I just saw an amazing article on the USAF Thunderbirds. A few items that seem pretty astounding, taken from the pilots' conversations:
--- They've performed for more than 300 million people since 1953.
--- The selection process takes 6 months, and requires 1000 hours in fighters to even apply.
--- The F-16 can pull 9 G's. Pilots stress lower-body strength to handle the G loads.
--- The team flies about 400 flight hours per year.
--- Pilots are limited to two years on the team.
--- The opposing solo passes can vary from 30 feet apart, to 75 feet apart, depending on the flight conditions, though they appear the same from the crowd.
--- Solo pilots are usually pulling 7 Gs behind the line, to get back in position for the next maneuver.
--- The highest G load for the #6 (right opposing solo) aircraft, is when she's "clearing the line with the diamond in close proximity to [my] airplane. But I'm going .94 M at 150 feet."
Here is a picture of Major Samantha Weeks with Major Nicole Malachowski, the first two women to join the Thunderbird team. Malachowski fell in love with the F-4 at an airshow, when she was 5; Weeks knew at age 6 she had to fly, and was set on attending the Air Force Academy at age 9.
When asked about being among "the first women fighter pilots", Major Malachowski pointed out that the WASP pilots of WWII flew fighter aircraft over 60 years ago.
I personally think it's people like these, who make this country as impressive as it truly is.
