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| Members of the first ever F-35 Lightning II heritage flight team from Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., participate in the Heritage Flight Conference at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., March 4-6, 2016. The Heritage Flight Program features modern Air Force fighter aircraft flying alongside World War II, Korean and Vietnam-era aircraft in a dynamic display of the nation's airpower history. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Staci Miller) |
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) -- Aviation and F-35A Lightning II fanatics have something special to look forward to this 2016 air show season.
The Lightning II qualified March 6 at the Heritage Flight Conference at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, to take part in the Air Combat Command Air Force Heritage Flight program.
The program features modern Air Force fighter aircraft flying alongside World War II, Korean and Vietnam-era aircraft in a dynamic display of our nation's airpower history.
"Being a part of these heritage flights allows the world to learn more about the F-35 and at the same time see just how far airpower has come over the years," said Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, the 56th Fighter Wing commander. "The F-35 will be the backbone of the Air Force fighter fleet and represent the future for the U.S., our partners and allies. This will be a great opportunity for everyone to see how amazing the F-35 is."
The F-35 heritage flight team includes one pilot and 10 maintainers, all selected from the 61st Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB.
“My team and I are very excited for this year,” said Maj. William Andreotta, an F-35 heritage flight team pilot. “We’re so honored to be the first ever F-35 heritage flight team. We are really laying the foundation for years to come. We know it’s going to be a great season and we’re ecstatic about talking with different communities and showcasing the F-35.”
The team practiced their entire routine at the conference. The maintainers were able to show off their coordinated take-off and landing procedures while Andreotta practiced and perfected flying in formation with heritage aircraft. In the backseat of one of those heritage aircraft held a very interested passenger.
"I got to jump into the back of a P-51 Mustang and view an F-35 off the wing,” said Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, Air Education and Training Command commander. “Our F-35 team is ready to hit the road for the show season. It was awesome to see it up close and personal. I feel very confident in what the Luke team is doing here, and I'm excited for them to show this aircraft off to the world."
From the opposite perspective, Andreotta experienced flying in formation with heritage aircraft for the first time during the conference.
“It’s surreal to be flying the latest and greatest fighter aircraft in the world and look over to see fighter aircraft from World War II, Vietnam and Korea right next to you that were at one point the greatest fighters of their generation,” Andreotta said. “It’s like passing the torch in the lineage.”
Heritage flights are just as incredible on the ground as they are from the air.
“Viewers are going to get to see a remarkable show,” said Master Sgt. Ed DeLeon, F-35 heritage flight team superintendent. “They will see America’s newest technology and compare the advances first hand. We’re going to showcase the past, present and future of the Air Force.”
The team will travel to 16 air shows around the U.S. and abroad.
"We're very excited about demonstrating this capability to the world," Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said in January when the service first announced the F-35's participation in the Royal International Air Tattoo this summer at Royal Air Force Fairford, England. "The F-35 represents a new way of thinking about data integration, weapons and tactics. We're thrilled to highlight the program and the amazing Airmen who support this cutting-edge fighter."
The F-35 heritage flight team gets to officially start their historic first season at home.
“Our first show is at Luke,” DeLeon said. “It’s nice to be able to start at home and showcase what we’re all about in front of our friends and families. After that, I’m so excited to get on the road and show the world what we’re all about.”
Luke AFB will present the "75 Years of Airpower" air show to the Arizona community April 2-3.
The F-35 Heritage Flight Team schedule:
- April 2-3: Luke AFB
- April 22-24: Langley AFB, Virginia
- May 7-8: Ft Lauderdale, Florida
- May 28-29: Jones Beach, New York
- June 18-19: Ocean City, Maryland
- June 25-26: Hill AFB, Utah
- July 8-17: RIAT/Farnborough, England
- Aug. 19-21: Chicago, Illinois
- Sept. 3-5: Cleveland, Ohio
- Sept. 14-18: Reno, Nevada
- Oct. 14-16: Baltimore, Maryland
- Nov. 12-13: Nellis, AFB, Nevada
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And do you have your copy of the 2016 Teak Air Show Guide yet? Air show season is now in full swing. You can get your copy of this e-book reference at Amazon.
Every year, from March through November, millions of people hit the road to watch the excitement and thrills as military and civilian flight demonstration teams put their high performance aircraft through the paces to entertain the crowds and perform at air shows all over the world. Anyone who has attended one of these events will tell you it is thrilling to watch the close quarter flying of the Blue Angels delta formation or the hair-splitting maneuvers of the Thunderbird opposing solos.
While attending the show and enjoying the sights and sounds is an exciting experience that is only half the fun. You can add another whole dimension to that visual experience by monitoring the performing teams’ radio communications.
With a radio scanner in hand you will experience a whole new perspective of the show that few of the attendees will ever experience – pilot audio from the aircraft cockpit. While everyone else at the air show is just watching and listening to the public address system narrator, you’ll be able to hear what’s happening inside the cockpit, up in the tower and on the ground with the hundreds of players that keep these screaming, state of-the-art air machines thundering through the skies.
