United States Air Force Academy

Postcard US-4036245 from Colorado shows the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), located in Colorado Springs, Colorado. According to Wikipedia, it is the youngest of the five United States service academies, with its first class graduated in 1959. Graduates of the Academy's four-year program receive a Bachelor of Science degree, and are commissioned as second lieutenants in the United States Air Force. The Academy is also one of the largest tourist attractions in Colorado, receiving close to one million visitors every year.

President Obama attended the Academy's 2016 graduation ceremony yesterday on June 2, 2016 as the keynote speaker. In his final commencement address of his presidency, Obama shared some of the lessons he learned in the White House as president and commander-in-chief, and warned the graduating cadets about isolationism.

The United States Air Force Thunderbirds performed during the graduation ceremony. However, one of its fighter jets crashed on its way back to the Peterson Air Force Base after the fly-over demonstration.

Blue Angels and Thunderbirds Crashed in Separate Accidents

It is rare to see an aircraft crash from military flying demonstration squadrons as they feature the most skillful pilots from their respective services. As a matter of fact, the last accident for the US Navy's Blue Angles happened during an air show at a Marine Corps air station in Beaufort, South Carolina in April 2007, when Lt. Cmdr. Kevin Davis was killed; the US Air Force's Thunderbirds saw its last crash in September 2003 with Capt. Chris Stricklin parachuting to safety. Therefore, it's such a bizarre coincidence as a Blue Angels F-18 and a Thunderbirds F-16 crashed separately in the same day.

One F-16 fighter jet of the Thunderbirds crashed near Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado around 1 p.m. MDT (12 p.m. PDT), following a flyover for the Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony with President Obama in attendance as the keynote speaker. The pilot of the No. 6 Thunderbirds jet Maj. Alex Turner ejected safely.

A mere hour later at approximately 3 p.m. CDT (1 p.m. PDT), a U.S. Navy Blue Angels  F/A-18 fighter jet crashed while in formation during an air show practice in Smyrna, Tennessee on June 2, 2016. The pilot did not eject and was killed in crash.

Postcard US-3935005 to Germany shows a paratrooper in descent against the Moon during the Aviation Nation on November 13, 2010.

Thunderbird No.6 was seen at the Aviation Nation on Nov. 14, 2010

United States Air Force Thunderbirds

The USAF Thunderbirds is the air demonstration squadron of the United States Air Force (USAF), based at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

The squadron performs aerobatic formation and solo flying with in various airshows and events using F-16 Fighting Falcons. The name of "Thunderbirds" was from a legendary creature in the mythology of several indigenous North American cultures, as one of their maneuvers on November 11, 2012 shown on the postcard. You can purchase the matching customized stamps from Zazzle.

Update on November 9, 2014 with a Youtube video from the 2014 Aviation Nation.

Aviation Nation is Back

Aviation Nation is an annual air show and open house of the Nellis United State Air Force Base near Las Vegas, NV, held in November of each year.

However, due to the defense budget cut for fiscal year 2013, the scheduled airshow on November 9 and 10, 2013 was canceled. It is exciting to see the Aviation Nation returns on November 8 and 9, 2014 with aerial demonstration between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. There will be no Aviation Nation 2015 because an expected inspection during the same time period next year when the air show is usually held.

Postcard US-2489824 to Germany shows the popular F-16 Thunderbirds demonstrations during a previous Aviation Nation event on November 14, 2010. Nellis Air Force Base is the home base for the U.S.A.F. Thunderbird air demonstration team. In addition, both the newest U.S.A.F aircraft such as the F-22 Raptor and the legacy aircraft such as the World War II B-25J Mitchell "Executive Sweet" are featured.