to keep America strong,” Gen. Dave Goldfein, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, and Adm. Michael Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations, said in a joint release Friday. “This is also our way of showing that we are all in this together and that America’s spirit will prevail.”
In the release, the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds laid out several flyover guidelines. The extended flyovers are designed to avoid contact with military bases and the public.
“Both teams are implementing various measures to maintain personnel and community safety,” the joint team release said. “This includes air-to-air refueling during transit and no scheduled stops en route to reduce potential exposure to the virus.”
A series of flyovers in May will salute healthcare professional and the military. (Glenn Watson/2018)
The Thunderbirds departed their home at Las Vegas on April 20 to fly cross country to NAS Pensacola — the home of the Blue Angels. The two teams spent the week performing a series of practice flights from the air base.
“For two demo teams with two different branches there’s a friendly rivalry there, but really we have the same mission,” Thunderbird Lead Solo pilot Maj. Michelle Curran said recently. “For us to be able to come down here to the Blue Angels home turf is huge for both teams in learning.”
On Wednesday, the Thunderbirds added red, white, and blue smoke to their formation and solo practices. Both squadrons have always used white smoke during air show performances.
America’s air show season may be grounded, but the Thunderbirds have not. Since April 11, the Air Force squadron has conducted two separate extended public flyovers of Las Vegas and Colorado.
Updated Flyover Schedule (EDT):
April 28… Newark, NJ / New York City ….. 12 p.m.
April 28… Trenton, NJ ………………………………… 1:45 p.m.
April 28… Philadelphia ……………………………….. 2 p.m.
Ed. note: AvGeekery.com will update this story to include the complete flyover schedule.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
NELLIS AFB, NV — The popular television series The Six Million Dollar Man featured a fictional test pilot turned astronaut who flew to the Moon and served as a pilot with the Air Force Thunderbirds.
The Six Million Dollar Man was Col. Steve Austin, “the world’s first bionic man”. Based on an actual crash of a NASA M2-F2 Lifting Body, Col. Austin survived a fictional crash by being fitted with bionic legs, a bionic arm, and a bionic eye fused to his biology.
A few years later, Col. Austin went undercover with the Thunderbirds during the episode “The Thunderbird Connection”. The plot had the squadron of five T-38A Talon jets travel to a fictional Middle East country to save the life of a young prince.
A fictional Middle East ruler greets the Air Force Thunderbirds during “The Thunderbird Connect”. From R to L, an actor played Thunderbird 1; a real unnamed Thunderbird was #2, Lee Majors as #3; Real Thunderbird Capt. Lloyd W. Newton is #4; and an unnamed real Thunderbird is number five. (NBC)
Watch ‘The Thunderbird Connection’ Free on NBC
The episode first aired on November 28, 1976, and is now available on NBC-TV streaming for free. The nearly two-hour episode is divided into part one and part two. It is listed as 1976’s second-most-watched television show.
The episode features original Thunderbirds inflight views and cockpit video. Some of the video is grainy, but serves as historic footage from their flights. The story was also filmed in part on the flightline of Nellis AFB — the home of the Thunderbirds.
The 1976 Air Force Thunderbirds perform a special maneuver Designed for “The Six Million Dollar Man”. (USAF)
America’s Ambassadors in Blue had received the T-38A Talons two years earlier due to the oil crisis. It used far less oil than their McDonnell Douglas F-4E Phantom II. The aircraft is the only training jet flown by the squadron.
“In 1974, a spreading fuel crisis inspired a new aircraft for the team, the T-38A Talon,” Thunderbirds public affairs officer Capt. Remoshay Nelson explained. “Although the Talon did not fulfill the Thunderbirds tradition of flying front-line jet fighters, it did demonstrate the capabilities of a prominent Air Force aircraft.”
Maj. Chris G. Patterakis served as the actual Thunderbirds commander and flight leader during 1975 and 1976. In the Six Million Dollar Man episode, fictional Paul Miller is Thunderbird one.
THE OFFICIAL 1976 AIR FORCE THUNDERBIRDS PILOTS PORTRAIT. (USAF)
Of the four other pilots, Steve Austin serves as Thunderbird 3. In 1976, the squadron’s first African-American pilot Capt. Lloyd W. “Fig” Newton served as the actual slot pilot. Newton is one of the five pilots featured, although he and two other real Thunderbirds are not credited.
