Thunderbirds aim to recruit next gen of airmen

By WILLIAM K. ALCORN

alcorn@vindy.com

VIENNA

Thunderbirds Arrive in the Valley

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Thunderbirds Arrive in the Valley

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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.

In addition to the Thunderbird demonstration being a recruiting tool, its aim is to help the public understand the capability of the Air Force and know they are well-protected, said Hofmann, who has four young children: three daughters, Avery, 5; Riley, 3; and Darby, 1; and a son, Asher, 2 months.

Hofmann, who has been on active duty for 11 years, said he wants to go back to being a combat pilot when his two-year stint with the Thunderbirds is complete.

“I love serving in the Air Force. It is more than a job – it’s a calling,” Hofmann said.

The Thunder Over the Valley Air Show and Open House is free and open to the public, but a limited number of VIP Experience for-pay tickets for preferred and flight-deck seating are available. Visit youngstownairshow.com for VIP Experience tickets and other show information, including parking and what visitors are prohibited from bringing to the base.

In addition to the Thunderbirds, the event includes a number of other flying and static displays and food and souvenir booths.

Among the displays are the huge C-130H Hercules troop/cargo planes flown by the 910th Airlift Wing based at the YARS.

Air Force air shows are valuable community events that increase public awareness and understanding of the Armed Forces and the mission, policies and programs of the Air Force, organizers said. In addition, YARS hosts air shows as a way to thank the community for its support of the base.

Thunder Over the Valley would not be possible without the support of the Youngstown Air Reserve Base Community Council, a private, nonprofit organization that provides special missions and fundraising projects to benefit the military community, officials said.