Thunderbirds release 2012 show schedule

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Five F-16 Fighting Falcons of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds demonstration team perform aerial stunts Oct. 8, 2011, during their demonstration at the “Legacy of Liberty” Open House and Air Show at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. The team's primary mission is to exhibit the capabilities of modern warfighting aircraft and to demonstrate the high degree of skill maintained by Air Force members serving in a variety of career specialties. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman DeAndre Curtiss)
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Thunderbirds release 2012 show schedule

Posted 12/8/2011

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by Tech. Sgt. Jake Richmond
U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Public Affairs

12/8/2011 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) -- The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds announced their 2012 show schedule Dec. 7.

The team is set to perform more than 60 demonstrations in 33 locations, including two shows in Canada.

The team, officially known as the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, will again kick-off their season by performing a flyover for the 54th running of NASCAR's Daytona 500 on Feb. 26. The remainder of the schedule is as follows:

March 17: Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz.

March 31 and April 1: Lakeland, Fla.

April 14-15: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

April 21-22: Barksdale AFB, La.

April 28-29: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

May 5-6: Shaw AFB, S.C.

May 12-13: Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J.

May 19-20: March Air Reserve Base, Calif.

May 23: Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Air Force Academy graduation flyover)

May 26-27: Hill AFB, Utah

June 2-3: Rockford, Ill.

June 9-10: Ocean City, Md.

June 16-17: North Kingstown, R.I.

June 23-24: Indianapolis, Ind.

June 30 & July 1: Battle Creek, Mich.

July 7-8: Gary, Ind.

July 21-22: Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.

July 25: Cheyenne, Wyo.

July 28-29: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska

Aug. 4-5: Hillsboro, Ore.

Aug. 11-12: Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada

Aug. 17: Atlantic City, N.J.

Aug. 25-26: Brunswick, Maine

Sept. 1-2: Davenport, Iowa

Sept. 8-9: Sacramento, Calif.

Sept. 15-16: Scott AFB, Ill.

Sept. 22-23: Salinas, Calif.

Sept. 29-30: McConnell AFB, Kan.

Oct. 6-7: Fort Worth, Texas

Oct. 13-14: Daytona Beach, Fla.

Oct. 20-21: El Paso, Texas

Oct. 27-28: Moody AFB, Ga.

Nov. 3-4: Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.

Nov. 10-11: Nellis AFB, Nev.

"We are excited about the upcoming season and representing our fellow American Airmen," said Lt. Col. Greg Moseley, who will command and lead the team in the 2012 show season. "We feel honored to tell the story of U.S. Air Force Airmen serving on the front lines of freedom around the world. We will proudly represent each Airmen with the same pride, precision and professionalism in which they perform their duties each and every day."

As of 2012, the Thunderbirds will have been in existence for 59 years, dating back to 1953 when the team flew the straight-winged F-84G Thunderjets. This season will mark the 30th season the squadron has performed in the F-16 Fighting Falcon, the Air Force's premier multi-role fighter aircraft.

The Thunderbirds team is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots, including six demonstration pilots, four support officers, four civilians and more than 100 enlisted people serving in about 30 Air Force job specialties.

A Thunderbirds aerial demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The pilots perform approximately 40 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including the beginning ground ceremony, lasts about one hour. The air show season lasts roughly from March to November, with the winter months primarily used to train new team members.

To learn more about the Thunderbirds, visit the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Team Facebook, Twitter or YouTube pages.

Comments

9/24/2012 3:03:13 PM ET
Saw the Thunderbirds for the first time in 1956 when they moved to Nellis with the F-100's. I was 16 and the show changed my life style from wanna be juvenile delinquent to Air Force career. Recruiting tool...absolutely the ARA Falcons as a recruiting tool...absolutely.