The evening the TV show originally aired, the real Thunderbirds were spending the night at MacDill AFB near Tampa, Florida. Their planned flight demonstration earlier that day had been cancelled due to weather. They returned to Nellis AFB the next morning.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
JetSuite, the innovative private jet company suspends service. Their scheduled subsidiary JSX continues to operate.
JetSuite, the private jet service carrier, suspended service this past week. It joins a growing number of air services and airlines who have suspended service as part of the COVID-19 pandemic striking the globe.
In a statement on their website, JetSuite posted,
“The COVID-19 pandemic and resulting state of emergency around the country has caused an unforeseeable, dramatic downturn in the entire aviation industry and our business in particular. As a result, effective April 15, 2020, we have grounded our fleet and furloughed most of our crewmembers. For those of you who were scheduled to fly this week or in the weeks ahead, please accept our deepest apologies for this sudden, but unavoidable and necessary, cancellation of all flights until further notice. With our call center now closed, you may contact us by email at guestservices@jetsuite.com so we may gather your information and follow-up accordingly.”
JetSuite started as a service flying EMB Phenom 100 and 300s and later added the Legacy L650. When they first started service, they were seen an an innovator in the private jet industry. They offered Suite Deals to rent the jet on empty positioning legs. Average people could rent the small private jets for around $1300 total. At $300-$400 per seat, the cost to fly a small group in a private jet rivaled last minute tickets between popular destinations like LA and Las Vegas.
A video posted on YouTube back in 2018 by Ryan Bomar profiled the service and the private jet experience onboard a Phenom 100.
There is currently no indication wether the private jet component of JetSuite plans to return. It is important to note that they didn’t declare bankruptcy or officially state that they are permanently shutting down the private jet service in their statement.
JSX, Their Airline Subsidiary, Is Still Flying
JSX is JetSuite’s subsidiary offering scheduled service on the west coast. That service has not been affected by JetSuite’s suspension of their private jet service.
Back in 2016, JetSuite started offering scheduled service called Jet Suite X, now known simply as JSX. They fly a fleet of Embraer EMB-135 jets outfitted with just 30 leather seats. We profiled the airline back in 2019. The jets has wifi and extended leg room. Free snacks and alcoholic drinks are served onboard. The true market differential for the airline is that they offer service from private jet terminals meaning that passengers could avoid security and show to their flight just 15-20 minutes prior to departure.
JetSuite Packs Up Shop Due To COVID-19, JSX Continues Service 6
The airline has implemented COVID-19 safety protocols and has waived changed and cancellation fees. The airline also offers charter service on their EMB-135 fleet.
Call this video a window into the past. It is amazing to think that in just 40 years, every single type of plane featured in this video is now retired. Most of them are now proverbial beer cans.
In this great video by Youtube user VideofromGeorge, you’ll see a host of Boeing 727s, DC-10s, a DC-8 stretch, and even a North Central Convair CV-580.
North Central was a ‘local service carrier‘. A few months after this video, North Central merged to become Republic Airlines. Republic eventually became part of Northwest Airlines. Northwest eventually merged with Delta Air Lines.
Much like today, Chicago was dominated by United Airlines. At the time, it was the largest airline in the city. American Airlines also had a significant presence back in the day. Today, they are the second largest carrier at O’Hare.
DENVER, CO — The Air Force Thunderbirds performed a series of flyovers across Colorado on Saturday to honor the COVID-19 health care workers and salute the graduates of the Air Force Academy.
Under overcast skies, America’s Ambassadors in Blue timed the flight with exact precision. Six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets performed a delta formation salute across the Centennial State.
A flyover of Colorado Springs and the Air Force Academy at 12:33 p.m. MDT, began the squadron’s flying event. Due to the coronavirus outbreak, the Thunderbirds traditional air show over the academy’s graduates had been cancelled.
Air Force Academy class of 2020 graduation. The video picks up prior to the Thunderbirds flyover. (USAF)
The Air Force Academy‘s class of 2020 graduation has been noted as being historic. The cadets are the first class to graduate in April, and the first class to commission officers into the new United States Space Force.
