15 Wing C-17 Demo Team warms up, ready for world-wide shows Published Sept. 29, 2010 By Capt. David Tomiyama 15th Wing Public Affairs JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR HICKAM, Hawaii -- The 15th Wing's C-17 Demo Team thrilled thousands of spectators at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Air Show 2010, Sept. 24-26---a warm up to expected air shows in the spring. "The main mission of the demo team is to showcase the capabilities of the C-17," said Maj. Victor Aguilar, 15th WG demo team commander. "When we go to international air shows, we play the ambassador role for the Air Force by interacting with air show fans and meeting community leaders." The demo team flies three different profiles. One is six minutes long, another is 10 minutes in length and the third and most common is the 12-minute profile. The profile length is determined by the time slotted for the C-17. For the Kaneohe Bay air show, the team flew the 10-minute profile. An air show profile is not much different from what 15th WG C-17 pilots perform during real-world missions across the Pacific. However, an air show demands the demo team take their flying to the next level with precision and speed in putting on a proper demonstration for crowds. "Although the profile is not much different from an operational mission, what we do is very fast paced," said Major Aguilar. "Plus we still have the air show (crowds), we have to meet a (training) timeline, and we're held to a strict show schedule, that's where the challenges come in." The other challenge the team has is scheduling. With the 15th WG's high operations tempo, aircraft and personnel are always on the move. The challenge is ensuring the entire team as well as a C-17 are available. According to Major Aguilar, air shows can pop up on a calendar as short as a few weeks for U.S. shows and a month in advance for international shows. A C-17 demo team is made up of a four-person team. The 15th WG's Demo Team is made up of Capt. Russell Foxworth, the co-pilot, Capt. Stephen Koether, the safety observer, and Staff Sgt. Scott Stueven, the loadmaster. Being a member of the demo team requires a high level of experience in the C-17, meeting training requirements and senior leadership approval. Veteran pilots who have been instructors, evaluators or aircraft commanders are selected. Training begins in a C-17 simulator, extends to flying the profiles and ground training, all to ensure safety and precision flying. "Over the past couple of weeks, our demo team worked hard to finish the required airshow certification training in preparation for the Kaneohe air show," said Lt. Col. Andrew Leshikar, 535th Airlift Squadron commander. ""They are some of our best and most qualified pilots and loadmasters and are now ready to represent the wing and the Air Force at shows across the Pacific." While no future air shows are currently scheduled, the team traditionally performs three to four shows a year. Past shows include trips to Guam, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and India. The 15th WG shares the Pacific air show schedule with another C-17 demo team at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.