John Richardson USAF RET, LAS VESAS

3/22/2012 9:53:45 AM ET
Remember the Thunderbird Demonstration Squadron is an aircraft squadron. Its amazing how many people on this blog have a negative view about this squadron. They represent us the Air Force and I am proud to have them demonstrate the capability of our aircraft and the competency of our airmen. They have a great schedule this year and I with them the best

Zink-Retired, Indiana

2/25/2012 2:31:24 AM ET
My 12-year-old son would agree if he understood fully that funding the Thunderbirds IS a highly effective cost-efficient means of recruiting.You're reaching an audience almost 10 years younger than enlistment age with an experience that they will remember for decades with awe and amazement.Those seeds planted when I was a similar age led to my participation in Civil Air Patrol and serious consideration of joining the Air Force. Alas life had other plans for me.You also have to remember that the Armed Services have a recruiting budget of over a billion dollars. I doubt the Thunderbirds even make a dent.

Michelle, Madison WI

2/8/2012 11:15:01 AM ET
I am so happy you are coming back to Utah this year

David, UTAH

12/26/2011 7:26:03 PM ET
being at LANGLEY AFB VA HOME OF THE AIR COMBAT COMMAND AMERICA'S FIRST TEAM, FIRST FTGTER WING, i WAS JUST CURIOUS OF WHY THE THUNDERBIRDS WERE NOT SCHEDULED FOR AN APPEARANCE HERE REPRESENTING THE U.S AIR FORCE, BUT YET THE NAVY'S BLUE ANGLES DO THERE AIR SHOWS AT OCHEANA AND OTHER APPREANCES MULTI TIMES A YEAR DON'T FIGURE RETIRED USAF F-15 MECH

bill a , hampton va

12/26/2011 6:30:48 PM ET
CrewChief Osan AB ROK: Sounds like it's time for you to suck it up and buy your own.

cricket23, Kansas

12/26/2011 6:28:00 PM ET
Bianca, The Thunderbirds will be at Sept. 29-30 McConnell AFB Kan.Drive up and enjoy the show.

Ccricket23, Kansas

12/16/2011 8:20:17 PM ET
Between our Air Force Afterburner Monster truck, NASCAR and NASCAR Truck Series, sponsored Dirt bikes, fancy Air Force Suburbans, mini F-22s and countless other venues, I think weve got the recruiting block checked. After fuel, TDY, pay, training, the occasional crash, not to mention base manpower to support these activities, lets rap the unnecessary airshows up after this year and refocus on the big picture. After all, hasn't leadership just released new force shaping measures Just an opinion from an NCO whose retirement check is up in the air.

Dan, WPAFB

12/15/2011 11:36:40 AM ET
I know it's tough deciding where not to go, but one decision has me bewildered.Planning to host a reunion of Air Force retirees and veterans Minot AFB had requested the team for their Northern Neighbors Day open house. They did not make the list, instead a village of 20,000 got them on the date requested. Being an AF retiree, I feel deserted by this decision.

Jim Bard, Westminster MD

12/15/2011 9:07:19 AM ET
I can find better marketing tools to get the Air Force recruiting word out to the civilian sector. Why are we wasting the cost for fuel, maintenance, travel expenses, manpower to cater to a handful of pompus few so they can fly over or towns for an hour. If the leadership really wanted to reduce the excess waste, start at the top and reduce the amount of Stars we have running around and wasteful shows such as Thunderbirds and Marching bands. Use the money saved to provide training for the troops shop supplies up-to-date test equipment.

WireDawg, TX

12/13/2011 10:01:33 PM ET
I am an Academy grad now a Reservist and as part of my civilian career - an airshow performer. Isn't it interesting that during a budget crunch everyone becomes an expert at trimming the DoD budget by viewing things through a soda straw As another said, the Academies and their athletic programs serve a vital recruiting and marketing role. Call it brand marketing if you will. As a matter of fact, the Thunderbirds have a very similar purpose make the public aware of and inspired by the cream of the crop in our military. I know that when I perform in an airshow for my company, I am showcasing capabilities, marketing the brand and representing those with whom I work.Do not be so quick to chastise the contributions of those who have as their focus representing you - Americans and military members present and past in such public and important ways.Cheers to you my fellow aviators and more importantly fly safe.