“The Thunderbirds are thrilled to continue on a tradition of culminating the Air Force Academy graduation and welcoming our newest second lieutenants into our Air Force,” said Lt. Col. John Caldwell, Thunderbirds commander and leader. “We are proud to provide this one defining moment for these young American’s lives as they become officers in the world’s greatest Air Force.”
America’s Ambassadors in Blue salute the Air Force Academy Class of 2020 Graduation. (USAF)
The extended flyover began at 1:29 p.m. MDT, over the north Colorado town of Greeley. The squadron performed westward to Windsor and Fort Collins. The formation then began a southward flight along Interstate 25 to Loveland, Longmont, Boulder, Denver, and Buckley Air Force Base.
Lead solo pilot Maj. Michelle Curran said, “(I’m) looking forward to seeing all the mountains and snow in beautiful Colorado while supporting all the frontline workers against COVID-19.”
The Thunderbirds needed to aerial refuel a few times during the afternoon. They later traveled across Fort Carson and Pueblo prior to returning home to Nellis AFB near Las Vegas.
“Our team is honored to extend our heartfelt gratitude to the countless Coloradans working every day to support their communities during this difficult time in our nation,” Caldwell added prior to the flight. “We want Coloradans to look up from their homes and enjoy the display of American resolve and pride while keeping frontline responders in their hearts.”
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
The Most Famous Spitfire Has More Acting Credits Than Any Other Airworthy Spit
Avgeeks everywhere appreciate the art of the low pass. Whether it’s a prop job or jet, watching an aircraft fly at low altitude and high speed just puts warmth in the heart of aerospace fans. Many of the low passes observed today are, in some way, attempting to emulate the low pass featured in this video.
Withstanding The Test of Time
The classic and still-awesome clip was shot for use in a documentary about the Supermarine Spitfire on the occasion of its 60th Anniversary, which occurred in 1996. Flying the Spitfire, LF Mark IXb serial MH434, was Ray Hanna.
Hanna (1928-2005) was a former Royal Air Force (RAF) Red Arrows demonstration team pilot, and accomplished stunt pilot, and at the time was the owner of MH434. Hanna also was a personal friend of the presenter who was forced to duck when the Spitfire roared by him.
MH434 image via alan wilson
Every Movie Star Starts Somewhere
Spitfire Mk. IX MH434 was completed at the Vickers Castle Bromwich assembly plant during the summer of 1943. The aircraft was first flown during August of 1943 by chief Supermarine test pilot Alex Henshaw.
The most famous Spitfire went into action later that same month with RAF 222 Squadron based at RAF Hornchurch. The Spitfire saw combat on multiple occasions, scoring 2 ½ victories and damaging another Luftwaffe fighter before being stood down and placed in storage in March of 1945.
MH434 image via John5199
Combat and That First Credit
MH434, the most famous spitfire, next served with 322 Squadron, Koninklijke Luchtmacht (Royal Netherlands Air Force), beginning in 1947- primarily as a ground attack machine- but never in Holland. The aircraft was shipped to the Dutch East Indies and was the first Spitfire reassembled in Java after that lengthy journey by ship.
MH434 suffered a wheels-up landing while there but went back to Holland by ship. The aircraft was returned to service in 1953 with the Belgische Luchtmacht (Belgian Air Force) as an advanced training aircraft, assigned first to the Advanced Pilot School at Koksijde and later to 13 Wing at Brustem where its primary mission was target towing.
MH434 ended up on the Belgian civil registry in 1956. It was during this time in Belgium that MH434 first appeared on screen in The Longest Day.
MH434 image via breitling
You’ve Seen This Spit Before
Purchased and brought back to the UK by British airline pilot Tim Davies in 1963, the Spitfire appeared in several movies during the 1960s (full list below) and was sold to the Chairman of Cathay Pacific Airways after starring in the film Battle of Britain. After a memorable appearance in A Bridge Too Far, Ray Hanna bought MH434 in 1982 and started up the Old Flying Machine Company around the aircraft.
