The Alaska Air Show Association is deeply saddened by this tragic accident.

Our thoughts & prayers go out to the families of these men. We urge everyone to join us in keeping the families and servicemen affected by this tragedy in our thoughts and prayers.

As of this posting we are awaiting a decision on whether or not the Arctic Thunder air show will go forward as planned.

The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) C-17 Globemaster III is a large military transport aircraft. Developed for the United States Air Force from the 1980s to the early 1990s by McDonnell Douglas, the C-17 is used for rapid strategic airlift of troops and cargo to main operating bases or forward operating bases throughout the world; it can also perform tactical airlift, medical evacuation and airdrop missions.

The C-17 is operated by the U.S. Air Force, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, NATO, and Qatar.

The aircraft carries the name of two previous U.S. military cargo aircraft, the C-74 Globemaster and the C-124 Globemaster II.

*Sat only – Marathon and 5K run 7:30 to 10:30 a.m.
9 a.m. Gates open
10:03 a.m. Air Force’s 3rd Wing Dissimilar Fly-By (aircraft: E-3, C-17, 2 x F-22
and F-151)
10:19 a.m. 101st Airborne Division’s Screaming Eagles and Air Force
Academy’s Wings of Blue Flag Jump
10:35 a.m. Third Strike Wingwalking – Carol Pilon
10:51 a.m. Warbird Demonstration (Pyrotechnics)
11:12 a.m. Dan Buchanan
11:23 a.m. U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier Demonstration (Pyrotechnics)
11:36 a.m. John Melby
11:49 a.m. B-52 Fly-By (Pyrotechnics * Wall of Fire)
noon Intermission
12:30 p.m. 101st Airborne Division’s Screaming Eagles and U.S. Air Force
Academy’s Wings of Blue Demonstration
12:49 p.m. Melissa Pemberton
1 p.m. Canadian Snowbirds
2:02 p.m. Gary Ward
2:18 p.m. Alaska Joint Forces Capabilities Demonstration (Pyrotechnics)
2:49 p.m. Team Rocket
3 p.m. Marcus Paine
3:13 p.m. F-22 Demonstration
3:30 p.m. C-17 Demonstration
3:45 p.m. U.S. Navy Blue Angels
5 p.m. Show closes

(Pyrotechnics provided by Tora, Tora, Tora)

Hangar 2 performances and show times:
U.S. 9th Army “Slammin Jammin” Band: Noon and 3 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday
U.S. Air Force Band of the Pacific: 5 p.m. Saturday
“Tomodochi Diako” Japanese drummer group: 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday
Magician: performing in between shows both Saturday and Sunday

This is one of the most challenging and entertaining acts, and certainly a highly anticipated highlight of the Air Show. This 15 minute aerial act includes precision flying and death defying wing walking before your eyes.

You can visit her website: http://www.thirdstrike.ca/

Despite his handicap, Dan returned to flying within six months, and since then his tenacity and adventurous spirit has allowed him to accrue more than 2,800 hours of flight time in hang gliders and sailplanes. His recreational flights are typically 3-6 hours long thermal soaring as high as 18,000 feet over the western mountains.

After his first air show performance at Medford, OR in 1989, his appearances increased each year, and now he shares his thrill of flight with millions of people around the world during his annual 25+ city Airshow tour.
Performing principally across North America, his international venues have included Australia (8 times), Japan, Thailand, El Salvador, The United Arab Emirates, Canada, and Mexico.

Dan is also a Federally and State licensed pyrotechnician trained by Hollywood experts. He installs, wires and sequences all of the special effects on the fabric wing himself. Can you blame him?

He is also a FAA Commercial Glider pilot, enjoying sailplane aerobatics and giving glider rides to friends at Minden, Nevada when not on the Airshow tour. Dan took instruction from Sky Sailing near San Diego, CA from airshow performer Brett Willat, whose school has one of the few “rudder hand control” equipped sailplanes in the US.

Some of his other adventurous pursuits still include flat-water kayaking, SCUBA diving on wrecks and caves, and long distance ATV cross-desert riding and racing.

When asked why he flies, Dan’s usual smiling response is,
“I have to fly… I can’t walk!”

