Community Corner
Wings Over North Georgia Air Show To Bring Giant Messages in Sky
The Geico Skytypers team are set to perform a low-level precision formation demonstration during the Wings Over North Georgia Air Show this weekend in nearby Rome.
The GEICO Skytypers will make their first appearance in the northwest Georgia area during the Wings Over North Georgia Air Show set for Oct. 12 and 13, in nearby Rome. The 2013 Smoke and Thunder BBQ Classic will also take place during the same weekend.
In addition to the Skytypers, the Black Diamond Jet Team, Aerostars and CF-18 Hornet groups are the featured headliners, according to wingsovernorthgeorgia.com.
The GEICO team performs a thrilling, low-altitude, precision-formation flying demonstration, according to the press release. The pilots fly six WWII-vintage aircraft, coming from all directions and filling the sky to provide spectators a unique viewing experience while showcasing the tactics and maneuvers utilized in training during WWII.
Their inaugural appearance in Rome will be the first time people from the area can view the GEICO Skytypers’ giant billboards in the sky. During skytyping missions the pilots fly 250 feet apart in a wide “line-abreast” formation. The team “types” dot-matrix-style messages that are approximately 1,000 feet tall and can be viewed from up to 15 miles in any direction and span up to 8 miles in length. Each skytyped letter is generated in approximately four seconds, which is 17 times faster than the more traditional skywriting method.
The GEICO Skytypers fly six of the 11 remaining North American SNJ-2s for their airshow performances and skytyping missions. Each World War II-era plane has been fully restored and equipped with a computer that coordinates the smoke puffs released from each of the aircraft to form letters that are as tall as the Empire State Building.
“The contrast between the advanced technology utilized to produce these messages paired with a 1940s vintage aircraft is truly unique,” Steve Kapur, GEICO Skytypers marketing officer and pilot, said in the release. “We consider it a privilege to fly these warbirds on behalf of GEICO at air shows all across the U.S.”
The Skytypers performance offers a rare chance to view a military-style formation flying demonstration utilizing WWII military training planes. Maneuvering the antique aircraft requires great skill and expertise.
A majority of the GEICO Skytypers pilots earned their wings in the military and most currently fly for commercial airlines.
If You Go
What: 2013 Wings Over North Georgia Air Show
When: Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12 and 13; event open from 9 a.m.to 5 p.m.; air show from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: Richard B. Russell Regional Airport, 304 Russell Field Road, Rome GA 30165.
Tickets: General Admission and early purchases available at wingsovernorthgeorgia.com/guest-information/tickets/.
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