The aircraft underwent a comprehensive overhaul during the winter of 1994-1995. When not made up for movie roles, MH434 still wears the colors of its original outfit- RAF 222 Squadron.
Ye Olde Flying Machine
Ray Hanna (1928-2005) and his son Mark Hanna (1959-1999) were the driving force behind the Old Flying Machine Company. They flew warbirds in the movies listed herein, with Mark taking the lead and flying memorable scenes in Empire of the Sun, Air America, Saving Private Ryan, Memphis Belle, and Tomorrow Never Dies.
Mark perished from injuries sustained when the restored Hispano Aviación HA-1112 Buchon (essentially a license-built Merlin-powered Messerschmitt Bf-109G) he was flying crashed in Spain. Ray continued flying and passed away due to natural causes in 2005.
Mark (left) and Ray (Right) Hanna. Image via the Old Flying Machine Company
Bang NEXT PAGE below for the full list of MH434’s screen credits and more great videos!
This is the article I didn’t want to write. About a month ago, I sat down at my computer to lament the fact that Delta’s MD-88 fleet was rumored to be retiring early due to COVID-19. That rumor turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg.
Delta is the last major operator of the MD-80 and MD-90 family. The fleet is likely to retire soon. Photo: Venkat Mangudi / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
The next few weeks would turn even the most hardened aviation fanatic’s stomach sour. Some reports have stated that passenger traffic on airlines are down 96% from last year. The big four US airlines have massively cut flights, we’ve seen airlines fold, hundreds of planes parked in the desert and a number of types of airliners fly off into the sunset, probably never to fly again.
Classic Airline Fleets Disappearing
In some ways, it feels like September 11th all over again for the airline industry. Shortly after 9/11, classic airliners like the Boeing 737-200, 727 and DC-9 were rapidly retired unceremoniously from fleets as bean counters right-sized their fleet in anticipation of the economic downturn.
In this case too, airlines are beginning to do the same. Delta has stated that they expect to retire fleets early to meet the smaller demand. Although the MD-88s and MD-90s are still flying for now, it is expected that they will retire the famous T-tails sooner rather than later.
American Airlines has announced that they will retire the Boeing 767-300 and 757-200 fleet earlier than expected. With thousands of flights cancelled right now, there are decent odds that both the 767 and 757 have already flown their last revenue flights in American Airlines colors.
An American 757 on approach. Photo by Venkat Mangudi (P1160895) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Unfortunately, this crisis is way bigger than just some classic planes retiring
The COVID-19 crisis is far worse than watching some great ‘classic’ aircraft retire. There is a real human cost to this crisis. The pandemic is more like an economic tsunami where wave builds upon wave, each more destructive than the last. Most scheduled international service from the United States to other nations has been cancelled. Travel to/from areas that have been hardest hit is just a fraction of what it used to be.
Airlines like JetBlue have consolidated service in major metropolitan areas like New York, Washington DC, Boston, LA, and San Francisco to just one airport in the region. Frontier and Spirit have requested dispensation from the requirements of the CARES act to temporarily stop servicing airports that have little to no traffic right now.
As part of the need for airlines to right-size their labor force to match demand, airlines have cut hours across the board for all employees. Over 600 American pilots have taken early retirement to reduce the chances of furloughs for the remaining crew members. Other major airlines have cut hours to the contractual minimums for both pilots and flight attendants. Ground and support staff are affected by reduced flying along with all of the people who work at the now shuttered stores and restaurants at major terminals across the country and most of the world.
Some airlines have shuttered, stopped all service, or declared bankruptcy
FlyBe, a regional carrier based out of the UK, shut its doors forever last month citing COVID-19 as the final straw. The airline had been struggling prior to the pandemic but the rapid shutdown of the airline caught staff and customers by surprise.
A post shared by Jacob (3.3k) (@plane_spotting_380) on
Two US based feeder carriers have closed. TransStates Airlines, a feeder carrier for United and American with roots back to TWA, has also folded. They had planned to conduct an orderly shutdown by the end of the year but moved up the closing date when business dried up in the wake of COVID-19. Compass Airlines, a feeder for Delta and American, also closed in this wretched business environment.
