Photo from Wings Over Batavia website
With more than 20 performers already lined up for the return of this year’s Wings Over Batavia Air Show, organizers are continuing to add to this year’s event, dropping in a periodic featured performer every now and again before it takes to the sky Aug. 30 and 31 at Genesee County Airport.
The latest performer spotlight is on the USAF F-35A Lightning II Demo Team, a fifth-generation fighter that combines “advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility,” organizers said.
Of the distinct variants of the F-35, the F-35A is flown by the U.S. Air Force.
Organizers sprinkled some additional details into an email about the F-35A, including that:
It is the first and only stealth, supersonic, multi-role fighter jet.
The F-35 is set to replace aging fighters, including the F-16s, A-10s, F/A-18s, and AV-8B Harriers.
The helmet-mounted display system contains all the intelligence and targeting information an F-35 pilot needs to complete a mission.
With the helmet, the pilots can see what is below the floor of the jet.
Nine countries are involved in the development of the F-35: the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Denmark, Norway, and Australia.
The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II has One Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 turbofan engine, with a thrust of 43,000 pounds per engine. Its wingspan is 35 feet, length is 51 feet, and height is 14 feet. Its speed is Mach 1.6+, equivalent to approximately 1,200 miles per hour.
This aircraft has an internal fuel capacity of 18,498 pounds and a unit cost of $128 million. As of Oct. 20, 2015, there was an inventory of 81 in the Air Force, including four internationally.
Other announced performers so far include NextGen Eagles, Trucker’s Air Patrol, Rob Holland, GhostWriter Air Shows, Kevin Coleman, Luke Aikins, Redline Air Shows, Good Year FG-1D Corsair, P-51 Mustang “Crazy Horse 2,” B-25 Mitchell “Panchito,” Kyle Fowler-Long EZ, Airythmia, Fireworks - On Final FX, Great Lakes Drone Company, Wall of Fire - Tora Bomb Squad, Pyromusical, Jim “Cookie” Crum - Air Boss, Ric Peterson - announcer, with more to be coming.
Check out the performers page or sign up with the Bataviators Air Show Insights Club for updates.
And go HERE for ticket information.
Speaking of Wings Over Batavia, stop by The Batavian’s booth at the Home Show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday or 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the McCarthy Ice Arena, 22 Evans St., Batavia, and fill out our entry form for two VIP tickets to the Air Show, courtesy of Wings Over Batavia.
To read more about the home show, go HERE.
