Thunderbirds
Published 9:00 am Saturday, October 28, 2017
- Derrek Vaughn | The Valdosta Daily TimesThunderbird pilot Capt. Erik Gonsalves flew an A-10 Warthog when he was stationed at Moody Air Force Base.
MOODY AIR FORCE BASE — The Thunderbirds landed at Moody Air Force Base Thursday afternoon in preparation for the Air Show this weekend.
Eight F-16 Fighting Falcons flew from Las Vagas to perform aerial acrobatics and showcase the capabilities of the United States Air Force. The Moody performance will be the team’s last road show of the year before returning home to Nellis AFB in Las Vegas.
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Before becoming a Thunderbird pilot, Capt. Erik Gonsalves flew an A-10 Warthog when he was stationed at Moody. After two deployments to Afghanistan and Turkey, his commander asked him if he had ever considered applying to fly with the Thunderbirds.
“He said I would be a good fit for it, personality wise,” Gonsalves said. “I didn’t really realize that as an A-10 pilot that I could go fly with the Thunderbirds, because it’s a totally different airplane.”
Different airplane or not, Gonsalves applied and interviewed for the position at an air show. It was there he discovered being a pilot with the Thunderbirds is more than taking 9Gs going 500 miles per hour in front of thousands of people every weekend. A Thunderbird pilot has to be a good ambassador for the Air Force.
Thunderbird pilots visit schools, hospitals and get involved with the community, he said. Thunderbirds also perform private shows for children with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Seeing that kind of community involvement and the way this team represents our Air Force at large really got me excited about joining, and I’m fortunate enough to be one of the guys who got hired,” Gonsalves said.
It took about six months for him to transition from an A-10 to an F-16 Fighting Falcon. He entered into a program specifically designed for pilots transitioning into the F-16 and the transition went smoothly. Gonsalves said the coolest thing about flying an F-16 is the raw power.
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“The G-forces can best be described like having an elephant sit on your chest, when you start pulling those Gs,” Gonsalves said. “And the acceleration puts a smile on my face every time I take off.”
Out of a two-year assignment, the Moody show marks the end of his first year as a Thunderbird pilot. The assignments can be grueling, with 250 days out of the year spent traveling to events. He said the hard part is being away from family.
Gonsalves said he spends more time with his team than he does with his wife but the pilots adjust to the schedule.
“That’s one of the hard things about the team but when you look at what we get to do and who we get to represent, the families get it and they’re supportive,” he said.
Whether he goes back to flying A-10s or finds a quiet desk job, he said when his assignment is finished, he isn’t sure what he wants to do.
“If I could get back to the ‘Hog’ that’s what I would do, come back and hang out with everyone in Valdosta. I love this city,” Gonsalves said.
Moody AFB hosts the Thunder Over South Georgia Air and Space Expo, Oct. 28-29. The Thunderbirds are scheduled to perform 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The event is free and open to the public. It will also feature the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team. Opening ceremony begins 11:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday with activities scheduled through about 3:30 p.m. both days.
Thomas Lynn is a government and education reporter for The Valdosta Daily Times. He can be reached at (229)244-3400 ext. 1256