Europe isn’t faring much better. Lufthansa has shuttered discount carrier Germanwings with no intent to resume service post crisis. They have also suspended a majority of their international long-haul service by all of the carriers in their group.
Other airlines have intentionally shut down temporarily instead of flying empty aircraft. Canadian Dash 8-400 operator Porter Airlines suspended service until June.
Canadian leisure airline Sunwing has suspended all southbound service until the end of May. European discount airline EasyJet has also suspended service indefinitely.
Charter operator Miami Air declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They have been hard hit by the lack of leisure travel and the suspension of all sports leagues too. The airline will continue to operate during reorganization.
What’s next for hard hit airlines?
The US government bailout bill for airlines will help prevent immediate furloughs and service cuts immediately in most cases. As part of the package, airlines must avoid layoffs before September. They also must continue to operate to all markets (albeit at a reduced schedule) as a condition of the grants and loans. It is interesting to watch as airlines like Alaska has added unique city pairs to ensure they are following the requirements of the bailout while cutting unnecessary flying. Who would have thought that you would see a non-stop flight between Minneapolis and Columbus, Ohio or Dallas and Houston on Alaska metal? Strange times indeed.
Alaska Airlines Boeing 737NG. (Photo: Avgeekery)
Still, it is hard to see airlines bouncing back immediately once the primary crisis passes. Social distancing, a term that is now part of almost everyone’s vernacular, won’t immediately fade. That means that we are likely to see ‘space blocked’ jets with open seats to reduce the possibility of virus transmission. Restrictions on travel, especially international travel, will remain for the foreseeable future. And the economic impact of the crisis will mean that businesses will likely limit air travel to just essential purposes while many hold off of leisure travel in order to save cash.
A smaller industry to emerge
Airline CEOs have publicly stated that their airlines will emerge much smaller from this crisis. Delta’s CFO publicly stated such last month. Large aircraft like the already sunsetting 747 is likely to face an early retirement at carriers like Lufthansa and British Airways. Qantas and KLM already retired the Queen of the Skies in their fleets. The Airbus A380 could also be the odd-plane out. Air France has already retired the fleet. Qantas has shelved all but two of the giant airplanes. Lufthansa has put a sizable portion of their A380 Super fleet off to pasture too.
KLM has retired their Boeing 747 fleet. Photo: KLM Twitter Feed
Airlines that had planned on buying the new Boeing 777X, A220s, A320neos, A350s, and additional 787s will likely seek to hold on to older aircraft. Some already have delayed deliveries of new jets. With less demand, shaky financials, and relatively low oil prices, it just makes sense to fly existing metal versus embarking on a buying spree. Boeing and Airbus’s record production rates have already taken a significant hit. Painful cutbacks on aircraft production is a certainty in the short term. Boeing faces additional challenges with their troublesome 737 MAX too.
Passengers wallets will also likely lose out after this crisis. It is likely that even when the pandemic subsides, airfares will rise as airlines seek to ‘right size’ their available seats to the actual demand resulting in less discounts for the remaining service.
An industry that seemed unstoppable just a few months ago, is now stopped dead in its tracks. The irony of this latest downturn is that just two and half years ago, American Airlines CEO Doug Parker stated that
“I don’t think we’re ever going to lose money again.”
It is ironic that his airline is among the first in line at the bailout window begging for at least $12B of the $50B fund to survive.
American Airlines CEO Doug Parker
The airline industry truly is a boom or bust industry. The good times might have seemed like they would last forever, but sooner or later the party had to come to an end. The ending for the industry this time was more like a screeching halt on a short runway by a newly-hired copilot versus a smooth, graceful touchdown by an experienced grey-haired captain. Let’s just hope that both pilots get the opportunity to fly again sometime soon.
What do you do when the world is engulfed in a pandemic and the first part of the 2020 airshow season is cancelled? Do you sulk at home in your mom’s basement? No way! You make your own airshow!
Martin Bridge produced his own ‘stay at home’ airshow’. It’s a pretty creative endeavor. It features the world famous Red Arrows along with a host of Tornados and other airshow guests.
You have to admire Martin’s creativity. His ‘airshow’ has gone viral and rightly so. He’s produced two videos so far. It’s the right mix of macabre humor and creativity. We at Avgeekery are fans. We salute Martin as he lifts the spirits of avgeeks worldwide during this pandemic.
