FARGO (KFGO) – This weekend, the baby blue skies of Fargo-Moorhead saw a barrage of aircraft, some that would’ve flown missions over Europe in the 1940s to the newest, and bluest, fighter jets the U.S. Armed Forces has to offer.
As I walked the grounds of Fargo AirSho and Hector International Airport, I felt as though I was walking in slow motion with Kenny Loggins music in the background and shared company with the likes of Maverick, Goose, and Iceman.
As I watched the flight demonstrations, on multiple occasions, I wondered: What is it about a plane leaving the earth’s surface and entering the clouds that creates such a feeling of wonder?
The pilots and aircraft did some of the craziest, gutsiest, and precise flying I have ever seen. For them, it was just another day on the job.
Red Baron Stearman (Madison Quinn, KFGO)
RAD Aerosports: Pitts S-2S, Red Baron Stearman, and Jet Waco
RAD Aerosports was founded by Jarrod Lindemann in Valley City, North Dakota. Jarrod is joined by his brother Paul in this endeavor of delivering innovated and unparalleled aerial stunt performances.
1929 Taperwing Jet Waco (Madison Quinn, KFGO)
Jarrod and Paul Lindemann are both fourth-generation pilots that started flying at a young age. They would help their dad, the late Dan Lindemann, with crop spraying in the summer months and aircraft maintenance in the winter months. Paul and Jarrod have thousands of hours logged in various aircraft and are both certified mechanics.
Pitts S-2S (Madison Quinn, KFGO
Also with RAD Aerosports is Dell Coller. He is the pilot of the one-of-a-kind 1929 Taperwing Jet Waco. Dell met Jarrod and Paul on the airshow circuit and they joined forces to start RAD.
Amy & J.J. from KFGO’s It Takes 2 sat down with the guys at RAD Aerosports:
F-16 Fighting Falcon (Madison Quinn, KFGO)
U.S. AIR FORCE: F-16 Viper Demo Team, Lockheed C-130 Hercules
The Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Team performs precision areal maneuvers to demonstrate the capabilities of one of the U.S. Air Force’s premier multi-role fighters the F-16 Fighting Falcon.
U.S. Air Force Lockheed C-130 Hercules (Madison Quinn, KFGO)
The Lockheed C-130 Hercules is an American four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. The C-130 was originally designed as a troop, medevac, and cargo transport aircraft.
The C-130 seen at the Airsho transported the Leap Frogs U.S. Navy Parachute Team. The Frogs perform precise aerial maneuvers throughout the United States in support of Navy public outreach.
Blue Angels 1-4 in Diamond Formation (Madison Quinn, KFGO)
U.S. NAVY BLUE ANGELS: F-18 Super Hornets
The Blue Angels flight demonstration squadron is celebrating its 75th year of service.
They were formed in 1946 and since then, have flown for more than 505 million spectators.
Blue Angels Flight Lead Commander Brian Kesselring (Fargo AirSho)
This year’s Airshow was also a homecoming for the Commander of the Blue Angels. Commander Brian C. Kesselring is a Fargo native, Fargo South Bruin and Concordia Cobber
He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts undergraduate degree with majors in Physics, Mathematics, and Business while also competing in basketball and track & field.
Upon graduation, Kesselring attended Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, where he earned his commission as an Ensign in the U.S. Navy in March 2001.
He also is a graduate and former staff instructor at the Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN). He joined the Blue Angels in September 2019.
They flew, they twirled, and a crowd of some 30,000 looked up in wonder. The imagination of these pilots can make you feel like a kid again.