But you can’t tell the players without a program, and to indulge in the craft of monitoring the air show experience you need a current and well researched list of frequencies that the various performers may use during their performances.
In our new expanded 2016 Teak Air Show Guide e-Book, former Monitoring Times Editor and Milcom columnist Larry Van Horn - N5FPW, delivers the hundreds of frequencies you’ll need to monitor the action if you’re within receiving distance of any air show in 2016.
From the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds, military parachute and search and rescue demonstration teams, to a wide variety of other military and civilian demonstration teams from the U.S. and abroad, Larry has updated the list of frequencies each unit has used. Now you can bring the excitement you see at the show to your ears. Listening to the nonstop action at the air show on dozens of radio frequencies is part of the real fun of being there.
But wait, there’s more! Larry also tells you which scanners work best at the air shows, what features you’ll need and which models can cover the military as well as civilian frequencies used at these events. There is also a chapter on tips for enjoying a great day at the air show.
You will also get frequency lists for other possible frequencies that may be used at the air show including GMRS, Family Radio Service (FRS), DoD Intra-Squad Radio frequencies, and even Civil Air Patrol VHF/UHF frequencies and updated call signs. We also include in this eBook an up-to-date air show Internet resource guide and new frequencies/ listings for overseas military and civilian aeronautical demonstrations teams.
Finally you will get the latest air show schedules for the Navy Blue Angels, Air Force Thunderbirds, Canadian Forces Snowbirds, and the Army Golden Knight Parachute Teams. We include with each show location, the Internet link for each show, and the latest aero frequencies for each facility hosting a show, when known. This schedule information only covers the United States and Canada.
This is the 17th edition of this popular frequency monitoring guide published by the author. The first fourteen editions appeared annually each March in the pages of the former Monitoring Times magazine and were one of the most popular features carried in the magazine. This edition of the Teak Air Show Guide is now weighs-in at 197 pages and it is the most comprehensive collection of air show information and frequencies ever published for the radio listening hobbyist.
The 2016 Teak Air Show Guide is now available for purchase worldwide from Amazon.com at http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01AVLCGU4. The price for this third e-Book edition is still only US$3.99. Since this book is being released internationally, Amazon customers in the United Kingdom, Germany, France Spain, Italy, Japan, India, Canada, Brazil, Mexico and Australia can order this e-Book from Amazon websites directly servicing these countries. All other countries can use the regular Amazon.com website.
When the T-Birds, Blue Angels, and all the other precision flight teams are in the air, Larry has all the frequencies you need to hear them on the air in this new e-Book from Teak Publishing!
Here are a couple of the 5-Star Amazon reviews on the 2015 Teak Air Show Guide.
Totally thrilled to prep with the latest edition By Edward Sikora
Whether you're new to this hobby (as I was 2 years ago) or experienced you need reliable resources of information and frequencies. When I started, I was sure I could find my answers on the internet. I didn't think a book would be very useful or up to date. Five air shows later, I'm totally sold on this book. I'm delighted and excited to have the latest copy to prep for upcoming shows. It's a highly detailed road map to where the good stuff is. I haven't found any other resource that even comes close. What a masterpiece of organization and reliable information. This book provides so many answers where the rest of the internet gives you too little, too late. This book is totally awesome! - KB2OB Ed NJ
Air Show scanner GO TO GUIDE By Kevin Burke
Larry has been THE go to guy when it comes to air show frequencies for years, but you need more than just a bunch of numbers to enter into a scanner. No problem if you have this book, Larry tells you what your scanner has to be capable of, in order to open your ears to all there is to hear at an air show
Frequency updates, correction and late additions between editions of this e-Book will be posted on his Milcom Monitoring Post blog at http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/.
For a complete list of all the authors books, go to his Amazon authors page at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.
You do not even need to own a Kindle reader to read Amazon e-book publications. You can read any Kindle book with Amazon’s free reading apps. There are free Kindle reading apps for the Kindle Cloud Reader, Smartphones (iPhone, iTouch, Android, Windows Phone and Blackberry); computer platforms (Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8 and Mac); Tablets (iPad, Android and Windows 8), and, of course, all of the Kindle family of readers including the Kindle Fire series. A Kindle e-book allows you to buy your book once and read it anywhere. You can find additional details on these apps by checking out this link to the Amazon website at http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771.
For additional information on this and other Teak Publishing radio hobby books, monitor the company sponsored Internet blogs – the Milcom Monitoring Post blog(http://mt-milcom.blogspot.com/), the Btown Monitor Post blog (http://monitor-post.blogspot.com/), and the Shortwave Central blog (http://mt-shortwave.blogspot.com/) for availability of additional e-books that are currently in production.
You can learn more about the author by going to his author page on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00G1QMO4C.