F-16 Viper Demo Team arrives in Gulfport

The Blue Angels aren’t the only ones flying high this weekend. The F-16 Viper Demo Team from Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina has officially checked into Gulfport and are getting ready for the show.

Loud noise and fast jets: that is the sound of freedom and what this weekend’s air show is all about. The F-16 Viper Demo Team is working hard to make sure the jets are ready for their mission. Viper Demo Crew Chief Technical Sgt. Dominic Dizes said, “As a crew chief what I’m responsible for is inspecting the jet so before he flies we inspect to make it is good to fly. We also do anything from landing gear, flight control services, engine work.”

Starting at what Pilot Major John Waters calls a ‘slow’ 115 miles an hour, he will increase the speed to just under the speed of sound at 750 miles an hour Saturday and Sunday. “I’ll go from 300 feet all the way up to three miles in a matter of 12 seconds. I’ll actually accelerate in the vertical. It’s a really unique feeling. It’s pretty cool to be able to go out there and put F-16 through its paces.”

Climbing into the pilot’s seat is no easy feat. When turning and maneuvering the jets, the pilots experience up to nine times the force of gravity. So, a 200 pound man would weigh 1,800 pounds. “I equate it to about a full on sprint for 12 minutes. I get about a 20 second break somewhere in the middle of the profile. It’s a lot of time. It’s a lot of effort that goes into the whole process to make sure we can go out there and execute the mission safely and we can get the mission done,” said Waters.

While the F-16 is made for combat and protecting our country, the demo team participates in air shows to let the public get up close to the power of these amazing jets. “Most people don’t get to see or experience fighter jets or meet people in the military. So, being out there, meeting the public so they can see what their tax dollars are paying for, what the young men and women who serve their nation are all about.  Hopefully we can go out there and inspire the next generation to join and serve and replace us,” said Waters.