Would Be Like Red Bull Air Races On Steroids, Says Air Force Says

ANN April 1 Special Edition (Parody)

The next-generation trainer for the U.S. Air Force will be selected in a fly-off resembling the Red Bull Air Races, according to a USAF official not authorized to speak to the media.

According to our source, it has not yet been determined if all four teams vying for the contract will be participating, or if some criteria will be established to winnow down the field before the flying competition begins.

“We may only have the top two teams participating, based on cost estimates for the contract and other factors,” the source said.

The fly-off would be held at Area 51 “to keep away the prying eyes and the media,” the source said.

The competition will consist of three phases. First would be a course laid out in the desert much like a pylon race. Pilots will fly the course multiple times, and their times around the course will be averaged to determine which airplane is the fastest and most maneuverable in the aggregate. There will also be an altitude contest, a slow-flight demonstration, and a “STOL” competition. “Since none of the trainers has VTOL capability, we think that’s fair,” the source said.

A hand-selected panel of observers will also be on hand to help select the winner. “In the Air Force, you have to look cool,” the source said. “So we’re looking for the absolute coolest airplane as a way to attract potential pilots.”

No date for the competition has been set. Air Show legends Patty Wagstaff and Sean Tucker both tell ANN that they have been approached as possible pilots for the competitions, but they were not at liberty to say which teams were courting them.

FMI: www.af.mil