NEW WINDSOR—Major Joshua Boudreaux, left wingman for the Thunderbirds demonstration squadron, flew in to Stewart International Airport on Jan. 22 to give a taste of what to expect at the New York Airshow coming on Labor Day weekend.
An experienced combat pilot, Boudreau said the Thunderbirds and support personnel travel 220 days a year to “connect communities with their military, in particular, with the Air Force.”
County Executive Steven Neuhaus was on hand to give the impact the air show and Thunderbirds will generate for tourism. “These guys are the best jet team in the country. We are really excited about it. We take tourism seriously. [The air show] can bring tens of thousands of people to our county and our region.”
Boudreaux came to meet with media and do a site visit of the airport. Boudreaux surveyed the show site, checking the airfield runway, taxiways, and the apron where the planes are parked, that they are in a condition suitable for an F-16. He said Stewart “is in great condition.”
He noted the military stationed at Stewart. “It’s great when we get to go bases where they have military representation.”
Precision Flying Team
Thunderbird pilots fly fourth-generation F-16 fighter jets. The fighter jet is capable of air to air combat, as well as air to ground. Boudreaux says it’s the world’s greatest because it is combat proven. Each generation has added improved avionics, weapons, and weapons systems.
