U.S. Air Force's F-35 Demo Team announces new schedule for 2020 airshow season

U.S. AIR FORCE’S F-35 DEMO TEAM HAS ANNOUNCED ITS SCHEDULE FOR 2020 AIRSHOW SEASON

HILL AFB, UTAH – The U.S. Air Force’s F-35 Demo Team – based at Hill Air Force Base in northern Utah – has announced its schedule for the 2020 airshow season. The team will start with performances at 2 military bases in Arizona, Stars and Stripes reports.

The 388th Fighter Wing at Hill AFB says in a schedule posted on their website that the F-35 Demo Team is scheduled to perform for the first time in Arizona at MCAS Yuma on March 13-14, followed by Luke AFB on March 21-22.

The team’s 2020 Schedule (subject to change). Image: USAF

The F-35 Demo Team has moved to Hill AFB after ending the 2019 season last month at Aviation Nation, the Air Force’s last airshow of the season at Nellis AFB. The team was formerly based at Luke AFB with Captain Andrew ‘Dojo’ Olson as the 2018 F-35 Heritage Flight Team Commander and Pilot, and the 2019 F-35 Demo Team Commander and Pilot.

Capt. Andrew ‘Dojo’ Olson speaks to the media during an interview at the Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport in Florida on May 24, 2018. Photo: USAF 

The team will perform at its new home base on June 27-28. Other performances in the region include one on Sept. 17-20 in Reno, Nevada.

The F-35 Demo Teamp will display the capabilities of the F-35A at approximately 20 performances, starting in March 2020 and running through November.

The new pilot and team are currently training for the 2020 airshow season, with the names being announced pending certification by Air Force leadership. In the meantime preparations for next season are underway as the team prepares new launch and recovery procedures for the demonstration routine.

F-35 Demo Team members celebrate on March 2, 2019 that the team is officially certified to fly the F-35 demo at airshows in the U.S. and around the world during the 2019 airshow season. Photo: USAF / Senior Airman Alexander Cook

Officials say the team is expected to begin flying practice around Hill in early January 2020.

The 388th FW is an operational unit that has already sent one F-35A squadron overseas on a deployment to the Middle East. That unit has since returned and a second F-35A squadron from Hill AFB is now deployed in that region.

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(Head photo: Tech. Sgt. Jensen Stidham / USAF)

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