What IS the status of Air Force demos this year?

[chuck540z3]

I understand that Air Force demos at air shows are being cut back for economic reasons, but are they gone completely? The official AF websites for the F-16 (East and West), F-15E and F-22 look something like this:

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/strikeeagle/index.asp

"Watch for us in the 2012 Air Show Season beginning in Mid-March!", it says. Well, my calendar says that it's "Mid-April", so what gives? Also, what's the word on Navy demos?

As an aside, I think that cutting back these demos at air shows is foolish economics. In the broad scheme of things with the US military and the Air Force in particular during tough economic times, I would think that the US taxpaying public would still appreciate seeing that the US is still the most dominant air power in the world to be proud of. Although there are extra costs with air shows, the pilots still need to fly jets and the ground crew still need to maintain them, so the incremental cost in a multibillion dollar annual budget is peanuts.

Also, as a Canadian who LOVES to see jets at air shows, all I can say is....

[Scooby]

The jets are tired. The airshow routine is actually very rough on our Hornets. We have a limited number of Hornets left in service and I think they are preserving the fleets combined g and airframe hours (flea hours).

Our demo jets also need to rest after an airshow season. It gets our flea (spelling) hours back down.

[xavi84]

I know there is going to be an A-10 and an F/A-18 demo at the Kingsville NAS air show this weekend.

[thegoodsgt]

I wonder if contacting them might provide more info?

acc.a3ta@langley.af.mil

(757) 764-8346

[chuck540z3]

I wonder if contacting them might provide more info?

acc.a3ta@langley.af.mil

(757) 764-8346

Or, with a quick Google search that I should have done earlier, I found this:

"ACC statement about reduction of single-ship demo teams in 2012

We face significant fiscal constraints and are making tough decisions about the best ways to continue providing combat airpower to warfighting commanders, which is what we do as the Air Force’s primary force provider. One decision we’ve made is to sponsor one single-ship demonstration team for the 2012 air show season, scaling back from the six teams we’ve historically sponsored – A-10 East & West, F-16 East & West, F-15E and F-22.

For the 2012 season, we’re sponsoring our F-22 demonstration team to perform at up to 20 shows. In addition to the F-22 demonstration team, the Thunderbirds are set to complete a full season next year, and their schedule will be announced next week at the International Council of Air Shows conference. Reducing the number of single-ship demonstration teams will allow us to reallocate more than 900 sorties to our wings so they can maximize their flying hours for combat readiness training, offsetting some of the reduction we’ve seen in flying hours. Most importantly, reallocating those sorties will provide an increase in more than 25 combat-ready fighter pilots – that’s a very good thing for our Nation and wise stewardship of our limited resources.

The opportunity to showcase our aircrew at air shows around the country is important – and we’re confident our Thunderbirds, F-22 demonstration team and Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation will continue highlighting the extraordinary work of all our Airmen."

Not that I know squat about what is really involved with putting on "single ship demonstrations", but the rest of the stuff about increasing the number of combat-ready fighter pilots as a result of cutting these demos out sounds like a bunch of political baloney- and what if the F-22 is grounded again? Looks like our tired Canadian CF-18A Hornet will be very welcome south of the border this year!

Meanwhile, here's the F-22 schedule.

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/demoteamschedule.asp

Edited April 13, 2012 by chuck540z3

[Shawn C.]

Getting rid of the demo teams means at least one more pilot is combat ready. The demo pilot job is all year, full time. Airshows through the nice weather and during the winter they practice approx. once per week. I don't think (but I'm not 100% positive) that the demo pilot participates in any other training sorties that the wing typically flies.

I'm sure it saves a significant amount of money even though it would be great to still see their performances.

The airshow/open house here, at Hill AFB, UT, over Memorial Day weekend is a giant suck-fest. Thunderbirds, a MiG-15, MiG-17 and some aerobatic bug smashers. Not too much in the way of static aircraft either. Yes, the T-Birds are great but other than that, not much happening.

[Spectre711]

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst here in NJ has a list so far as,

Headliner: U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

Rockwell B-1B Lancer

C-17 Globemaster III, KC-10 Extender, KC-135 Stratotanker formation

F-18 Tac Demonstration

GEICO Skytypers

Herb & Ditto

Marine Air Group Task Force Demo (F-18s, CH-47, CH-53, Cobras with Pyro)

Navy Legacy Flight - F-4U

Northeast Raiders Aerobatic Team

U.S. Army Golden Knights

U.S. Coast Guard Hoist Demonstration

U.S. Navy TAC Demo – VF-106

Static display list is here.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Spectre711

[Spectre711]

I'm not sure who the sponsor is of the Thunder Over The Boardwalk in Atlantic City but here is their list.

