This weekend there will be thunder in the sky, but it will not be caused by rainfall.
There will be daring pilots showcasing their fighter jet skills at the Thunder Over Michigan air show this weekend.
It’s a way to raise money for the Yankee Air Museum at Belleville’s Willow Run Airport. Over the course of two days, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force F-16 Demo Team will put on four great shows.
The team commander for the F-16 demonstration team, Captain Aimee “Rebel” Fiedler, joined “Live in the D” with co-host Jason Carr to talk more about the amazing show.
People are familiar with pilot call signs as a result of “Top Gun” and the current blockbuster smash. Fielder said it’s an honor and a privilege to be a named pilot. She said it takes years of training, and you don’t get a call sign until you’re a combat-ready wingman.
Because of this, she usually does not talk about how she got the name “Rebel,” but if you take her out for drinks, she’ll be able to tell you her story.
Fiedler said that when she was young, she liked space and wanted to be an astronaut. When she was 16, she discovered that military pilots had a strong possibility of getting to space and becoming astronauts, so she began flying. A scholarship later enabled her to fly a plane alone, and the rest is history.
When it comes to flying the Viper, “Rebel” said it’s a lot of athleticism. She said it takes a lot of practice to be able to breathe through that kind of pressure and resistance. She added that the F-16 Viper demo is very violent and feels violent when you are flying it, but she loves the thrill of it.
The team commander explains that during the demo, there would only be one airplane in the air, with her executing flips and stunts in front of the audience’s faces the entire time.
Even though Fiedler is flying solo, she said it is an honor to be a team commander and lead the small team of eight people, seven of whom are maintainers and one of whom is in charge of public affairs. She said her team is professional, good at what they do, humble and a source of inspiration. She said that if you go to the demonstration, you’ll get to meet the team and hear their stories about why they joined the Air Force.
At the Thunder Over Michigan Air Show, the Blue Angels will also be there. Fiedler said that the difference between these fighter jets and the F-16 Viper is that one is for the navy and has two engines, while the other is for the air force and only has one engine.
This event is a drive-up air show, which means tickets are sold per car. She stated that you will be able to bring coolers with non-alcoholic beverages and food, and will be able to picnic or tailgate. There will also be booths, displays and team tents present.
The Yankee Air Museum’s Thunder Over Michigan Air Show is this Saturday and Sunday. The F-16 Demo Team performs at 9 a.m., and the Blue Angels perform at 2:30 p.m. each day for two shows each day. During all four shows, there is also a special warbird salute and dozens of flight teams.
For more information, visit the Yankee Air Museum website.