U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds arrive on Long Island for the FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach
Without warning, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds roared over Long Island MacArthur Airport on Tuesday.
The group of six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, which can fly at nearly the speed of sound, will headline this year’s FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach. They will spend Memorial Day weekend flying in formation and performing acrobatic stunts.
The pilots arrived Tuesday afternoon at MacArthur after flying over Jones Beach to survey their flight path over pristine beaches, which will be filled this weekend with hundreds of thousands of spectators.
This year’s show will feature the largest number of military performers it has ever flown, to recognize the 250th anniversary of the Army, Navy and Marines, said George Gorman, regional director for New York State Parks on Long Island.
Maj. Jeffrey "Simmer" Downie, 34, of Arlington, Virginia, is the lead solo pilot for the Thunderbirds, who makes his return to Jones Beach after helping staff operations on the ground in 2023.
"Coming back every other year, it really embodies the FourLeaf Air Show, for us to get to come out here and be able to affect this huge crowd," Downie said.
The Thunderbird jets fly in formation, at times 18 inches apart, leaving streaks of white smoke. As lead solo pilot, Downie flies separately from the other four jets that fly next to each other in what is known as "the diamond." Downie and another solo pilot demonstrate solo maneuvers and control the timing and flow of the show, he said.
"The solos can demonstrate the raw power and the capabilities of these machines," Downie said. "Imagine the craziest roller coaster you've been on, times 10."
The Thunderbirds will be featured in a new Netflix documentary, "Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds," premiering on Saturday that shows the training and flight maneuvers of the team. The team rotates in half its team with new members each year.
Maj. Laney Schol, the opposing solo pilot, will mark her first year flying with the Thunderbirds and over Jones Beach.
Schol, the lone female pilot on the Thunderbirds, says the team includes 135 people and two other jets that are not part of the show. She hopes the show inspires spectators with the power of the F-16, including vertical rolls turning 90 degrees about three miles in the sky at near supersonic speeds, she said.
"It's an incredible rush. It's so much fun," Schol said. "It's also definitely the most difficult flying that I've done so far in my career."
Without warning, the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds roared over Long Island MacArthur Airport on Tuesday.
The group of six F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, which can fly at nearly the speed of sound, will headline this year’s FourLeaf Air Show at Jones Beach. They will spend Memorial Day weekend flying in formation and performing acrobatic stunts.
The pilots arrived Tuesday afternoon at MacArthur after flying over Jones Beach to survey their flight path over pristine beaches, which will be filled this weekend with hundreds of thousands of spectators.
This year’s show will feature the largest number of military performers it has ever flown, to recognize the 250th anniversary of the Army, Navy and Marines, said George Gorman, regional director for New York State Parks on Long Island.
Maj. Jeffrey "Simmer" Downie, 34, of Arlington, Virginia, is the lead solo pilot for the Thunderbirds, who makes his return to Jones Beach after helping staff operations on the ground in 2023.
"Coming back every other year, it really embodies the FourLeaf Air Show, for us to get to come out here and be able to affect this huge crowd," Downie said.
U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot Laney Schol, of Thunderbird 6, in front of her fighter jet at Long Island MacArthur Airport in Ronkonkoma on Tuesday. Credit: Newsday/James Carbone
The Thunderbird jets fly in formation, at times 18 inches apart, leaving streaks of white smoke. As lead solo pilot, Downie flies separately from the other four jets that fly next to each other in what is known as "the diamond." Downie and another solo pilot demonstrate solo maneuvers and control the timing and flow of the show, he said.
"The solos can demonstrate the raw power and the capabilities of these machines," Downie said. "Imagine the craziest roller coaster you've been on, times 10."
The Thunderbirds will be featured in a new Netflix documentary, "Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds," premiering on Saturday that shows the training and flight maneuvers of the team. The team rotates in half its team with new members each year.
Maj. Laney Schol, the opposing solo pilot, will mark her first year flying with the Thunderbirds and over Jones Beach.
Schol, the lone female pilot on the Thunderbirds, says the team includes 135 people and two other jets that are not part of the show. She hopes the show inspires spectators with the power of the F-16, including vertical rolls turning 90 degrees about three miles in the sky at near supersonic speeds, she said.
"It's an incredible rush. It's so much fun," Schol said. "It's also definitely the most difficult flying that I've done so far in my career."
John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
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