Parts 1 and 2 featuring both the F-35, C-17s, and the world famous Red Arrows are in the clips below…
What do you think? Did it scratch the airshow itch? Comment below…
LAS VEGAS, NV — The Air Force’s Air Demonstration Squadron took the skies above their home town to perform a flyover on Saturday to honor the COVID-19 health care workers across America.
The Thunderbirds five-plane delta formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons flew smoke-on across the Las Vegas community. The military jets salute across the valley began at 2:31 p.m. PDT, beginning a 25-minute extended flyover.
The Thunderbirds’ flight path began at Nellis Air Force Base and took them through Centennial Hills, the Summerlin area, and over to Spring Valley. The squadron then flew along the Las Vegas Strip, and down to Henderson prior to their return to Nellis.
Las Vegas station KTNV provided live coverage of the event.
“It is an honor to fly for the Americans at the forefront of our nation’s fight against the coronavirus,” Thunderbirds leader Lt. Col. John Caldwell said on Friday. “They are true heroes and we look forward to demonstrating the support of the 685,000 total force Airmen of the U.S. Air Force for healthcare workers, first responders, and COVID-19 essential personnel in Las Vegas and across the nation.”
During the flyover, a sixth Thunderbird and a grey F-16 flew as chase aircraft to record the event. The local Air Force community has adopted the phrase “Vegas Goes Blue” in honor of the medial teams.
The Air Force Thunderbirds flew over Las Vegas to show appreciation and support for the healthcare workers, first responders, and essential personnel on the front lines to combat COVID-19. (USAF)
The squadron also flew 16 American flags during the flyover. Each will be given to the 16 local hospitals and health care facilities around Las Vegas.
“(We) want to give a big shout out to the healthcare workers and first responders across this country, especially the ER staff and ICU staff,” Thunderbirds Flight Surgeon Lt. Col. (Dr.) Noel Colls said prior to the flyover. “Y’all are on the front lines of keeping us safe from the Covid-19 outbreak.”
The Thunderbirds will next perform a flyover of the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, April 18. Their next public air show performance is the weekend of June 13-14, over the beaches and boardwalk of Ocean City, Maryland.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — NASA’s Apollo 13 lifted off on 11 April 1970 to begin the third crewed mission to land on the Moon, but the mission quickly became an odyssey of survival in deep space.
The flight of Apollo 13 has been called “a successful failure”. It was successful in how the crew worked with mission control to return home, but a failure in that the lunar landing was aborted.
A veteran of three previous spaceflights, James (Jim) Lovell commanded the flight. Command Module pilot John (Jack) Swigert and Lunar Module Pilot Fred W. Haise, both rookie astronauts, rounded out the crew.
The crew of Apollo 13, LOvell, Swigert, and Haise, pose two days prior to launch day. (NASA)
On the ground, mission control’s wealth of engineers, astronauts, and spacecraft designers worked long hours to get the crew home. They designed a new flight plan to save on electricity to power the spacecraft home.
For many not alive in 1970, the odyssey of Apollo 13 has today become a flight of inspiration. The 1995 movie Apollo 13, directed by Ron Howard and co-written by Lovell, has kept this modern day Homer-epic fresh for new generations.
“Apollo 13 has been one of my all time favorite movies as it shows the courage and determination of Lovell, Haise, and Swigert to overcome the odds and return home,” said Bob Hennelly, who has viewed the movie over 200 times since his college days. “Jim Lovell is a hero of mine — he is the epitome of courage.”
ORLANDO, Fla. — The cancellation of air shows across the United States due to COVID-19 concerns will receive temporary relief in April as three virtual aviation events are broadcast live to the public.
The closure of air show events through late-May, and many more beyond, have prompted organizers to create online air shows. Two events are in the planning stages with a live fly over by the Air Force Thunderbirds nestled in between.
The Chef Pitts Online Airshow
The first event is planned for Saturday, April 18, featuring popular aerobatic pilot Clemens Kuhlig, aka Chef Pitts. A crowd favorite across the southeast, Kuhlig will pilot his Pitts S1S for several minutes.