You can visit his website: http://www.danbuchananairshows.com/

Ken and Eric have been performing together in formation for 5 years. As a team they are dynamic and fast. They are the only team of this aircraft type, in the Air Show industry.

Team Rocket has also performed combined routines with Jerzy Strzyz, and Dan Buchanan. If you are planning on booking Team Rocket for your show, don’t forget to ask about combination acts. It is a great way to integrate performances, and provide tons of excitement for your patrons. We’ve been told you can feel the crowd surge.

Ken Fowler
Ken grew up in British Columbia and started his aviation career by first earning his glider license in 1977. In 1978 he joined the Canadian Military as an airframe technician and worked on T-33′s, CF-101 Voodoos, and CF-18′s before becoming a flight engineer in 1988.

Ken has built 5(five) of his own aircraft, and is now building one of his own designs. To date he has over 5000 hours of flying experience as a commercial pilot and flight engineer. Ken retired from the military on May 15/98 with 20 years of service, and is now the Airport Manager at Rocky Mountain House, Alberta. During his last five years with the military he toured the air show circuit with the Skyhawk Parachute Team as one of the crew members of the Buffalo aircraft. Ken has flown air shows from coast to coast, and can be seen throughout the U.S. and Canada.

Eric Hansen
Rumor has it..Ken has a partner. Many claim to have see him perform with Ken from time to time. However we have not been able to confirm any information on him, and even pictures remain elusive. There is talk of him losing his soul to a photo op, so it is understandable he would be a little gun shy.

As far as we know there is a small bio on him. We will try to fill in the gaps where necessary. If you or anyone you know can help us in providing detailed or current information on Eric’s wherabouts, life, occupation, or existence please don’t hesitate to contact our web designer. This is what we know so far…..He’s a Dentist!

Harmon Rocket II
Ken flys a Harmon Rocket II, which he built and maintains. This aircraft is a highly modified RV-4. Power is from a Lycoming IO-540, custom built by Progressive Air of Kamloops, British Columbia and produces 300 H.P. at 2800 RPM. The aircraft’s empty weight is only 1146 lbs, which gives it excellent high-speed aerobatic performance and awesome vertical performance. Although not an unlimited aerobatic aircraft such as the Extra 300 or Pitts, this Harmon Rocket will outperform all such aircraft going vertical.

F1 Rocket
Eric flys the F1 Rocket which is a sleeker, modified version of the Harmon Rocket II

You can visit their website: http://www.rocketaerobatics.com/

Gary developed an interest in airplanes as an early teenager, soloed at age 16 in a Piper J-3 Cub and has been passionate about aviation ever since. After high school and a tour with the USAF as a jet engine mechanic, Gary graduated from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a degree in Aerospace Engineering. He worked as a design engineer on the Cessna Citation for Cessna for about a year before “switching hats” to work in a family operated lumber manufacturing business.

Gary started flying airshows in 1998 in a Pitts S2-B and then flew airshows in the Giles 202 from 1999 through 2005. In 2006 he became the first pilot to fly airshows in the awesome and exciting new MX2! The MX2 is an all carbon fiber monoplane powered by a 6 cylinder Lycoming engine “pumped up” by Lycon and is truly “state of the art” in all out aerobatic aircraft.

You can visit his website: http://www.garywardaerobatics.com/

He first learned to fly at age 8, when he created a pile of leaves in his Duluth, Minnesota lawn, climbed onto the roof of his 2 story home, and jumped like a bird into the leaves.

At the age of 12, he had the opportunity to meet the legendary airshow pilot Bob Hoover at a local airshow. Bob Hoover’s sincerity and great personality gave him the inspiration to pursue his dream of flying. When he was financially able, he made it a goal to solo in a glider before his 16th birthday. In only 8 flights, he achieved his goal by riding a bicycle 45 miles, on hot Arizona July summer weekends, to the nearest glider airport!

It was this type of determination that inspired him to purchase an airplane at age 19, and then hired an instructor to learn to fly it! He received my pilot’s license by flying every day for a period of 3 weeks, yet eventually yearned to do more in an airplane. After owning several Cessna passenger type aircraft, in 1996, he purchased a Pitts S2B Bi-plane and spent 3 months training to compete in aerobatic contests.

