Thunder Over Louisville Preview: Air Show Brings Variety of Aerial Entertainment, Blue Angels Excitement

By The Aero Experience Team

Thunder Over Louisville is ready to rock the riverfront this afternoon with a variety of airshow performers that is sure to keep all eyes glued to the skies.  Then aerial entertainment will range from Nick Coleman in his tiny Tailorcraft to the sweeping formations of Team Aerodynamics, and from the chugging radial engines of the T-28s from the Trojan Horsemen to the grace and power of the U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor stealth fighter and the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron.  The Aero Experience was in Louisville Friday for the airshow practice sessions and kick off our Midwest airshow season with our Thunder Over Louisville preview, with more highlights appearing in the coming week.  Special thanks to the Kentucky Derby Festival and Thunder Over Louisville staff for assisting The Aero Experience in our coverage of the festivities this year. 







 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Aerodynamix

 

Flash Gordon L-39 Albatross

U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron 



Billy Werth Christen Eagle 450

Lima Lima Team

The Trojan Horsemen

 













Lee Leet Super Tucano



Ace Maker T-33 Shooting Star

John Klatt  MXS

      

USAF F-22A Demonstration Team and Heritage Flight with P-51 Mustangs

 

Nick Coleman T-Craft

 

Red Stars

 



Aerospace Community Mourns the Passing of Marcellinus “Art” Orf, Engineer on Mercury and Gemini Spacecraft

Marcellinus Arthur "Art" Orf April 4, 1930 - April 7, 2014

Marcellinus “Art” Orf, of St. Peters, Missouri, died on Monday, April 7, 2014 at the age of 84.  Art proudly served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean War. He was an Electrical Engineer at McDonnell Douglas for 33 years before he retired in 1992. One of the highlights of his career was working with the astronauts on the Mercury and Gemini Space Programs in Florida in 1964-1965. Art was a strong, caring, religious and intelligent man, who devoted his life to loving and providing for his family. Art was deeply loved and will be missed by all who knew him.

EAA Airventure Oshkosh 2013: Cirrus Exhibit and Vision SF50 Demonstration

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013 featured a significant presence by Cirrus Aircraft.  The main model lines, SR20 and SR22, were represented in an attractive and well-organized exhibit.  SR22 Generation 5 and SR22T were featured prominently, along with their new jet-powered cousin, the SF50 Vision.  The new jet, in development for initial production planned for 2015, was featured in the exhibit tent as a mockup with the demonstrator aircraft on display in the Phillips 66 Plaza.  The jet flew several  demonstrations during the airshow.  According to Cirrus representatives on site, the program is funded for production and new staff have been hired to manage the program.  Here are some views of the Cirrus exhibit area and Vision flights:

       


   

EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013: Jumping Into the Fun in a Parachute - Misty Blues and Liberty Parachute Team

Fred Harl and Carmelo Turdo

Flying to EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2013 would have been exciting enough, with the long line of planes on approach and the aircraft carrier-type landing required to hit the correct colored dot on the runways.  We can only imagine how it felt to skydive into the grounds with nearly a million eyes watching every turn and smoke trail.  The two teams featured here, Misty Blues and Liberty Parachute Team, made spectacular entrances during several airshows and no doubt had a great view of the crowds.  Here a some views of the skydivers on approach under an ever-changing Oshkosh sky: