This year’s Chicago Air and Water Show, August 20-21, at North Avenue Beach will have an ambitious attraction schedule sure to please. The annual free event is expected to have giant crowds and can be accessed from North Lake Shore Drive in Lincoln Park.
The highlight will be the Air Force Thunderbirds, the precision squadron of F-16’s. This elite group of skilled Airmen and high performance aircraft thrill young and old alike. These Air Force ambassadors travel the world over with over 120 support personnel and 12 officers. The Thunderbird team showcases the best of what the U.S. Air Force strives for. It is the 58th year for the group.
Major Aaron Jelinek, 31, who flies the solo # 5 plane said, “The Thunderbirds represent all ‘Airman’ at their best. The complete team effort symbolizes the finest characterization for the U.S. Air Force.”
Another main attraction to be featured at the show will be the Army’s Golden Knights precision parachute team. Jumping out of an aircraft 12,500 feet above the earth’s surface is not a natural occurrence. These spectacular and acrobatic maneuvers are just another day’s work for the U.S. Army Parachute team members.
There will also be a wide selection of vintage aircraft and aero-acrobatic planes performing. Squadron plans and presents precision aerial
Navy Leap Frogs to Also Perform
The Navy will be represented by their precision parachute team, Leap Frogs. A typical Leap Frogs performance consists of fourteen jumpers leaping out of an aircraft at an altitude of 12,500 feet. During free fall, jumpers reach speeds of 120 mph and can accelerate up to 180 mph by pulling their arms to their sides and straightening their legs into what is called a “track.”
The jumpers typically open their parachutes at around 5,000 feet by releasing a smaller pilot chute which deploys their main blue-and-gold canopy. After deploying their chutes, the Leap Frogs fly their canopies together to build dramatic visual formations.
The air-spectacular is scheduled from 10:00-3:00 PM on both days.
http://thunderbirds.airforce.com/
http://www.leapfrogs.navy.mil/
http://www.usarec.army.mil/hq/GoldenKnights/Webpage2005_content.html