Posted on 07/02/2006 1:01:17 PM PDT by SandRat
SIERRA VISTA The sky over Sierra Vista and Palominas will see an Independence Day aerial salute Tuesday morning as a four F-16s from the Arizona Air National Guard fly over the area.
The quartet will be led by a Hereford resident. For years the active duty Air Force and Air National Guard units have responded to requests for flyovers on special patriotic holidays, including Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, POW/MIA Recognition Day and Veterans Day.
This year, the 162nd Fighter Wing at the Tucson International Airport approved a flight over Southern Arizona, which includes Sierra Vista and Palominas, Nogales and Tubac, said Lt. Col. Chuck Roque, spokesman for the wing.
Lt. Col. John Sylvester, of the wings 195th Fighter Squadron, is the flight leader, Roque said.
Sierra Vista Mayor Pro Tem Bob Strain requested the Guard fly over the citys Veterans Memorial Park, and James Leiendecker made a similar request for the Palominas and Hereford area, Sylvester said. The Palominas area is where the annual Unorganized 4th of July Parade is held.
Flyovers are generally approved for communities where parades or other patriotic events are held, said the F-16 pilot, who volunteered to be the flight leader.
It brings a special touch to the Fourth of July celebrations, he said.
Sylvester said flying is a regular part of his life. He is a traditional Air National Guard pilot, one who is part-time. He also is a pilot for Southwest Airlines and former Navy aviator.
The four-ship flight also will consist of two former active duty Marine pilots and a former active duty Air Force pilot, but who are now Arizona Air National Guard members, Sylvester said.
Flying a commercial airliner and a fighter is a different universe, he said.
The formation will be a fingertip one, with the jets within 10 feet of each other. Sylvester said the type of formation that will seen are the skills we use to fly.
The aircraft will fly over the areas at 1,000 feet above ground level, and the speed will be slower than a F-16 can do, he said.
At altitude, the speed can be more than 1,300 mph. Sylvester said he and the others will keep the speed between 345 to 460 mph.
The flight will first go over is Sierra Vista at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Although Palominas is only a 20-second trip from Sierra Vista in a F-16, plans are for the planes to be over that area at 9:45 a.m.
From there, the aircraft will head for Nogales. Again, though it is a short fight, the four-ship formation will go over the Santa Cruz County community at 10 a.m. and 15 minutes later they will be over Tubac.
Were going to be making a big U over Southeastern Arizona, Sylvester said.
Takeoff from Tucson will be at 9:10 a.m. and the aircraft will go high and then come down low for the flyovers and return to a higher altitude before coming down again for a pass over another community, he said.
Just look up, youll see us, and well see you, he said.
HERALD/REVIEW senior reporter Bill Hess can be reached at 515-4615 or by e-mail at bill.hess@svherald.com.
I couldn't find "Hereford Man", but here's "Holstein Man". Whether or not he can fly as fast a an F-16, I simply don't know.
Well I'm pretty sure it was "Holstein Man" that jumped over the Moon.
Oh WOW, a flying puddy tat. :) .
Maybe a distant relative of El Gato?
Who knows that could be his call-sign.
Boy, you guys are lucky! I wish I lived near an AF base.
75 miles from D-M AFB and Fort Huachuca/Libby Army Airfield is right here.
BTTT
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