PYROÂ is a 1982 International Transtar 4300 powered by a Westinghouse J34-WE-48 Turbojet engine with afterburner from a T-2 Buckeye. The engine has a single spool, 11-stage axial flow compressor and a single stage axial flow turbine. The J34 produces 12,000 HP with 6,000 lbs. of thrust. PYRO is capable of reaching speeds of over 300…
Commander, Lt. Gen. Robin Rand Lt. Gen. Robin Rand is the Commander, 12th Air Force, Air Combat Command, and Commander, Air Forces Southern, U.S. Southern Command, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. Twelfth Air Force ensures the readiness of 10 active duty wings and one direct reporting unit for contingency operations, oversees 19 gained Air Reserve…
This weekend, a familiar face is making a temporary appearance to the airspace above D-M. The Thunderbirds are scheduled to participate in the 2012 D-M Air Show Open House. The Thunderbirds will be celebrating...
A native Californian, Gregory “Wired†Colyer took his first flight at age 7 in a Cessna 172 in Sonoma, Calif. Hooked ever since, Greg has been flying for almost three decades after earning his license in 1982 while serving in the U.S. Army from 1982-87. Since leaving the service, Colyer has been employed by the…
The MV-22 Osprey flight demonstration is one of the most sought-after aerial demonstrations offered by the U.S. military. The demonstration is performed by the same aircraft and the Marines who train and deploy in support of real-world contingencies, including ongoing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MV-22 Osprey is one of the newest aircraft to…
Staff report 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs One of the many exhibitions at the 2012 Thunder and Lightning over Arizona here this weekend will be the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Air and Marine. Attendees will be able to check out some of the organization’s fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, talk to OAM agents,…
The “Desert Rats†Warbird Demonstration Team makes a high-speed run past each other in their CJ-6A Chinese basic pilot trainer aircraft. The CJ-6 aircraft, designed in 1958, are still flown today by China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force. The CJ-6 is a Chinese version of the Yakovlev Yak-18A. Its predecessor, the Nanchang CJ-5, was a licence-built version…
Scheduled to descend upon D-M in spectacular fashion, the Air Force Academy’s parachute team, Wings of Blue, will perform at the 2012 D-M “Thunder and Lightning over Arizona†open house this weekend. The “Wings of Blue†has been called one of the most outstanding parachute units in the country for the past two decades. Since…
The daytime version of the Dan Buchanan Hang Glider show has become a comical “screw-up†act. Buchanan’s “unscheduled†tow-launch into another aerobatic performers “act†starts the funny banter on the public address system between Buchanan, the announcer and the other pilot. The police are also chasing his tow winch vehicle on the runway and the…
The world’s only current all-female wing-walking team will take to the Arizona skies this weekend, infusing a Western narrative with awe-dropping aerobatics and stunts. The Tombstone Riders act is a tale of Wild West desperadoes, complete with costumes and voice-overs starring Carol Pilon and Melissa Pemberton creating the only all-women wingwalking act in the world….
