By Phil Rowe
Imagine having a front row seat for a competitive fly-off between three of the hottest jet fighters in the sky. That's exactly what I was fortunate enough to witness out at the USAF Flight Test Center, Edwards AFB, California. My vantage point was the rooftop of the then-new avionics test facility (IFAST) at the west end of the airstrip.
Over on the ramp, not far from Base Operations, a herd of generals, politicians and other VIP's were gathered to witness a highly unique demonstration. The McDonnell-Douglas F-15, twin-engine multi-role fighter was pitted against the Northrop F-20 Tigershark and the General Dynamics F-16. It was a hot sunny day, typical of that high desert region.
One of the ground rules for the fly-off apparently included the restriction that each airplane had to remain within the airspace of the base and above or south of the runway. That meant for tight maneuvering and high-g turns. The three planes took turns showing their stuff.
From that rooftop vantage point, I, and several companions, got a terrific view of the show. It began with takeoffs right over our heads. Full afterburners screaming and flames trailing, each plane roared into the sky. Wow! What a view!
The pilots performed a variety of high-speed passes at extremely low and medium altitudes. They zoomed by and climbed high above us, sometimes rolling and even
looping those talented pilots maneuvered their respective planes to demonstrate the maximum capabilities for air-to-air and air-to-ground operations.
The show took about an hour. It was one of the most impressive exhibitions of flying skills and aircraft maneuvering I'd ever witnessed. Which bird impressed me the most? It was clearly the F-20 Tigershark, though the other two were truly impressive as well. You should have been there.
