ARLINGTON, Va. - Air National Guard sponsored aerobatic pilot Maj. John Klatt and his Guarding America, Defending Freedom aerobatic team announced it will again take flight for the Air Guard this summer to entertain spectators at 18 air shows across the nation.
"He is a tremendous advocate for the Air Guard," said Lt. Col. Randy Johnson, chief of Air Guard Recruiting and Retention. "He goes out and does a terrific show, and then he follows that up by meeting and greeting and signing posters and pictures."
This will be the fourth air show season for the private aerobatic pilot and Operation Iraqi Freedom-seasoned, F-16 fighter pilot from the Minnesota Air Guard's 148th Fighter Wing.
Klatt's main job is to promote the Air National Guard, and his aircraft is painted with colorful red, white and blue Air Guard designs.
In the last three seasons, Klatt and his Staudacher S-300D, a single-prop, high performance aerobatic plane that reaches speeds of 250 mph, have performed for hundreds of thousands of spectators throughout the country.
During his performances, he narrates to the crowd as he performs aerobatic maneuvers that include barrel rolls, loop-the-loops, flips, and flying upside down at what appears to be just a few feet above the ground.
Klatt also partners with local Air Guard recruiters as he and his team travel to events much like a racecar team travels from racetrack to racetrack. Together, they help educate the public about the Air Guard, the Air Force and the National Guard.
"This is like old time barnstorming in a real grass roots way," said Klatt during last summer's Air Force Week, New England at Otis Air Guard Base in Massachusetts. "It's out in the community just like the barnstormers who would land and then take their airplanes up and show others the gift of flight."
At each show, Klatt's team and the recruiters operate a 39-foot mobile recruiting unit, a flight simulator and a second two-seater plane that Klatt uses to give orientation flights to community members.
Klatt's season opener is scheduled for the Great Tennessee Air Show April 12-13 in Nashville. Following performances are scheduled for:
- April 18-20, Prairie Air Show, Peoria, Ill.
- May 10-11, Wings Over Pittsburgh
- May 17-18, Open House 2008, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.
- May 24-25, Jones Beach, N.Y.
- June 7-8, Thunder on the Lakeshore, Manitowoc, Wis.
- June 21, Klamath Air Show, Klamath Falls, Ore.
- June 28-29, Rhode Island Air Guard Open House, Quonset Point, R.I.
- July 19-20, Duluth Air Expo, Duluth, Minn.
- August 1-3, Seattle Seafair Air Show
- August 8-10, Hillsboro Air Show, Hillsboro, Ore.
- August 23-24, Indianapolis Air Show, Mt. Comfort Airport
- August 30-Sept. 1, Wings of Freedom Air Show, Bay City, Wis.
- Sept. 10-14, Reno Air Races and Show, Nev.
- Oct. 4, Partners in the Sky Air Show, Vance AFB, Okla.
- Oct. 18-19, Wings Over Masietta, Dobbins ARB, Ga.
- Nov. 1-2, Sertoma Cajun Air Festival, Lafayette, La.
- Nov. 8-9, Visiting Nurses Association Air Show, Stuart, Fla.
John Klatt's schedule is subject to change, so please visit www.johnklattairshows.com throughout the year for updates, information and news.