Friday 17 August 2012 – AC Airshow Scedule 10:00am Airspace Closes, TFR in effect

10:30 Horizon Blue Cross Blimp of New Jersey Flybys

11:00 Tow Banner Aircraft Sponsor Signage Flybys

11:20 Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team Flag Jump w/Canadian National Anthem

11:23 US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Flag Jump w/US National Anthem

11:30 US Army Golden Knights Parachute Team Mass Show

11:40 Canadian Skyhawks Parachute Team

11:55 USAF-ANG 177th FW F-16 Fighting Falcon Flyby (4-ship)

11:57 USAF-ANG 108th ARW KC-135 Stratotanker Flyby

11:59 USAF 514th AMW, C-17A Globemaster III Flyby

12:01pm USAF 514th AMW, KC-10A Extender Flyby

12:03 New Jersey Air National Guard Composite Flyby (KC-135 & F-16s)

12:05 GEICO Skytypers

12:25 FAA William J Hughes Technical Center Global 5000 & Convair 580 Flyby

12:30 US Coast Guard HH-65 Search & Rescue Demonstration

12:38 US Coast Guard HU-25 Guardian Flybys

12:45 USAF A-10A Thunderbolt II Demonstration

12:58 Jim Beasley P-51D Mustang Demonstration

1:05 USAF Heritage Flight

1:15 USAF-AMC 436th AMW C-17A Globemaster III Flyby

1:18 USMC HMM-466 CH-46E Seaknight and MV-22 Osprey Flybys

1:24 B-25J Mitchell and T-28B Trojan Flybys

1:29 USAF-ANG 103rd RQS Pararescue Demonstration

1:45 USAF-ANG 143rd AW C-130J Hercules Flyby

1:48 US Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet Demonstration

2:05 Heavy Metal Jet Team

2:35 Kendal Simpson Pitts Model 12 Aerobatics

2:50 USAF Thunderbirds Enlistment Ceremony

3:00 USAF Thunderbirds

5:00 pm Airshow Ends

There was a regular site that also gave information about displays at the airport but can't find it now.

It is produced by a joint venture of the Atlantic City Chamber of Commerce, the New Jersey Air National Guard's 177th Fighter Wing, the Borgata Hotel & Spa, David Schultz Airshows, the Press of Atlantic City, and WOND-AM.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Spectre711

[Scott R Wilson]

Here's the 2012 schedule, and as you can see aside from the F-22, all the others are listed as flyoverss or Heritage Flights only:

http://www.acc.af.mil/aerialevents/demoteamschedule.asp

[Camus272]

I know there is going to be an A-10 and an F/A-18 demo at the Kingsville NAS air show this weekend.

It will be just a heritage flight. The only Air Force demo for 2012 is the F-22.

Brian

[Les / Creative Edge Photo]

The jets are tired. The airshow routine is actually very rough on our Hornets. We have a limited number of Hornets left in service and I think they are preserving the fleets combined g and airframe hours (flea hours).

Our demo jets also need to rest after an airshow season. It gets our flea (spelling) hours back down.

The way I see it... First yes our CF-18's may be getting on in physical age and hours on airframe but surely out of the 78 MLU models we have its not asking much from the Forces to pull one airframe per year to fly in what 2 dozen airshows over a calender year. It's not like our air force has only TWO airplanes, one in the shop and the other flyable. 78 remaining updated CF-18M's may not be a ton'o'planes but taxpayers pay a lot of money and to have an ability to see even for entertainment our military aircraft including front line fighters performing for an audience is ONE not asking too much and TWO in the scheme of our near $20B per year defence budget a drop in the bucket.

Our American friends should be even more outraged at the USAF demo cuts as it (the USAF) is trying to save pennies while the USAF (well Pentagon as whole) wastes BILLIONS of dollars each year.

The CF-18 routine has been much watered down over the ones that were done in the 80's and 90's anyways. I've seen em all, every year Canada has flown CF-18's their air show demos and as cool as the demo is it has been tamed down. Most air show audiences would not notice this but serious aviation fans DO!

The plane was supposedly built by McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) to pull these types maneuvers anyways.

Edited April 14, 2012 by Les / Creative Edge Photo

[IrishGreek]

Just saw this story about the ACC's demo birds. Thought you might be interested...

Not pretty though, you're warned.

Show news

[11bee]

Not the end of the world and with money being tight, everything needs to be looked at. At least they haven't cut back on the T-birds (yet).

Howzabout the AF comes up with a Predator demonstration team to replace the fast jets? How cool would that be watching one of those bad boys buzzing down the runway at 150 knots? Saves on fuel, saves on pilots and still keeps the cool factor that is sure to get little Billy excited about joining up to be an AF drone pilot (operator?).

It's a win - win.