Thunderbirds arrive at MacDill Air Force Base to kick off AirFest
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — America’s air power will be on full display during the AirFest this weekend at MacDill Airforce Base.
The legendary Thunderbirds made their arrival to the base on Wednesday evening. They are going to be in town until early next week.
Tampa Bay AirFest returns to MacDill Air Force Base for last time until 2027
This is the first time the Thunderbirds have flown back into the Tampa Bay area since 2016.
F-16 after F-16 made their careful landings through the rain Wednesday evening.
“It is exhilarating, it is indescribable really, it’s so much fun, very freeing,” said Nathan Malafa, commander and leader of the Thunderbirds. “An F-16 is like a sports car.”
The Thunderbirds will be showcased during the AirFest, doing multiple tricks in the sky for the crowds.
“These are some of the most exquisite machines that this country has to offer,” Malafa said. “We’re going to put them on display for you, we’re going to be going fast, we’re going to be going low, we’re going to be going loud, we’re going to be flying together as a six-ship.”
The Thunderbirds handpick their team members and are a crew of 135, who spend nine months on the road, but these pilots are not always getting to do fun tricks in the sky.
“Most of the time we’re doing missions, right, so, we’re focusing on our training and we’re either doing air-to-air training against adversaries or air-to-ground training dropping weapons,” Malafa said.
The AirFest takes a lot of planning and is an event that is all hands on deck.
“There’s 1,400 personnel that volunteered their time to make this happen for the community and it’s a way for us to give back to the community,” said Adam Bingham, commander at MacDill Air Force Base.
People need to come prepared on Friday and Saturday.
“We just ask people as they attend, hey be patient and be kind and be understanding,” Bingham said. “Realize on the way in and outbound, you may spend several hours in your vehicle, but it will all be worth it.”
The brave people that choose to fight for our freedom said it’s events like these that serve as a reminder of the great country we live in.
“Every kid needs a hero and we’re going to provide you with some heroes this weekend,” Bingham said.
Officials said this weekend’s AirFest will be the last one to happen in the next four years, at least, while construction is happening at MacDill. So, they encourage people to come out if they can.
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