HAFB’s New F-35 Demo Team Preparing For Air Show Season
Mar 5, 2020, 4:49 PM | Updated: 9:00 pm
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah – As spring approaches, the 388th Fighter Wing’s new F-35 Demonstration Team is making final preparations for the air show season.
The team, previously located at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, was reassigned to Hill Air Force Base in late 2019. The team’s demonstration pilot, Captain Kristin “BEO” Wolfe, will lead the team for the 2020 and 2021 air show seasons.
“Growing up, I was always around aviation,” Wolfe said after a practice flight Thursday morning.
Wolfe’s father was an Air Force pilot as well, piloting F-15s. She said her father never pressured her to follow in his footsteps, but was proud to see her succeed.
Thanks to the @F35demoteam and @HAFB for having us out! Great to meet the team and see “Beo” tear up the skies over Northern Utah. Story coming later today on @KSL5TV. #avgeek pic.twitter.com/yfubTrWVtu
— Sean Moody (@SeanMoodyKSL) March 5, 2020
“I grew up with this for 20-plus years of seeing my dad do it, and now I’m actually doing something cool, too,” Wolfe said.
Wolfe hopes to inspire people in the audience to follow their own dreams.
“To sit and take pictures with kids, give them your autograph, talk to them, inspire them – that’s super cool,” she said.
Several years ago, Hill Air Force Base was home to the Viper West F-16 Demo Team. Wolfe said locals who remember that team are happy to support the new one.
“Some of them are like, ‘Hey, I remember when the Viper Demo was here years ago and I loved it and we’re so glad you’re back,’” she said.
The F-35 Demo Team will begin their air show season March 13-14 in Yuma, Arizona. They will perform in 20 air shows across the country, including Warriors Over the Wasatch at Hill Air Force Base on June 27 and 28.
