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JBSA News
NEWS | Oct. 30, 2009

'Wings of Blue' parachute team performs at Air Show

By Sean Bowlin 12th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

There's more to watch than aircraft at the 2009 Randolph Air Force Base Air Show, where spectators will see precision free-fall parachuting performed by future Air Force officers. 

The future officers - U.S. Air Force Academy cadets - comprise the Academy's "Wings of Blue" parachute demonstration team. 

Air Force Academy Cadet First Class Spencer Schardein, Wings of Blue cadet parachute demonstration team commander, said the "Wings of Blue" show will open with a display of patriotism.

"We open our show with a solo pass consisting of one jumper carrying a 220-square-foot, drop-down American Flag, descending to the sound of our national anthem," Cadet Schardein said.

After that, the team will perform a canopy show, consisting of flags or streamers, followed by their barber pole, high-low and bomb burst maneuvers, said Capt. Yancey Walker, 98th Flying Training Squadron jump flight commander at the Academy.
Captain Walker added, during the canopy show, four cadet parachutists will exit the jump 
aircraft from 4,500 feet above the ground. They will free-fall for about 10 seconds before deploying their parachutes. The team uses the high- performance square parachute, which has a vertical descent rate of two to 16 feet per second and can reach forward speeds of up to 30 miles per hour. Shaped like an airfoil, it exhibits some of the same flight characteristics as the wing of an airplane. 

Captain Walker also said the third pass is scheduled to be the barber pole show, where two parachutists exit the aircraft from 7,000 feet. The jumpers come together in mid-air and begin to spin, by a slight movement of one arm or leg, or by dipping one shoulder.
"
Each jumper is armed with smoke canisters, one yellow and one red, which when coupled with the controlled spin, creates a visual effect for the spectators much like that of a barber pole," said Master Sgt. David Fremin, 98th FTS superintendent.

At 4,000 feet, the parachutists begin moving apart, and at 2,500 feet, they will deploy their parachutes, Sergeant Fremin added. 

Technical Sgt. Mike Kendrick, 98th FTS standards and evaluation NCO-in-charge, said the fourth pass is the high-low show, where two parachutists exit the plane from 9,000 feet. 

One jumper assumes the basic spread-eagle position, which allows him or her to fall as slowly as 85 miles per hour. The second jumper streamlines his or her body and pitches over into a head-first dive, allowing the parachutist to reach high speeds. 

Both deploy their parachutes at 2,500 feet. Each second of delay in opening between the first and second parachutists represents approximately 150 feet of vertical separation between the two jumpers. 

"In the high-low, our jumpers demonstrate the ability to vary freefall rate through the precise control of their bodies," Sergeant Kendrick said. "Both jumpers exit the aircraft at the same time wearing red smoke. Our high jumper then increases his surface area, thus slowing his descent, by extending his arms and legs and using his torso to create as much drag as possible. Simultaneously our low jumper speeds up his fall rate by streamlining his body into a steep angle of attack as he falls at speeds over 160 miles per hour."

Captain Walker said the bomb burst maneuver concludes the show.

"The bomb burst is where four cadet jumpers, wearing smoke, exit the aircraft individually and fly together into round formation to start," he added.