Air Force Thunderbirds go to great heights for public relations

ABOARD THUNDERBIRD 8 - Pulling through a tight turn that puts nine times the force of gravity on his body, Maj. Tony Mulhare is at home.

A veteran of 35 combat sorties over war-torn Iraq, the Williamsburg, Va., native is now sowing public relations rather than bombs over the countryside.

Even in the face of expensive war demands, tightening budgets and an ever-aging fleet of planes, the high-flying exploits of the unarmed Air Force Thunderbirds remain a top priority for the service.

The 55-year-old precision flying team, which will appear over the Air Force Academy's graduation Wednesday, takes to the air to gain good will from voters and to inspire children to seek their homes in the sky.

"Our mission is recruiting," Mulhare said after landing his plane at Peterson Air Force Base. "We play a key role in the long-term health of the Air Force."

Mulhare narrates the Thunderbird shows at airfields around the nation and overseas and flies a two-seat version of the team's F-16 fighters to give members of the media and VIPs a taste of the dazzling twists and turns the rest of the team pulls with precision.

Each plane comes with a price tag over $20 million, and the fuel bill for each flight is high, too. On afterburner, the jet can consume 28 gallons of kerosene per minute.

But Mulhare said the team is worth the price because the red, white and blue jets draw crowds of kids who dream of flying. That's good business for the Air Force, which is looking for more than 27,000 recruits this year.

"You get two groups who come and talk to you," Mulhare, a 1995 academy graduate, said. "You have kids who always wanted to do this, and you get the others who aren't sure what they want to do with their lives."

This year's Thunderbirds are repolishing their image in the wake of a $560 million contracting scandal that saw five officers disciplined for allegedly rigging the bids for a video system to be used at shows.

The team will fly 38 shows this year, including the 45-minute graduation demonstration Wednesday.

Mulhare said the Air Force Academy show is all about timing.

The jets have to appear over Falcon Stadium on the academy's grounds at the precise moment cadets throw their hats skyward to mark the end of the graduation ceremony.

Pilots say the moment demonstrates the skill and precision the Air Force is using to fight in Iraq.

"It's unlike any other fly-over we do all year long," said Chris Austin, the pilot of Thunderbird 2 and recalling when the Thunderbirds roared over his graduation at the academy in 1995.

"It is a precision job."