HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah, April 29, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Hill Air Force Base has announced the times and flight route for Thursday’s statewide aerial demonstration by the 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force F-35A Lightning II.
Both companies “will be performing a formation flyover throughout the state of Utah, Thursday, 30 April, beginning at 1 p.m., in salute to everyone on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19, as well as those staying at home to ‘flatten the curve’ of the virus,” says a statement released by HAFB.
The formation will be led by the F-35A Demo Team pilot, Capt. Kristin “BEO†Wolfe, with three combat-ready F-35 pilots from the 388th Fighter Wing.
“This flyover is our way of saluting those that are keeping our home-front safe during these unique times, to provide just a small showcase of our appreciation to everyone that is doing their part to combat the virus, and to say ‘thank you for your sacrifice and service,’ to let everyone who has been affected by this pandemic know that we stand by you,†Wolfe said in a prepared statement.
The flyover is scheduled to take off from Hill Air Force Base, and will proceed south through Salt Lake City down to the southern border of the state near St. George, then looping up to Park City and Logan, before proceeding south through Ogden back to the base.
A flight map and rough schedule was released after being coordinated with Utah State officials as well as members of the Federal Aviation Administration.
The flyover is intended to provide a salute to all the healthcare professionals, frontline responders, and essential personnel working to keep everyone safe and healthy during these unique times. The flyover also provides essential training to the pilots and demonstrates the readiness of the Air Force.
“We are an operational wing, and we’re taking every precaution to ensure our personnel safety while maintaining our combat-readiness,†said Col. Steven Behmer, 388th Fighter Wing commander. “This flyover is just one way for us to enhance our training while providing a small service to our community.â€
Similar flyovers, announced by President Donald Trump, will take place in states across the country.
The HAFB statement asked that Utah residents observe the flyover from the safety of their home-quarantine and refrain from traveling to see the flyover. It also asked viewers to maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings.
See the flight map, with projected arrival times, on the provided graphic below.
