NHRA News: Pro Stock champion Anderson set to fly with Thunderbirds (1/29/2004)

Pro Stock champion Anderson set to fly with Thunderbirds

1/29/2004

Greg Anderson

In automobile racing speed is king. NHRA drag racing wears the crown for sheer speed on terra firma; nothing in motor sports reaches a velocity of 330 mph quicker than a NHRA Top Fuel racecar.

But, there's something faster.

On Feb. 17, NHRA Pro Stock champion Greg Anderson will discover just how fast he can go once his wheels take flight.

Anderson will take the ride of his life in America's ultimate "military hot rod" the USAF F-16 Fighting Falcon, flown by the famous Thunderbird precision flying team. This is one ride that will offer a sensory overload like no other. Anderson will experience the plane's overwhelming power and defiance of gravity; traveling at nearly the speed of sound, he'll join the elite club of civilians who've adventured up and away with the Thunderbirds.

Photo by USAF SSgt. Sean M. White

"I never dreamed that one day I would have the opportunity to fly with the USAF Thunderbirds," said Anderson. "This is an incredible honor. I have great admiration for the highly skilled men and women who fly these magnificent aircraft."

A quick comparison of these extreme machines illustrates the brutal power of each. The F-16D weighs in at 24,123 lbs. and is powered by a Pratt and Whitney F-100-PW220 jet engine producing 25,000 lbs. of trust.

By comparison, the KB Racing Pro Stock Pontiac Grand Am weighs in at a mere 2,350 lbs. and is propelled by a 500 cubic inch General Motors DRCE racing engine, developing 1350 horsepower. Exceptional machines, one a 200 mph single-purpose race vehicle a prisoner of the earth's gravity, the other a sophisticated 1,500 mph multi-role fighter aircraft, freed from the bonds of earth with sufficient power and maneuverability to render an average man unconscious.

When drag racer meets fighter pilot, the fighter pilot wins hands down.

The Lockheed Martin F-16 has been the preferred aircraft of the USAF Thunderbirds since it replaced the venerable Northrop T-38 Talon in 1982.

An admirer of airplanes, Anderson also prides himself in being a hands-on racer. He's intrigued by the similarities both pilots and racecar drivers and their crews share.

"From the maintenance side, I'm looking forward to getting an up close and personal look at the mechanical end of the F-16," Anderson said. "We pride ourselves in every facet of preparation as a racer and I know USAF Thunderbird crews have tremendous pride in what they do with an infinitely more sophisticated machine."

Photo by USAF SSgt. Sean M. White

"They tell me the visibility in the cockpit is totally awesome.

"I'm really pumped about the opportunity and I'm counting the days until we're wheels-up and airborne."

Anderson's day will begin with a base tour and introduction to what he can expect, including pre-flight and safety instructional periods. His actual flight will be in the back seat of an F-16D model that will be flown by a renown USAF Thunderbird pilot.

Anderson's one-hour flight will consist of a number of air show maneuvers and common flight routines performed in a typical USAF Thunderbird air show, the only difference being, his will be a single ship formation.

The only fear Anderson has is that after experiencing the ultimate thrill ride, he'll be bored with the mundane task of driving just 200 mph. "Who knows, maybe I can talk Ken Black into going Top Fuel racing," Anderson said.

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