Team members stay on for two years, Bless said. These are intelligent aircraft, and we have the best pilots in the world."
There are no inexperienced Raptor pilots. " have dedicated aircraft," Hellman said. The F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team is different from other air demonstration teams because the Raptors are war-ready, while other teams' aircraft are strictly for show, Hellman said. He said such visits are always new, and that it's great to see the children smile. "Yesterday, we went to a children's hospital. "When you see someone get excited to see what we do on a day-to-day basis, it brings you back to reality," Bless said. "This lets the public know what their Air Force is doing." "Our show is made to showcase the combat capabilities of the aircraft," Hellman said. "We get to do meet-and-greets with interesting people."īless said a 6-year-old boy with arm braces was in attendance for the team's previous demonstration. The best part of being with the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team is travelling, Bless said. Hellman said the crew chiefs are responsible for ensuring the Raptors and their pilots are prepared for the planned aerial demonstrations. "I've seen the demonstration at least 100 times, and it never gets old," Bless said. David Skalicky, the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team commander. "There's nothing like doing a show someplace it's never been," said Maj. Derek Hellman, a crew chief for the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, assigned to Langley AFB. The Raptor demonstration team was founded in 2007 and performs between 17 and 30 shows per year, said Staff Sgt. "We'll go anywhere the security is right and we are planned to be," Bless said. Craig Bless, a crew chief assigned to the F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team. The Air Force F-22 Raptor Aerial Demonstration Team, based at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, travels throughout the world to promote the Air Force and showcase the superiority of the Air Force's most advanced fighter aircraft, said Tech. The F-22 Raptors arrived at the 128th Air Refueling Wing on Thursday, June 10, 2010, to represent the Air Force during the Milwaukee Air and Water Show. Water vapor trailed from their wings as the noise built to a cacophony. With poise and precision, the gray-hued jets began to turn. MILWAUKEE - The air split with the thunder of two passing aircraft.