As thousands of spectators look to the skies for this weekend’s National Cherry Festival Air Show, a passionate team of U.S. Air Force personnel is working to bring the F-22 Raptor to the people.
Behind every stunt maneuver is a demonstration team of 15 people that travel nearly 280 days out of the year to show communities across the country the power of the Raptor and the Air Force.
The craft
The F-22 Raptor is a stealth fighter jet with unique capabilities: It analyzes the pilot’s movements, adjusting to keep out of the “danger zone” during maneuvers, Master Sgt. Brady Pummel said.
“That aircraft could probably pull 40 (times the force of gravity) if it really wanted to, but the pilot can't handle that, so the aircraft doesn't,” Pummel said.
He said the Raptor can perform a stunt that no other fighter aircraft in the military can, in which the pilot stops the jet mid-air, free-falls, then takes back off into the air.
The pilot
Captain Nick “Laz” LeTourneau is the commander and pilot of the F-22.
LeTourneau said he has been passionate about flying since he was very young and first saw the F-22 in flight during an air show. Now piloting the jet is a “full-circle moment” for him.
When it comes time for the air show demonstrations today, LeTourneau said the Raptor’s vertical flips, rolls and tail slides won’t be hard to miss.
“The first thing you're going to find out is that you'll hear and feel the Raptor before you'll ever see it,” he said.
The team
Pummel is the superintendent and highest-ranked member of the demo team. He said he “has his hand” in nearly every aspect of air show preparation, from booking flights and hotels to ensuring accommodations for the crew’s equipment.
And, during this weekend’s air shows, Pummel will be narrating every move that the Raptor makes.
In a fighter squadron, there typically would be 20 to 30 people to do his job, he said, yet the Raptor demo’s small crew means he handles it all.
“Sometimes that means 18- to 20-hour days – and that's fine,” Pummel said. “(Other days) I get to hang out on a beach in Michigan and watch an air show and do a little narration.
"But, at the end of the day, there's no better job to have than this one.”
Staff Sgt. Michael Bowman serves as the public affairs officer for the team. He is responsible for all outreach and media affairs for the crew.
Bowman said the team’s demonstration schedule and flight routes are determined by Air Combat Command, yet the stunts can differ based on location.
The many variations of the demonstration are determined by weather conditions. Altitude and cloud cover at a location dictates which maneuvers the pilot is able to do.
In cases where the Raptor is flying over water, such as in Traverse City, Bowman said the pilot is equipped with an inflatable raft and emergency services are on call from a designated air boss.
Senior Airman Gavin Gonzalez is the advanced integrated avionics technician on the crew, in charge of all the jet’s electrical components.
“I'm getting these jets in the air,” Gonzalez said. “I think one hour of flight time is like eight to 12 hours (of) maintenance time.”
Staff Sgt. John Karnuck is the dedicated crew chief for the Raptor. He performs regular pre- and post-flight inspections, making sure that all maintenance is completed.
When it comes to putting on air shows, Karnuck said that being in the right mental headspace to be on the road for weeks at a time is critical.
The crew members agreed that being away from home is one of the most difficult parts of being on the team, but the camaraderie of the crew and seeing the impact that the demonstrations have on communities makes it all worth it.
“(All of our work) culminates in a 12- to 30-minute demonstration, and that's why we really try and bring the heat when we fly,” Bowman said. “Because that's what it's all about for us, is getting to bring this aircraft to the community and, hopefully, inspire the next generation.”
This story was produced by the Michigan News Group Internship Program, a collaboration between WCMU Public Media and local newspapers in central and northern Michigan. The program’s mission is to train the next generation of journalists and combat the rise of rural news deserts.
