JOINT BASE LANGLEY-EUSTIS, Va. -- “Seeing them fly at Langley every day never gets old,” said U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jeff Baskin, Air Combat Command F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team dedicated crew chief. “I am excited for our neighbors to see the F-22 show, and hope it makes them proud.”
The upcoming airshow at Langley Air Force Base, May 18-20, will give the Hampton Roads community an opportunity for an up-close experience with the Raptor -- the aircraft they see and hear on a daily basis.
Unlike a traditional flyby, the demonstration team combines combative movements used in the field with aerobatic feats, as well as a ground show showcasing precision movements by the maintainers.
For demo team members like Baskin, the Langley air show carries special significance, being the team’s home-station.
“Langley has a legacy being the oldest continually active air base in the world,” said Staff Sgt. Annemarie Prozillo, ACC F-22 Raptor Demo Team aircrew flight equipment specialist. “The F-22 is an extraordinary aircraft, and I’m honored to be a part of the team and an unmatched legacy.”
Having grown up in Virginia Beach, Maj. Paul “Loco” Lopez, F-22 Raptor Demo Team pilot, is connected to the “AirPower over Hampton Roads” airshow on a personal level.
“It’s going to be my hometown show. My father was in the U.S. Navy, so I grew up watching the Navy fighter jets, F-14 Tomcat and F-18 Hornet, flying over my house,” said Lopez. “I knew flying fighter jets was what I wanted to do with my life. To be able to showcase our premier fighters in the U.S. Air Force in my hometown is a dream come true.”
Whether hoping to see the demonstration team’s people, plane or performance, the Hampton Roads community can experience the culmination of individuals from different backgrounds, cultures and careers throughout the Air Force come together to showcase America’s airpower.
“We hope we get to meet everyone who is coming to the show and share our story of what it’s like to be an Airman serving in the world’s greatest Air Force,” said Lopez. “Our community can get a taste of what our men and women in blue – their neighbors -- do every day. Airpower!”