Hill Air Force Base, Utah -- In three weeks and for the first time since being assigned to Hill Air Force Base in 2019, the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team will perform for its home crowd at the 2022 Hill Warriors Over the Wasatch Air and Space Show June 25-26.
The team was scheduled to be a part of the 2020 show, which was canceled due to a worldwide pandemic. Maj. Kristin “Beo” Wolfe, demo team commander and pilot, said she is excited to finally perform for the home crowd.
“It will be awesome performing for our home base,” Wolfe said. ““We're really excited just to get everybody out, especially the local community, onto the base, not just to see this airplane but also the Thunderbirds and others. It's going to be a huge lineup of performers.”
Wolfe performed a “sneak peek” of the show June 3, performing a practice run for media members and a group of spectators. It was the team’s last practice before the local Hill air show. Among the spectators were a handful of young kids who were excited to ask questions and take pictures with the pilot after the demonstration.
“That's the rewarding part, honestly — for me, and as well as the team maintainers, to see the impact that we get to have,” she said. "Just to get kids, especially young kids, excited to fill our shoes one day."
She gave a glimpse of what it’s like to fly aerial stunts in an F-35.
“I love this airplane because it's the newest, latest, and greatest,” she said. “You're the only person in the airplane and it does whatever you want it to do. It's like being on a flying roller coaster.”
Wolfe said she could fly any of the fighter jets assigned to Hill, as they are not modified specifically for demos.
Kevin Ireland, executive director of the Utah Air Show Foundation, also spoke to media about the upcoming air show. He gave tips for getting to the show to watch the F-35 Demo Team and all the other performers.
“The best way to avoid traffic and parking is by riding public transportation. Take the FrontRunner to Clearfield Station where you can take a shuttle bus that will take you right to the air show,” Ireland said.
Gates open at 8 a.m. both days of the air show and admission is free. For more information about the show, including the line up of scheduled performers, parking information and a list of permitted and prohibited items, visit www.hill.af.mil.