Mr. Orange-Power
11-24-2008, 05:22 PM
Vance flyovers require hours of careful planning
By Jeff Mullin, Senior Writer
As the final strains of the national anthem died on the breeze last Saturday afternoon at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, the air was shattered by the roar of four T-38 Talons flying low overhead, prompting oohs and aahs from the crowd of 46,718.
The T-38s that wowed the crowd before the Oklahoma State-Iowa State football game were from the 3rd Fighter Training Squadron at Vance, piloted by Lt. Col. Tom Tyson, commander of the 3rd FTS, Lt. Col. Darin Booth, Maj. Ben-jamin Hollo, Capt. Kurt Duffy and Maj. Darren Willis.
"The T-1, it will tell us within one minute of accuracy when we're going to arrive overhead," said Eckles, himself a T-1 pilot. "The T-38, on their heads-up display, it actually tells them within one or two knots of airspeed what to fly in order to make that pre-programmed TOT at that point in space."
The aircraft usually will arrive at a pre-arranged staging area some 20 to 30 minutes before an event, then will fly a holding pattern until it is time for the flyover.
Vance jets will make one more appearance over Boone Pickens Stadium this fall, Nov. 29 prior to the Bedlam football game.
By Jeff Mullin, Senior Writer
As the final strains of the national anthem died on the breeze last Saturday afternoon at Boone Pickens Stadium in Stillwater, the air was shattered by the roar of four T-38 Talons flying low overhead, prompting oohs and aahs from the crowd of 46,718.
The T-38s that wowed the crowd before the Oklahoma State-Iowa State football game were from the 3rd Fighter Training Squadron at Vance, piloted by Lt. Col. Tom Tyson, commander of the 3rd FTS, Lt. Col. Darin Booth, Maj. Ben-jamin Hollo, Capt. Kurt Duffy and Maj. Darren Willis.
"The T-1, it will tell us within one minute of accuracy when we're going to arrive overhead," said Eckles, himself a T-1 pilot. "The T-38, on their heads-up display, it actually tells them within one or two knots of airspeed what to fly in order to make that pre-programmed TOT at that point in space."
The aircraft usually will arrive at a pre-arranged staging area some 20 to 30 minutes before an event, then will fly a holding pattern until it is time for the flyover.
Vance jets will make one more appearance over Boone Pickens Stadium this fall, Nov. 29 prior to the Bedlam football game.