Thunderbirds To Perform At 2019 Cherry Festival

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will perform at the 2019 National Cherry Festival, festival organizers announced Thursday.

The Thunderbirds demonstrations will take place on June 29 and June 30, with a full practice show scheduled for June 28. Demonstrations include a mix of formation flying and solo routines."The four-jet diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the lead and opposing solo aircraft highlight some of the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon," according to a festival release. The pilots perform approximately 40 maneuvers during demonstrations. The entire show, including the ground show and air demonstration, lasts approximately 75 minutes.

The squadron performs up to 80 air demonstrations each year and has never canceled a demonstration due to maintenance difficulty, according to the release.