During his first competition against 23 pilots, he achieved 3rd place, and in the next two contests he won first and second place, awarding me enough points to become the Arizona State Sportsman champion. This all took place the first year of competition aerobatics. It was then that he knew that aerobatics was his “groove” and it’s been an adventure ever since.

Now, flying “extreme” freestyle aerobatics at Airshows, he can encourage both adults and children to pursue their dreams, much like Bob Hoover did for him in his youth.

When he am not flying my airplane, he is a computer systems analyst (Web ASP.NET and SQL Database developer) for a major stock brokerage firm.

There is a great saying that he would like to share with you to help you achieve your dreams. It has helped him many times over:

“Bold actions bring bold results!”

You can visit his website: http://jonmelby.com/

Marc provides regular and recurrent training in Unusual Attitude Recovery, Stall/Spin Awareness and Tailwheel for The pilots of the U.S. Army, National Park Service, Civil Air Patrol, Alaska State Troopers, and for the Flight Inspectors of the FAA Flight Standards District Office. He and training partner Patty Wagstaff have provided the same training in Kenya to pilots of the Kenyan Wildlife Service who daily face low altitude, high risk patrol flights in search of illegal poachers.

He is a distinguished graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and a former U.S. Army Special Forces Officer, Airborne Ranger, and Jumpmaster. He commanded a combat dive A Team and worked projects throughout the Middle East and South America.

EMT qualified, Marc was a member and instructor with the National Ski Patrol and patrolled regularly at Alyeska during the winter months for many years while he isn’t flying and instructing. Now he spends the winters in a satellite location for Unusual Attitudes in Arizona!

Marc holds all airplane fixed wing ratings and endorsements and instructor certificates through Multiengine Instrument. He is an active aerobatic performer as well with an unrestricted, surface level Aerobatic Card, and performs aerobatic routines in Alaska at airshows throughout the state, including the Valdez Airshow and Arctic Thunder at Elmendorf AFB. Marc’s performance is one of the crowd’s favorites because of his ability to showcase the capabilities of the Super Decathlon and the Super Cub in a way that general aviation pilots and audiences can appreciate, relate to and apply to their own flying. He can be seen nearly everyday at Merrill Field flying or instructing in 68W, the blue and white Super Decathlon or the Daytona White Super Cub.

You can visit his website: http://www.unusual-attitudes.com

The team can trace its history as far back as the late 1950s, during the infancy of precision freefall. The original team members were a group of soldiers who volunteered their personal time to practice and perform quality parachute demonstrations. Noticing the success, the command group opted to form a full time team in 1984.

The team’s mission is to perform live aerial demonstrations in support of Army community relations and to promote the Army through the sport of skydiving, while representing the 101st Airborne Division and its proud and unyielding airborne tradition.

Annually, the team averages 50 parachute demonstrations at a variety of venues, including air shows, professional games, and civic events. The Screaming Eagles have performed thousands of live aerial demonstrations throughout the United States. Aside from performing parachute demonstrations, team members execute additional duties such as show coordination, aviation coordination, media relations, and parachute rigging. Members work with the team for a minimum of two years before they continue on with their military careers.

In order to achieve the perfection required for precision parachute demonstrations, the team trains year round and makes between four and five hundred training jumps each year. Each jumper holds a Professional Exhibition Rating through the United States Parachute Association. They are trained in all aspects of parachute demonstrations, ranging from freefall to canopy relative work.

Performing parachute demonstrations require team members’ skills to be unfaltering. Every team member gives 101% – for it is an honor and a privilege to be a member of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) Command Parachute Demonstration Team, a “Screaming Eagle.”

You can visit their website: http://www.campbell.army.mil/units/AAS/PDT/Pages/PDT.aspx

The mission of the 98 FTS is to provide parachute training to cadets. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on a availability and timing basis.

The 98th Flying Training Squadron (98 FTS) is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command 306th Flying Training Group. It is stationed at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado.The mission of the 98 FTS is to provide parachute training to cadets. The basic program trains 1,200 students per year with the majority of positions given to USAF Academy cadets. ROTC cadets are assigned positions on a availability and timing basis.

You can visit their website: http://www.usafa.edu/superintendent/pa/factsheets/wingblue.htm