Best, brightest airmen arrive at YARS for weekend Thunderbird show

VIENNA

Air Force Thunderbirds Demonstration Team pilots darted through the sky Thursday over the Youngstown Air Reserve Station at supersonic speeds in their F-16 fighter jets.

Sometimes the jets were in formation mere inches apart, sometimes soaring solo and then seemingly skimming at tree-top level – practicing for the 2017 Youngstown Thunder Over the Valley Air Show Saturday and Sunday.

The planes landed, turbines whining, then finally going silent, and out jumped among the brightest and best pilots the Air Force has to offer.

“The kick is the opportunity to influence the next generation of airmen,” said Maj. Nate Hofmann of Rockford, Ill., a combat pilot in the Middle East before becoming a member of the Thunderbirds in October 2016.

“We represent every airman out there, and we want the brightest and the best for the next generation of airmen,” he said.

Read more about the team and this weekend's show in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.