USAF cuts all demo teams except for Thunderbirds and F-22 in 2012

[Perriwen]

http://www.airshowbuzz.com/go/article/view/military_performers/usaf_thunderbirds/252095/usaf_reduces_air_show_support_in_2012

I knew cost saving measures are in place, but...wow. From the forum, looks like the A-10, F-15, and F-16 will still fly limited heritage flights, but no demos.

[steve1840]

Yeah, read this article a couple hours ago..Very sad. I was definitely looking forward to seeing the Viper West team perform at El Centro. I just hope they don't find a reason to ground the F-22s. And I would have loved to see the A-10 demo team perform. Haven't seen that since I was a kid and before I started using a camera.

[ch2tdriver]

Unbelieveable! 2012 is gonna suck!

Can't imagine what the Jones Beach show is going to be like this year? Basically the Blues for burner and that's it. Unless they can land a Raptor or Canadian F-18?

[Perriwen]

Unbelieveable! 2012 is gonna suck!

Can't imagine what the Jones Beach show is going to be like this year? Basically the Blues for burner and that's it. Unless they can land a Raptor or Canadian F-18?

Could always get a Legacy Hornet or Super Hornet demo. They have been known to fly with the Blues.

[gettysburgerrn]

A really sad indicator of the current state of affairs I guess.... I love the A-10 demo. Will miss them a great deal at Jones Beach this year.....I guess this decision will also have a great deal of long term effects on many of the smaller airshows that really depend on these demos....

ken

[NYCA News]

NYCAviation:

New US Air Force Budget Grounds Airshow Demonstration Teams (http://nycaviation.com/2011/12/new-us-air-force-budget-cuts-ground-airshow-demonstration-teams/)

The Pentagon's cost-cutting measures will not only disappoint millions of fans, but could jeopardize the entire airshow business nationwde.
[Click to Read Full Article (http://nycaviation.com/2011/12/new-us-air-force-budget-cuts-ground-airshow-demonstration-teams/)]

[chrisparypa]

They wanna keep f-22 demo because: they expecting to be grounded another months and this way they can save more... they didn't fix oxygen system and everything can happened..... Plus USAF is trying to help Lockheed Martin to sell JSF, because of the cost of this plane is more than HUGE right now and thats where a lot of money is.....Why tehy sent Tbirds to Europe ?? why ??? Of course let them have fun in Europe, let recruit people in Turkey and Bulgaria instead of here in OUR country.... I would cut 75% Tbirds budget and keep one F-16 and one A10 demo flying and start looking for some sponsors to keep F-15E on the air show rout. All that Thunderbirds bull **** just pissing me off. For me they could even ground Thunderbirds and keep single ship demos flying !!!!!!!!!! Im Blue Angels guy for a reason !!!!!!! They not playing rockstars and celebrities..... USAF didn't think about people who work in airshow industry, lots of airshows will disappear from the schedule of 2012....

Im more than disappointed. I know a lot of crew members and pilots flying in those teams, they are not happy for sure. I can't even imagine airshows without Sound of Freedom or A-10 gun pass.... This is ridiculous and I think this is one big bull ****. They don't use 10% of USAF budget.... I can bet you right now they will see decreasing number people applying to USAF in 2012. And please stop pushing bull **** about bad economy, it's kind of "fashion" right now to talk and be under bad economy time umbrella. USA is feeding half of the world, just because of USA Africa is still on the map :) and we talking about bad economy here ?? whatever I don't want to talk about it it is not fair KEEP EM FLYING !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Mateo]

The F-22 finds its own reasons not to fly. I'm sure the Navy will be next to cut flying demos, too, and surely you've noticed how anemic static displays have been over the past couple of years.

[jerslice]

anemic static displays have been over the past couple of years.
More than one airshow organizer I spoke with since the decision has noted that shows are still able to apply for statics, but every one of them said it with a super dismayed tone of voice or more in a "yeah, we'll request them, and we'll get denied". If the USAF is making demo team and static decisions based mostly on attendance numbers instead of overall exposure/coverage, we're going to probably see a lot of the assets concentrated in a handful of shows while the rest lose out.
Which will end up sending a double-down shock through the industry. They'll get hit this year by not having USAF presence but still benefit from people not knowing better or willing to give a non-jet show a chance. But they get hit again worse the following year when folks will stay home based on last years lack of afterburner, or looking ahead and realizing the schedule just isn't anything all that great. This is doubly true for shows that charge for attendance, which is common here on the West Coast anyways: they'll lose $$ from less folks this year, and even more money the year after. After you've weeded out the throngs that come to see that one F16 demo or the A10 over the course of two years, you're only going to be left with the diehards.
Single-ship demo is the difference between four figure attendance and five figure+.


I would cut 75% Tbirds budget
If they transitioned the TBirds from F16s to T38s (easy to do as T38 is trainer for F16), they could put the savings into refunding and standing up one or two of the demo teams - like one Viper and one A10...or something. I'd be willing to bet the TBirds budget alone is probably as high or higher than the rest of the demo teams combined.


Unless they can land a Raptor or Canadian F-18?
Along with every other airshow in North America :-) - it'll just be the Raptor and USN F18 demos as the only single ship games left in town, so far as I'm aware, and they're going to become very hard to get.

[Tom_Turner]

Well, it wouldn't be the same, but the Air Force could send a B-52 out for a few fly-bys. It's not like we've seen that going down Jones Beach anytime recently.

The Airshow circuit is really going to be hurting though. Not only are these military teams falling by the wayside, (if not this year, then probably soon thereafter) but we can likely expect warbirds to steadily decrease as well with the rising costs of fuel (and the usual high maintenance).

What's the name of that vintage jet team? They should be in high demand this summer.

[Chris S]

What's the name of that vintage jet team? They should be in high demand this summer.

FYI- That would be the "Heavy Metal Jet Team" with the L-39s and MiG, which BTW is now known as the "Black Diamond Jet Team":wink:
I would also think that Art Nalls Amazing Civilian Sea Harrier Demo would be in HIGH demand at the shows in 2012 too :cool: