BATTLE CREEK — With as little as 18 inches between aircraft, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds roared through a variety of formations Wednesday morning at Battle Creek Executive Airport, demonstrating precision and teamwork at every turn.
The familiar rumble of the red, white and blue F-16 jets marked the return of the Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival, which continues through Sunday with a variety of aerial displays, fireworks and live music, among other activities.
"It’s going to be loud. It’s going to be exciting," Technical Sgt. Zachary Latoski of the Thunderbirds explained Wednesday afternoon.
Latoski is an Avionics technician with 14 years of experience working on F-16s. He currently performs quality assurance as a member of the Thunderbirds, inspecting all of the maintenance that is performed on the aircraft to ensure precision and accuracy.
A native of Middleton, Latoski said he's thrilled to be back in his home state for Field of Flight.
"It’s awesome. I love it. It’s nice to be out of the 115-degree heat over there in (Las) Vegas," where the Thunderbirds demo team is based, Latoski said. "My family is really excited to see me."
The Thunderbirds' performances in Battle Creek will showcase, as well as represent, the capabilities of the U. S. Air Force. To help achieve their mission goals, Air Force recruiters will also be on-site and attractions showcasing the Air Force will be open for attendees of all ages.
The Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform in Battle Creek on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
The United States Army Golden Knights parachute team, the United States Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet RHINO Demo Team from VFA-106, United States Air Force A-10C Thunderbolt II Demo Team and the United States Navy F-35C Lightning II Demo Team are also slated to perform at this year's airshow, not to mention 46 hot air balloons that will decorate the sky in a variety of colors.
"There’s just so many different pieces to this whole entire puzzle. It takes a whole year to plan it," Field of Flight Executive Director Barbara Haluskzka said. "We want it to continue to grow and we want it to be good. We want people to enjoy themselves out here. It’s a fun event, there’s so much to see and do when you come out here and it’s for all ages. We want to keep it going and keep this thing alive in our community."
For more information and a full event schedule, visit fieldofflight.com.
Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com
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