“Unfortunately, we’re not going to fly any air shows for a couple of more weeks, so I decided to try to put together an online show,” Aerobatic pilot Clemens Kuhlig explained on Friday.
The free broadcast will take place on Airshow360 Facebook page. Aerobatic national champion Patty Wagstaff will also be included.
“We will bring you the fun and excitement of air shows and events we know will come back stronger and better than ever,” Airshow announcer and spokesperson Lunar Sawyer told AvGeekery.com. “The Chef Pitts Online Air Show is our way of telling our fans we will continue to entertain you with air show, air race, and aviation event coverage, especially now when we can’t see each other on the ramp.”
Lunar noted the announcement of more performers on April 13.
The Thunderbirds Air Force Academy Flyover
The Air Force Thunderbirds will perform their traditional flyover of the Air Force Academy’s Class of 2020 Graduation event also on April 18. The exact time of the flyover will occur during the cap toss, according to academy officials.
The graduation is expected to begin at 10:30 a.m. MDT. The public will be able to live stream the entirety of the event.
The Socially Distant Airshow
The Canadian Snowbirds and top aerobatic pilots will contribute to a live broadcast event known as The Socially Distant Airshow. The air show is scheduled to air April 21-23, during a two-hour block beginning at 3 p.m. EDT.
In addition to the RCAF Snowbirds, performers include the GEICO Skytypers, AeroShell Aerobatic Team, Patty Wagstaff, Rob Holland, Adam Baker, Mike Wiskus, and more. The list is expected to grow over the next two weeks.
Each day will include new prerecorded video of military and civilian performers with the announcers providing live commentary and music. The video of flight demonstrations will be between two to six minutes in duration.
“It’s important to keep the excitement of air shows alive for the public — and coming back to airshows as soon as we’re able to have them again,” Wagstaff told AvGeekery.com on Friday. “People are looking for other forms of entertainment at the moment, and airshows are very entertaining.”
The broadcast can be viewed for free. A donation is being asked as Live Airshow TV uses the event as a fundraiser.
Lead show announcer Rob Reider states 100% of the proceeds will go to the ICAS Foundation to fund members in need during these times.
“There is a part of the International Council of Airshows foundation that’s called the family fund, and it has operated when performers have been in need,” Reider said on Wednesday. “The Family Fund is something that is near and dear to my heart, and that’s why — how ever the foundation chooses to use this for those in need — I can trust that funds raised will be handed out to those who need it.”
Live Airshow TV has reached out to several U.S. military flight demonstration teams during the past week.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
For a Few Short Months During the 1980s They Were an Impressive Bunch But Their Story Ended Tragically
The year was 1987. The Cold War still had the potential to go very hot and exceedingly heavy at any time. Strategic Air Command (SAC) was America’s aerial strategic weapons delivery system; their mission was nuclear deterrence and nothing else. But during these heady times SAC organized their very own demonstration team. The team only existed for about five months between November 1986 and March 1987. So the videos below are extremely rare. They were shot on 3 March 1987 by an EC-135 pilot from the perimeter fence adjacent to runway 12 near Building 306 at Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) in Nebraska. They were uploaded to YouTube by busesdeerandsound100. Stick around after the videos for the story of the Thunderhawks.
Part 1- KC-135A, B-52H, KC-135R, and KC-10A Demonstrations.
SAC’s demo team, eventually dubbed the Thunderhawks, began with a single Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker based at McConnell AFB in Kansas during November of 1986. Planned maneuvers for the tanker included a maximum performance takeoff and climb-out, high-speed maneuvering, and a low-altitude refueling demonstration. It was decided to add a 92nd Bomb Wing Boeing B-52H Stratofortress based out of Fairchild AFB near Spokane in Washington the following month. The BUFF would also perform a maximum performance takeoff and climb-out, a simulated low-level bombing run, a high-speed pass down the axis of the runway, and steeply-banked turns. The KC-135R and the B-52H would also perform a fairly sedate simulated aerial refueling.
