Barksdale Air Force Base Air Show

While the show wasn't in memory of the pilot who perished in a horrific accident April 21, in an air show very similar to the one in which the Thunderbird's would perform, the occasion was very much on their minds, according to one of the members of the crew interviewed by local Shreveport KTBS Chrissie Coile.

Coile had on a previous day took a ride with one of the flyers in the show, and expressed what a thrill it was, and like so many others who have taken similar flights, in high G's, she passed out. In the interview conducted today after the Thunderbird's performance, Chrissie was able to ask them what they believed about the show. In a statement regarding the importance of their being in the show and doing these sorts of events, one of the pilots said that it isn't just about fine flying, that it is also to represent to people how they feel about their nation.

These pilots are top-notch professionals; they train constantly, and meet the highest imaginable standards of physical and mental capabilities. Flying in air shows brings about a belief in the people who attend as to the professionalism and patriotism of those who serve as airmen. The tragic accident in South Carolina,so horrible, the pilot caught in trees crashing into a residential area, it is unbelievable; but it further emphasizes that no show of this nature is without danger, for both the performers and the viewers.

In this show taking place April 22, the Thunderbird's did some amazing flying in formation, flying in various attitudes and distances, and even venturing through each others air space, all done with magnificent precision. Any person beholding this kind of artisanship at the helm of so much power has to be awed. Beyond the awe that a person feels for such control, there must be a sense of wonder at how these pilots are able to maintain such incredible control at such enormous and powerful speeds.

"Lt. Cmdr. Kevin J. Davis of Pittsfield, Mass. was in his second year with the Blue Angels, the team known for its high-speed, aerobatic demonstrations, Lt. Cmdr. Garrett Kasper said. ... Friends and neighbors of Davis in his Massachusetts hometown said Sunday he was fascinated with planes from the time he was a child.
During his Navy career, he earned "Top Stick" status in his class at Fighter Squadron 101 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Va., while training in F-14 Tomcat jets. He flew missions supporting the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan and graduated from Navy Flight Weapons School in 2004. "He was fascinated with airplanes from the time he was little," former neighbor Betty Sweeney said. "He knew what he wanted to do, and he did it. That's the only relief that he went doing what he wanted to do." [MSNBC, 2007]

Today at Barksdale Air Force Base, Bossier Louisiana, the crowd was once again amazed at the incredible show of skill and daring as performed by the Thunderbirds. While the horrible crash of Lt. Cmdr. Davis was likely in the backs of some of the crowd's minds, the Thunderbird's completed their mission, without a hitch and the thrills were intense and real. If you were there, you know how you felt, if you weren't there, you might want to put Bossier Louisiana on your map for this excellent air show next year.