After being grounded by Defense Department budget cuts, the Air Force has been cleared to conduct four flyovers at major sporting events in October.
The Air Force stopped all flyovers during sequestration in March 2013. The Defense Department then issued guidance on Sept. 30, 2013, that allowed the Air Force’s Thunderbirds demonstration team to perform 34 shows in fiscal 2014 but curtailed other flyovers as part of an overall reduction of 45 percent in Air Force outreach programs.
The Air Force does not yet have fiscal 2015 guidance from the Defense Department for its flyovers, so the service must abide by fiscal 2014 guidance that requires the service to request an exception from the Defense Department for flyovers, said Jennifer Bentley, the chief of civic engagement for Air Force public affairs.
It is “absolutely not back to business as usual,” though there will be more Air Force jets over stadiums this month, Bentley said.
Events approved by the Defense Department and the Air Force:
■ The Oct. 3 Major League Baseball playoff game between the Washington Nationals and the San Francisco Giants;
■ The Oct. 4 Air Force Academy game against the Naval Academy;
■ The Oct. 11 NASCAR Bank of America 500 in Charlotte; and
■ The Oct. 18 Air Force Academy game against New Mexico.
The Air Force previously conducted flyovers at almost 1,000 events nationwide.
The Air Force is hoping for approval for more of the appearances in the fiscal 2015 guidance to “show the American people the aircraft we have,” Bentley said.
“It’s important to us to engage with the public and flyovers are a great way to do that,” she said.
