Best Job Ever?

[+JSF_Aggie 1,292]

Air Show Buzz named F-22 pilot Maj. Paul "Max" Moga and the F-22 Demonstration Team their Person of the Year for 2007 after the team's first whirlwind year wowing air show crowds across the country.

 

Major Moga and the F-22 Demo Team beat out aerospace industry heavy hitter and Virgin Galactic boss, Richard Branson, and air show industry officials for the award.

 

"It was a unique opportunity to be selected, to be given the responsibility of telling the country and the world the story of this jet and the Air Force," Major Moga said. "We brought something to people they have never seen before. We put the most capable combat aircraft the world has ever seen in front the public."

 

Major Moga and his team are the first to receive the award, given to a person or performer who is recognized as a "game changer" for the air show industry.

 

"They just absolutely changed the shape of how things are perceived at air shows," said Ed Shipley, founder of Airshowbuzz.com.

 

Mr. Shipley said he knew the exact moment when Major Moga and his team sealed the deal and won the award at the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends Air Show in September. He said the crowd had eyes for nothing else.

 

"They were mesmerized when they saw the demo," he said. "They just stood there. And I sat and looked up and down the line, and I realized that of the 100,000 people who were there, not one of them was moving. They were staring at the aircraft and what it was doing."

 

The F-22's participation in air shows was originally to be limited to heritage flights, but when Air Force leadership decided to have a dedicated demo team like the F-15E and A-10 teams, Major Moga and his team of 15 Airmen were tasked with developing a demonstration that would be not only breathtaking, but safe and repeatable.

 

"It was difficult because I didn't have set maneuvers to work with and Lockheed test pilots had never created a demo nor had they flown in a low altitude air show environment with the F-22," Major Moga explained. "So I had to test each maneuver, spending eight hours in the simulator with Lockheed test pilots throwing every possible emergency at me at the worst possible times in the maneuver."

 

While Major Moga handled the show from the air, the demo team maintainers had to make sure the F-22 was ready to safely fly for crowds that reached into the hundreds of thousands time after time.

 

"We couldn't expect anything less from this group," said Master Sgt. Tim Green, F-22 Demonstration Team superintendent. "Excellence is our standard. It's a team effort. Major Moga always gives them an eye-watering, mouth-dropping performance, and there were no cancellations due to maintenance."

 

Major Moga said the award was an honor for him and the rest of the demonstration team, but the highest praise comes from the people he meets on the road.

 

"They say, 'That is the most amazing thing I have ever seen at an air show,'" he said. "And that means a lot to me and a lot to my team.

[column5 63]

I hope the F-22 is at our next local airshow.

[Viggen 644]

I hope the F-22 is at our next local airshow.

 

An airshow I went to in August was supposed to have an F-22A, V-22, and a Bone. All bugged out :(

[Silverbolt 104]

LoL \o\

here i have to watch some F-5 and Mirages 2000....

Edited January 9, 2008 by Silverbolt

[+Typhoid 231]

I think all the F-22's are busy right now - filling in for F-15's!!

 

[TX3RN0BILL 3]

Oh - when I read F-22 Demo Team, I thought Demo stood for Demolition... J/K

Edited January 10, 2008 by TX3RN0BILL

[+ST0RM 145]

And one day, the Raptors will actually be used on a real mission instead of exercises and deployments to Japan to collect per diem.

 

Storm

[Russkie Raider 0]

I got to meet most of the demo team. They're pretty cool. They also give out nice swag!

 

(And they also share my hate of the F-35 and Superbug.)

[+Typhoid 231]

And one day, the Raptors will actually be used on a real mission instead of exercises and deployments to Japan to collect per diem.

 

Storm

 

you mean like air defense of the US? already been there, done that, and have the photo alongside the Bear inside our ADIZ.

 

F-22's have been flying Operation Noble Eagle and Northern Sovereignty missions and have been standing air defense alert for the US under NORAD tacon.

[Nesher 628]

any pictures from the air show? better if there is a video :)

 

thanks for the info, Cheers

[+ST0RM 145]

you mean like air defense of the US? already been there, done that, and have the photo alongside the Bear inside our ADIZ.

 

F-22's have been flying Operation Noble Eagle and Northern Sovereignty missions and have been standing air defense alert for the US under NORAD tacon.

 

No, I mean OEF/OIF like the rest of the force. Its operational, lets start using it.

 

Storm

[+Typhoid 231]

No, I mean OEF/OIF like the rest of the force. Its operational, lets start using it.

 

Storm

 

sooner or later. No need for them now really since all of the work is air to ground and there are lots and lots of F-16s, F-15E's and F-18's, attack helo's, B-52's for that role and much better suited to that mission. Not enough of the F-22's to make it an expeditionary capable force just yet.

[+comrpnt 16]

any pictures from the air show? better if there is a video :)

 

thanks for the info, Cheers

 

Try here for some video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6q-_AEtQg

 

Regards, comrpnt.

[sparkomatic 7]

best job ever? easy...Hawaiian Tropic Model sun tan lotion applicator

[JediMaster 451]

That strike the other day by Baghdad was F-16s and B-1s. BOOM.

[Nesher 628]

Try here for some video...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6q-_AEtQg

 

Regards, comrpnt.

 

thank you kind sir

[sparkomatic 7]

B-ONE's are awesome, period.

[Rambler 1-1 9]

I think there was an F-22 at Abbotfford this year, but I didn't go down there to see it. I hope there's one next time. Noting compares to the SR-71 that was there one year.

[FastCargo 412]

Ah....Abbotsford. They treat you right at that airshow.

 

Did that show 3 years runnin...

 

FastCargo

[sparkomatic 7]

We had a BONE do a high speed low level pass at a Tyndall air show...best in show IMNSHO...especially how it felt like the silly thing was trying to rip the breath right out of our collective lungs.

 

But I will never forget a Columbus air show when right after the T-clones, a C-5 made a "dirty" low approach...you know how people are always leaving early after the main event? That C-5 darkened the sky and people actually stopped and gaped...and some even ducked! Of course it was not THAT low, but a C-5 directly over bucket places a new perspective on things.

[JediMaster 451]

The runway at the base here has a major road a couple hundred feet after the end of it...when a C-5 takes off, it doesn't clear that road by more than 100 ft or so.

 

The F-22 has to put on a better show than a 71--it can turn within county limits!

[sparkomatic 7]

that sounds like Dover...Hwy 1 passes directly under the approach end of the runway (or departure, as the wind blows)

[JediMaster 451]

Here's a good picture: http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=28....p;z=14&om=1

[sparkomatic 7]

Oh now that is close...

[JediMaster 451]

On the plus side, I work at the beach. That's the Atlantic Ocean on the right, Banana River on the left.