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Show HILLTOP TIMES .'•:"<V_* • TIMES 5 December 31, 2009 jtflook bade At left, the Teton Aviation Center from Driggs, Idaho, displayed a former Navy T-2 Buckeye, piloted by Dr. Richard "Doc" Sugden and a former Polish Air Force MiG Fury Fighter's MiG-15 during the opening day of the Hill Air Force Base Air Show on June 6. ALEX R. LLOYD U.S. Air Force Above, the United States Air Force Academy Wings of Blue Parachute Team members bring in the U.S. flag to officially open the Hill Air Force Base Open House and Air Show on June 6. At right, Capt. Monessa "Siren" Catuncun, 34th Fighter Squadron pilot, the only female pilot in her squadron, briefs the audience before the "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag" movie was to begin on the IMAX screen at the Clark Planetarium in Salt Lake City on June 1. ALEX R. LLOYD/U.S. Air Force YEAR In conjunction with Air Force -9 Week Salt Lake City, the ReAL 'I Salt Lake game in which the team played against the Colorado Rapids sponsored pregame activities honoring America's Airmen. The U.S. Air Force Academy Wings of Blue parachuted into the stadium and delivered the game ball. TODD CROMAR U.S. Air Force From page 4 14 pieces of art selected to travel to Salt Lake City from Washington, D.C., where the complete Air Force Collection is housed. Among the works on display were some by Hill Air'force Base 309th Maintenance Support Squadron member, Richard "Buz" Sawyer. Retired from the Air Force three years earlier, Sawyer talked about his passion for drawing aircraft and future projects. The art works were displayed all week, June 1-5. and was rewarded with a flight in a Thunderbird F-16 Fighting Falcon on June 4. After training and medical screening, Funk was escorted by Lt. Col. Derek Routt, Thunderbird No. 7, in an hour-long flight. Funk said her favorite part of the flight was the takeoff, where she "went straight up to 17,500 feet. Then we did some different rolls, and then my stomach said, That's enough!"' When asked if she would want to fly in an F-16 again, Funk said she would, as long as she didn't have to do the barrel rolls. sions of the competition. Jerome's plane flew the farthest, and Angela's had the longest hang-time. A few of the younger competitors gave some stiff competition. Michael Starrett, whose mother, Beth Starrett, is a Scientific and Technical Information officer at the Ogden Air Logistics Center, walked off with a large paper airplane kit for his winning division performance in the competition. 'Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag1 At the Clark Planetarium, Lt. Cols. Brad Lyons and Buster Delmonte and Capt. Monessa Catuncan, Paper Airplane Contest of the 34th Fighter Squadron, addressed the crowd ; The Colorado Springs Air Force Academy brought its mascot falcon, Havoc, to various schools Several of Hill Air Force Base's own demonstrat- about their roles as fighter pilots. The captain, as one of the few women fighter pilots, said she wasn't along the Wasatch Front during Air Force Week Salt ed their abilities to build and fly paper airplanes Lake City. The academy led the falcon presentation in a contest open to all at the Salt Lake City Public treated any differently than one of the guys. The pilots encouraged all present to continue to learn with a demonstration from its drill team. The purLibrary on June 3. pose of both demonstrations was to educate school While aerodynamics played a role, aim was also about the Air Force and presented the film, "Fighter Pilot: Operation Red Flag," to the full house. children about both falcons and the Air Force. important as some of the entries strayed from their appointed targets and instead headed down the After the film, the pilots were on-hand for queselevator shaft nearby or downstairs to a nearby art tions from children and others about the presentaHometown Hero flight exhibit. tion and the Air Force in general. Due to the popularity of the June 2 '• •' Second-grade teacher, Megan Funk, was selected The reigning champion at Hill AFB, Jerome Jenkins, 538th Aircraft Sustainment Squadron and his as a.Hometown Hero, a program ran by the U.S. Air wife, Angela, each took awards in the adult diviSee YEAR I page 6 Force Thunderbirds, for service to her community Air Force Academy Falcon |