October is one of the driest months in Metro Atlanta, which means there is a very good chance for clear skies during the Atlanta Air Show in Peachtree City October 26 and 27.

Chris Dirato, Public Relations Officer of the Atlanta Air Show, says, “We expect people to come out and watch these brilliant aviators perform at Falcon Field in Peachtree City, October 26 and 27. The show will start about 11:30 and the Thunderbirds will be on as the last featured performer.”

“I highly recommend bringing ear plugs, especially for kids -- they are a little more sensitive than adults. It will be very loud, especially when the military acts are in the air. It will be exciting, definitely goosebump moments.”

Dirato notes that the show is approximately 2.5 hours and that it is a family-friendly event

“It is an event that is patriotic in nature, so be ready to wave the red, white and blue,” Dirato says.

How Does Weather Impact the Atlanta Air Show? Is it Rain or Shine?

“Weather is a determining factor, in terms of cloud ceiling,” Dirato notes.

The ceiling is the cloud deck. So there is a bright, sunshiny day show, a middle-cloud deck show, and a low show, or what’s known as a “flat show”.

“The event is rain or shine -- check the website and/or Facebook page for real time information,” Dirato says.

Q & A with Major Bryce Turner, US Air Force Thunderbirds Pilot

During a planning event, I had the opportunity to talk with Major Bryce Turner of the US Air Force Thunderbirds about the steps he took to become a fighter pilot.

Q: How did you become a fighter pilot?

“I went to college at the University of Virginia, I did ROTC so reserved officer training. Through that, I got selected to be a pilot.”

“Once you get selected to be a pilot, you go to pilot training -- so I went to Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma. I spent about a year and a half going through initial training on turbo props and fighter jets, and once I completed fighter jets, I got selected to fly F-16s. I did introduction to fighter fundamentals out at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas for about 3 months, then I went to Phoenix, Arizona at Luke Air Force Base where I did about a year of training in the F-16 to get all qualified.”

Q: Tell us about the plane behind you.

“Right behind you is an F-16 D, so the D is for 2-seaters, most of the jets you’ll see at the Air Show are F-16 C, so the single seat version.”

“We have a single engine, single tail, it’s a multi-role fighter, you can fly into all weather, any time of day. It can carry missiles, it can carry bombs, this one specifically we have changed slightly. So instead of having a machine gun in it, we’ve put a smoke system in it -- so when we fly the Air Show, you can follow the jets around and see the pretty shapes we make in the sky.”

Q: Is it tough being a fighter pilot?

“It can be tough on multiple accounts.”

“Physically, in this fighter jet, we are pulling up to 9 times the force of gravity -- so 9Gs.”

“So if you’re 200 pounds, you’re going to feel like 1800 pounds as you’re pulling 9Gs. So physically you have to be tough.”

“Mentally, you have to be tough. You’re moving at very fast speeds, you’re operating in large formations, 4 to 8 other airplanes, there could be other aircraft as well supporting you, so you have to know where everyone is, where your targets are.”

“And it can be tough on the family. I spent 6 months in Afghanistan, which was tough at the time. But at the same time, it was very rewarding, getting to support the army on the ground, to make sure they got to go home to their families as well.”

“For The Thunderbirds, our mission is to recruit, retain, and inspire. And we really like to focus on that inspirational piece. We don’t necessarily need everybody to join the Air Force, we don’t need everyone to join the military -- but we want everyone to be inspired to do something greater than themselves, to find something that they are passionate about and just chase it. Because if you do something you’re passionate about, you’re going to be great, you’re going to make the world better, you’re going to make America stronger.”

“We hope that with our demonstration, as we fly close formation and try to exude excellence -- to show that that is possible with hard work and determination, that they go and try and chase that themselves.”

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