DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds will honor essential front line workers in the COVID-19 pandemic with a Colorado flyover Saturday.
The flight plan calls for the flying team to begin in northern Colorado at 12:50 p.m. MT, heading south to Boulder by 1:05 p.m., then by 1:35 p.m. they will be through the Denver area. The SkyFOX helicopter, providing video for the live stream, has been allowed to fly in specific airspace to capture a portion of the flyover.
The Thunderbirds say the flyover across communities in Colorado honors “healthcare workers, first responders, military members and other essential personnel who are working on the front lines to combat the coronavirus.” The flight path takes them over more than 40 medical facilities.
People throughout Colorado, including at local hospitals, will be able to witness the flyover while practicing social distancing, as the Thunderbirds cover a wide area.
After making it through the Denver metro area, the Thunderbirds will continue toward Colorado Springs and the southern part of the state. The flying team begins their flying for the day at the Air Force Academy commencement where Vice President Mike Pence will be in attendance.
Spending around an hour in the air, the Thunderbirds will rely on aerial refueling from a KC-135 tanker aircraft. The support allows them to extend their range for the length of the flight.
