CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show Draws Big Crowds
The CenterPoint Energy Dayton Air Show was held over this past weekend as tens of thousands of visitors and locals braved the blistering heat to watch the Thunderbirds perform two shows on Saturday and Sunday.
Next year, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels are scheduled to perform.
According to the Dayton Daily News, the show drew 75,000 people for the second year in a row.
The story below ran in our 6/25 issue and was written prior to the event. It’s an in-depth look at how the Thunderbirds prepare for a show and features the pilots and their large support crew, which travels with them from show to show. Enjoy!!
Thunderbirds arrive in Dayton ready to wow airshow attendees
STAFF REPORT
The F-16 Thunderbirds arrived late Wednesday at the Dayton International Airport. While traveling to Ohio from Washington, DC the squadron benefited from aerial refueling. This allowed them to perform a 30-minute-plus “flat show” before landing.
“It is a pretty incredible feeling,” said Major Laney Schol, Thunderbird No. 6. Schol flies an opposing solo slot among the squadron’s six pilots. “I really feel like I have the best seat in the house, the best job in the world.”
In the array of Thunderbird maneuvers, Schol opposes, or counters, lead solo pilot No. 5, Major Jeff Downie. They have solo maneuvers, several maneuvers together before rejoining the other F-16s. “We kind of have an act in and of ourselves,” Schol said.
Schol shared that it was an incredible feeling flying the F-16 Fighting Falcon. She is able to showcase the capabilities and the raw power of the jet. She also said, if necessary, that the jet can be made combat-ready in 72 hours
This is Schol’s first year on the team and is having a great time traveling with them. “This is a lot of fun, but takes a lot of work,” said Schol. “The team starts in November and trains through March. Flying twice a day and sometimes seven days a week. Their number one goal is always safety for the formation and for the public.”
Major Schol earned her commission in 2014 from the University of Texas Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps, where she majored in Art, Radio, Television, and Film. Schol is a highly skilled fighter pilot who served in numerous duties, including being a Flight Commander, instructor pilot, and executive officer.
Prior to joining the Thunderbirds, she served as an Instructor Pilot for the F-35A Formal Training course, assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, FL.
The other members of the Thunderbirds are:
#1 Colonel Nathan Malafa (Commander/Leader)
#2 Major Joshua Burress (Left Wing Pilot)
#3 Lt Colonel Ian Lee (Right Wing Pilot)
#4 Major Tyler Clark (Slot Pilot)
#5 Major Jeff Downie (Lead Solo Pilot)
#7 Lt Colonel Keener (Director of Operations)
#8 Major Brandon Maxon (Advance Pilot and Narrator)
The Ground Staff includes:
1. Command Staff - two senior sergeants are responsible for the whole squadron.
2. Support Staff - more than 70 personnel working in 11 different specialties provide the maintenance support for the aircraft. After every 300 flying hours, the aircraft are subjected to a five-day inspection.
3. Show line Staff - 22 technicians provide first-line support. These are the personnel who take part in the ground show, i. e. they prepare the aircraft for take-off just before they fly in public and support it upon the return from flying. Each aircraft has its own support team with an individual crew chief. Crew chiefs and their assistants will fly with the aircraft during the whole season ensuring maximum availability and serviceability at each demonstration site.
4. Support Team - consists of supply technicians who provide spare parts and equipment as needed.
5. Communication Team - includes communication and video technicians. The video technicians work from a communication van located in a show center and record each single show both for historical and analysis purposes. The communication technicians provide the connection between the operations officer, the pilots and the control tower.
6. Administration Team - eight personnel from the squadron are responsible for information management, personnel administration, finances, documentation, and correspondence for the team.
7. Management Team - five personnel from the crew are responsible for the accommodations and storage for the "Thunderbirds" and for the organization of support aircraft.
8. Life-Support Team - are responsible for the pilots' equipment: helmets, oxygen masks, parachutes and ejection seat support.
9. Public relations (PR) Team - eight personnel are responsible for the public appearances of the "Thunderbirds". They are specialists in the areas of graphic design, photography, journalism and video production.
10. Civilians - there are four civilian members: one assistant for the show coordinator, one secretary of the commanding officer, one representative of the aircraft's manufacturer and one representative of the engine's manufacturer.