B-52H image via us air force
Trading More Power for Less
In early January of 1987 the KC-135R was removed from the demonstration because of the distance between Fairchild AFB and McConnell AFB. The decision was made to replace the KC-135R with a KC-135A model tanker also based at Fairchild. When Commander-in-Chief, Strategic Air Command (CINCSAC), General John Thomas Chain Jr. USAF, reviewed the two aircraft performing their demo on 23 January 1987, the crews were ordered to “keep the aircraft closer to the field.” The demonstration was also altered to include additional maneuvers by the KC-135A, which had previously only flown the simulated refueling portion of the profile.
KC-135A image via national archives
Perfecting the Routine
The Thunderhawks performed the reworked demonstration for the SAC Headquarters Assistant Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations (SAC ADO) on 13 February 1987 at Malmstrom AFB in Montana. The demonstration crews were again ordered to modify the demonstration profile in preparation for another review of the performance by CINCSAC scheduled for the next month at Offutt AFB in Nebraska. Added to the performance profile was a maneuver dubbed “the snake”, designed to better showcase the KC-135A while it maneuvered in close company with the B-52H. Also added for the Offutt review were individual demonstrations of the KC-135R, the McDonnell Douglas KC-10A Extender, and the General Dynamics FB-111A bomber. The performance for CINCSAC at Offutt AFB was impressive- the videos above captured it.
KC-10A image via national museum of the us air force
Competing With the Legends You Know Today
The result of the demonstration for CINCSAC at Offutt was that SAC initiated short-term and long-term programs for implementing the Thunderhawks demonstration program by mid-March of 1987. CINC-SAC Chain was a former F-100 Super Sabre and F-4 Phantom II pilot. His thinking was that SAC could perform demonstrations at airshows in the spirit of the USAF Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels. It is not known if there were additional demonstration flights at other Air Force bases or civilian airfields after the CINCSAC review at Offutt that day in March.
FB-111A image via national archives
Tragedy at Fairchild I
What is known is that on Friday, the 13th of March 1987, just ten days after the videos linked in this story were recorded, during a practice demonstration at Fairchild AFB, KC-135A USAF SN 60-0361 crashed on the base with the loss of all souls on board and another on the ground. The aircraft was caught in a combination of an unrecoverable steeply-banked maneuver at low altitude and the influence of wake turbulence generated by the B-52H. 361 had just performed a minimum interval takeoff (MITO) behind the B-52H. The combination of the initial separation/avoidance maneuver to port and the turbulence generated by the BUFF was too much to overcome.
KC-135A image via us air force
Honoring the Fallen
The crew of the KC-135A that perished in the mishap at Fairchild AFB was instructor pilots Lieutenant Colonel Michael W. Cornett, Captain Christopher Chapman, and Captain Frank B. Johnson, navigators Captain James W. Litzinger and First Lieutenant Mark L. Meyers, and the refueling boom operator, Staff Sergeant Rodney S. Erks. Even worse, another refueling boom operator and member of the Thunderhawks team, Senior Master Sergeant Paul W. Hamilton, was killed on the ground when the KC-135A crashed into the vehicle from which he was watching the practice.
KC-135A image via national archives
Investigation and Changes Made
It was later discovered that maneuver restrictions were waived in order for the Thunderhawks to fly the demonstrations as planned. We won’t get into the details of the investigation here but the resulting report is available for review online. One result was the immediate cancellation of all scheduled SAC aerial demonstration programs. The Thunderhawks were disbanded and a set of regulations for SAC air show flights was eventually published. The high points: heavy aircraft are only allowed to perform straight and level passes over a fixed point. All aerobatics are prohibited and no more than four heavy aircraft may fly in a formation.
B-52H image via us air force
Tragedy at Fairchild II
Unfortunately, despite the revised regulations and the first tragic mishap at Fairchild AFB, seven years later on 24 June 1994, B-52H-170-BW SN 61-0026 of the 92nd BW, crashed, also at Fairchild AFB, after performing an unrecoverable steeply-banked low-altitude maneuver somewhat similar to the one that brought down the KC-135A that crashed there. The safety restrictions put in place pursuant to these two tragedies seven years apart at Fairchild may have taken much of the thrill out of the demonstrations flown by Air Force heavy aircraft, but the flights are indeed safer for the crews as well as the spectators. Aviation is inherently risky. Effective management of that risk should be the overarching goal.
