I was very excited to find out that this year's local (for me obviously) Rockford AirFest 2009 is one of only five places in the world and two in the US to host the F-22 during this year's season.

I'll provide a link explaining further, if any of you are interested. For me, having been an outspoken F-22 enthusiast for many years now, this is a very exciting opportunity to see the arguably most capable air superiority fighter in the world up close and personal. My wife and I are getting the VIP Captain's Club tickets. Hurry and get them while they're still available, and let me know if any of you are going to be attending the show. It would be fun to chat about with fellow H.A.W.X players.

http://www.flyrfd.com/airfest.html



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Well guys, the day finally came, and It was quite an event indeed. Both my wife and I had a great time during the whole show, and we finally got to see the F-22 perform its amazing demonstration routine in person. I recorded the majority of it, but the raw videos need to be cut and combined before I post them as one video on YouTube.











Not only were we fortunate enough to get front row and center stage seating in a private catered chalet with our Captain's Club tickets, but we also got to personally meet the F-22 Demo Team. Here I am with some of them:



From left to right: Staff Sgt. David "Ebar" Hirsch, Technical Sgt Gabriel "Mozart" Sistrunk, Myself "Wrend" , Senior Airman Jeff "Tug" Cunningham, and Senior Airman Daniel "Skittles" Glabinski

Many thanks to F-22 Demo Team member Master Sgt. Greg "Gap" Gappert who took it upon himself to see that I was introduced to the F-22 demo pilot Maj. David "Zeke" Skalicky out on the tarmac after his final demo run at Rockford AirFest 2009.





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Here are a few more cool pics I snagged. I'm still working on the video. Looks like it will be missing some of the performance, do to camera issues.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wrend,

"The F-22A cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft" UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Su-47? Mig-MFI?

You see? This is what happen when you have "high-tech"
just like the last time during Vietnam something is going to be very wrong. Vietnam→"Missiles will hit the target before gun range, we don't need guns anymore, take out the gun to save space and weight"
And what happened? F-4 got owned by Migs...

What is it that I'm supposed to see? This thread isn't really meant to debate the likelihood of projected capable air superiority challengers the F-22 will or will not have. However, to humor you for the time being, I really haven't seen anything that is realistically able to compete with the F-22. That is my relatively informed opinion and assessment. You are obviously free to come to your own conclusions. So, lets just leave it at that, and also leave further debate of this nature out of this thread. If you really want, I'll start a new thread with a title not unlike: "Why the F-22 Raptor is the Most Lethal and Survivable Air Superiority Fighter in the World of Both Current and Currently Projected Aircraft," where you would be more than welcome to voice your then relevant opposing opinions. Thanks for your understanding.

quote:

Originally posted by Garm16:
"The F-22A cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft" UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Does that mean it gets owned by Ships, Tanks or Troops?

Look guys, the picture with the quote is just something I snagged off the airshow's website...

quote:

Originally posted by Garm16:
"The F-22A cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft" UNITED STATES AIR FORCE

Su-47? Mig-MFI?

You see? This is what happen when you have "high-tech"
just like the last time during Vietnam something is going to be very wrong. Vietnam→"Missiles will hit the target before gun range, we don't need guns anymore, take out the gun to save space and weight"
And what happened? F-4 got owned by Migs...

I disagree.

Garm trolls again!

quote:

Originally posted by Wrend:
Rockford AirFest 2009 is one of only five places in the world and two in the US to host the F-22 during this year's season.

Do you know where the non-US locations are. I need to decide which airshow i attend this year and if the F-22 is going to be at any of my options that will be my decision maker

Just Paris and Toronto are what I've heard, though I seem to remember seeing another '09 demo on YouTube that already took place.

I was looking forward to see it last year here in Britain but rain caused many air displays to get canceled
Still there's always next year hopefully

Was that the Farnborough Airshow?

The practice run the F-22 did before the show was rained out was very awesome.

Here's a link to a YouTube video of it. It's probably my favorite F-22 video. That is, until I record my own.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMeNz7J0zzo (edit: I had the wrong video footage at first, and you're right, it was RIAT and not Farnborough.)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Wrend,

No it was RIAT your thinking of, i then went to Farnborough but unfortunately the day the F-22 was on display was for corporate visitors only, still i manged to see the Vulcan Bomber and my father managed to meet some old friends from the turbine industry

Does Garm know that niether of those planes can match the Raptor? Or is he just trying to be a troll?

Awesome man. I finally saw one up close and personal (on the ground and in the air) last year at Nellis AFB.

An impressive bird, for sure.

And Garm...why would even bring that up? Let alone two planes that will never see a production run. I sure hope any potential adversary of the F-22 shares your ignorance in the matter.

hey Wrend im only 1/2hr west of that 10-20 & i know where that is at. i havent been to that show for some time now.

like all most 10yrs now i think they had the 117 there for the 1st time i think. it was way cool to.

well you couldnt get to close to it that is. and the flight sim they had on the grounds but it was all ways packed.

man i wish i could go there but i am not able to though i have other things going on at that time though. but it would be cool to go and watch

i do remember when they ahd the planes flew by and did a napalm run and wow everyone had a nice tan from that rofl!!