Two Tucson-based pilots fly over Super Bowl LII in Minnesota
Jan 31, 2018, 4:05 PM | Updated: Feb 4, 2018, 5:19 pm
The A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team conducts a post-flight inspection at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan. 22, 2018. The A-10 Demo Team and A-10 Heritage Flight pilots are scheduled to support a Heritage Flight flyover during the opening ceremonies of Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Betty R. Chevalier)
(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Betty R. Chevalier)
PHOENIX — Two pilots stationed at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson conducted a flyover during the pregame ceremonies of Super Bowl LII in Minnesota.
View of the flyover before the Super Bowl pic.twitter.com/byTBIw897S
— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) February 4, 2018
In a post, the base said both pilots are part of the A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team. They flew alongside an F-16 Fighting Falcon and a P-51 Mustang on Sunday as part of the Heritage Flight team.
“This flyover flight is more than just a simple high-speed pass over a professional sports stadium,” Maj. Chad Rudolph, one of the A-10 Heritage Flight pilots, said.
“This flight is a representation of the Air Force’s dedication to preserving the past of those that have executed the same missions long before us.”
Sunday is Rudolph’s final time at the stick as part of the Heritage Flight, an Air Force program that flies aircraft of yesteryear alongside modern fighter jets.
“It is bittersweet knowing that this will likely be the last time I am able to fly in formation with such historic airframes,” he said. “However, knowing that this will be my last time to fly with such skilled aviators in the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation will make this flight more sentimental.”
The Super Bowl was scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m. Sunday. An exact time was not given, but the flyover should be conducted fairly close to that time.
