The F-22 Demonstration Team is Flying High – A popular saying about aviators is that there are “old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots.”
However, members of the United States Air Force’s Air Combat Command F-22 Demonstration Team might be the first to tell you that their bold style of flying is what keeps them young at heart.
Based at Langley Air Force Base (AFB), the team performs precision aerial maneuvers that are able to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
Each year, the team regularly performs at air shows and other events around the United States and Canada.
In addition to flying into the wild blue yonder, team members also visit local schools, hospitals, and community events.
The team further regularly performs with the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation to showcase modern-day fighter jets flying in formation with World War II, Korean War, and Vietnam War-era aircraft.
Flying High With the F-22 Raptor
The aerobatic display team has flown the F-22 since 2007, when the Air Force approved the aircraft for demonstration, replacing the Air Combat Command’s F-15C demonstration team, which had its final high-performance flight on May 1, 2009.
The F-22 team participated in its debut air show at Tyndall AFB in March 2007, and since then has performed in hundreds of demonstrations around the world.
Back in April 2022, the fliers even performed in Santiago, Chile. The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team’s demonstrations include the crowd-pleasing power loop, split and tailslide, as well as high-speed passes —maneuvers that are based on those designed for combat operations but which are performed at much lower altitudes than most pilots are certified to fly.
The U.S. Air Force F-22 is widely regarded as the most dominant fighter in the world. As the premier air superiority combat aircraft, the F-22 Raptor is especially respected for its dogfighting ability and air-to-air maneuverability attributes which many contend separately it into a superior category compared with any other potential rival.
In addition, the aircraft’s dual engines produce more thrust than any current fighter engine, while the sophisticated F-22 aero design, advanced flight controls, thrust vectoring, and high thrust-to-weight ratio provide the capability to outmaneuver all other current and projected aircraft.
Many ask what’s our favorite maneuver & it isn’t one showing the jaw-dropping maneuverability of the F-22—It’s the Dedication Pass. A high-speed low arching pass in remembrance & honor of fallen service members who paid the ultimate price fighting for our freedoms #HonorThem ?? pic.twitter.com/HOfviIUyNC
— F-22 Demonstration Team (@F22DemoTeam) May 30, 2022
The 14-member team is currently led by Major Joshua Gunderson, an experienced combat fighter pilot with more than 1,700 flying hours in the F-15C Eagle and F-22A Raptor.
For those who are unable to see the F-22 Demonstration Team in person, the group regularly shares highlights from the air shows on social media. Back last year, it offered images and videos from the recent 41st Geneseo Air Show at the National Warplane Museum in Geneseo, New York.
For the Memorial Day holiday weekend of 2022, the team posted a minute-long video to social media that highlighted a special “Dedication Pass,” the high-speed low arching pass that is performed in remembrance and to honor the fallen service members who paid the ultimate price for our freedoms.
F-22 Raptor demo today at 1317 for the first day of the Orlando Air and Space Show ????@SFB_Airport pic.twitter.com/rE96i0rRk1
— F-22 Demonstration Team (@F22DemoTeam) October 29, 2022
Now a Senior Editor for 1945, Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes.