Maj GS, Kansas

12/13/2011 10:13:52 AM ET
Not sure why, but my comments never go through. Here goes.Rene, I can say from experience of criticizing the Football team as a cadet, it is not a costly enterprise. In fact, they make profits and bring more money to USAFA. I stood corrected after finding this out. Also realize these programs have a recruitment purpose that is not measurable, unlike all those cute bullets people write for awards and performance reviews.Also, before someone says service academies need to be cut. Realize that each commissioning source brings a wide variety of officers with different mindsets. Getting rid of them will affect the quality brought in. For a while there were no Ivy League commissioning sources and having a prestigious academy is a way to recruit more. Especially those types that would only go to Ivy league schools. See it as a enhancement to recruiting, not saying ROTC and OTS doesn't breed the same.

LT, AF

12/12/2011 9:36:16 AM ET
To Rene FL: So you think the AF Academy shouldn't have sports teams because the DoD needs to lower its expenses. I guess you think the sports TV money the AF Academy gets from Vs channel should be spent on aircraft parts, not actually funding athletic teams for cadets. Nevermind the free jerseys and equipment NIKE provides the Academy athletes; just turn that over to every base gym around the AF. Just make the 4 years at the Academy miserable with no sports to play in or follow, that is your plan.Sports is a recruiting tool for the AF and the Academy, that is kinda why AF football TV games are a big deal. Sports builds leaders. You are clearly not a sports fan if you have no clue about the importance of sports in promoting the AF and building future officers. Nevermind building an AF community in Colorado Springs as well as worldwide.

Maj T, MacDill

12/12/2011 8:17:30 AM ET
Thunderbirds funding, although an easy target, is in reality only a drop in the bucket. The Thunderbirds connect our Air Force with the American public--a vital function. Same with the bands. Reader concern would be better directed at changing the misguided fiscal priorities of the current administration.

Robert Swaney Col USAF Ret, Newport News VA

12/9/2011 5:29:45 PM ET
Sadly, we had Tops in Blue cancel at the last minute because it was too hot this summer. Then I thought, well hey we are due to get the Air Show this year again, which will be fun... then the schedule was released and sadly that's not happening either.

Bianca, Altus AFB OK

12/9/2011 5:03:53 PM ET
The Thunderbirds are the best PR/Recruiting tool we have. How about we keep them and drop the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? That would only affect the Contractors and Munitions manufacturers.

Ret. First Shirt, Tinker AFB

12/9/2011 4:40:11 PM ET
Tough change has to come with tough times. How about the military bands other than for ceremonial purposes be nixed also. Imagine an E-9 running around the world playing music while the Chiefs are running squadrons of 100-300 Airmen. Let the USO and Real entertainers step-up to fill the needed song and dance in the deployed locations. It worked in the old days

Dave , Korea

12/9/2011 4:19:00 PM ET
Agree, we definitely need to cut this back. I'm wondering why we have an F16 demonstration team perform at any fighter base, much less their home station. Also cut the Canada shows. No big benefit there with recruiting or international relations.

SW, OK

12/9/2011 9:38:17 AM ET
Having trouble justifying the Air Demo teams in all the services right now. Same goes for the service academies' costly NCAA sports programs. I'm a former fighter crew chief and huge sports fan, but when we are cutting the defense budget to the bare bones and still not making ends meet in AfgIrq I think these luxuries of nostalgia need to be on hiatus for now.

Rene, FL

12/9/2011 9:23:10 AM ET
Is it time to drop the hammer on the Thunderbirds given today's economic environment? The cuts have to come from somewhere--this is a good place to start.

Chief W-Retired, Tennessee Valley

12/9/2011 12:45:01 AM ET
My squadron does not have money to buy cold weather gear, printer toner, paper, hand soap, toilet paper or paper towel, but the USAF Demo team is allocated funds. I am sure that comes from a different pot of money though right. It just doesn't add up.

CrewChief, Osan AB ROK

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