One benefit of living (at least for another week, I am moving to Virginia) near Luke AFB is I get to see the Thunderbirds every two or three years during the Luke Days Airshow.  Like many who see them, I just choose to drive to many of the surface streets or to the parking lot of the nearby Zoo/Theme Park to watch them.  I got to enjoy their rehearsal on Friday the 14th, the got to see them again on the 15th.  It's amazing how much real estate they have to carve up in the sky to perform their graceful aerial ballet....  Just to set up for one series of stunts they cover about 5NM at times so people can see them from their homes, near the base, or on the base itself if they go to see the exhibits.

 

In addition, I saw the classic warbirds perform their airshow on the 16th.  My favorite part was a fly by of a P-38 Lightning, which I have never seen in flight before.  Also I got to see the local unveiling of the F35 which, although stealthy looking, is noticeably louder than the F16 when it flies over.  Since I am still keeping my home in Phoenix, I am sure when I fly out to see my family on weekends I will get to see the F35 since we're getting over 100 at the base.

 

Anyway, I just thought I would share.  Hats' off the the pilots who performed their airshows this past weekend.  An estimated 200,000 pp got to enjoy them.

 

John

Enjoy this video from the slot.

 

John

 

As I'll be heading to Vegas in June, and having got to see the entire set of these particular aircraft parked in their hangar at their base in Nellis AFB last June when displays were off the USAF menu, could you kindly tell me if you have any idea what their flying display programme is likely to be this summer,as I'd so much like to see them in action. Sadly, will not be able to Lukes AFB to see them as time limits.

I was stationed at Nellis in the late 70's. I was a Crewchief on the F-16 just as we were transitioning from the F-4. It was awesome to get to see them all the time. Sometimes they would do practice shows at the base. When I first got there they were still in the T-38. Unfortunately I was there when we lost the Diamond in the accident in the practice area. You could hear it at at the base. No one saw it but it sounded like a bomb went off. It was a couple of hours until we knew what it was. I will never forget. That is when they went to the F-16's.

I was stationed at Nellis in the late 70's. I was a Crewchief on the F-16 just as we were transitioning from the F-4. It was awesome to get to see them all the time. Sometimes they would do practice shows at the base. When I first got there they were still in the T-38. Unfortunately I was there when we lost the Diamond in the accident in the practice area. You could hear it at at the base. No one saw it but it sounded like a bomb went off. It was a couple of hours until we knew what it was. I will never forget. That is when they went to the F-16's.

 

Sad about hearing about the loss of the Diamonds.  We've lost some F-16's out at Luke, some have gone down not too far from my home.  In most instances the pilots have survived and in all instances they avoided injuries on the ground.  The biggest issue Luke was having was encroachment from local home builders.  Some homes were built right underneath the final approach path.  Then the city that built them started a campaign to have Luke closed.  Longtime locals and Luke supporters were incensed.  My home is in the pattern area for Luke.  The jets fly over from time to time, although not as often as they used to because I think the pattern was adjusted recently.  I was never bothered by the sound of the jets passing over.  And quite often, the pilots would see the kids playing in the park behind our home and wiggle their wings in case anyone was looking up.  Luke is very popular even among homeowners who live within the noise envelope of the base.  The base personnel support our local businesses, and the base is courteous to host their open house every couple of years at a cost to the government.  When 9/11 happened, the first thing Luke did was organize patrols over Phoenix until the all clear was sounded.  It was quite a comfort to know they were there watching over us like guardian angels...

 

John