416th and 418th Squadrons conduct flyover before NFC championship game

  • Published
  • By Giancarlo Casem
  • 412th Test Wing Public Affairs

A first for Edwards Air Force Base, as the 418th and 416th Flight Test Squadrons flew over Levi's Stadium for the NFC Championship game on 19 JAN. Get a look from inside the KC-135 Stratotanker as it flew with 3x F-16 Vipers over the San Francisco 49ers stadium.

“We are honored to represent our amazing American military members and their families. By participating on Sunday, Team Edwards is proud to demonstrate, in yet another way, what it means to be ‘The Center of the Aerospace Testing Universe,’” said Brig. Gen. E. John Teichert, 412th Test Wing Commander.

A small group of aircraft include a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 418th Flight Test Squadron, and three F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 416th FLTS.

“A significant portion of the general population doesn’t understand Aerial Refueling, or even know that it exists. Demonstrating a refueling formation, even if the aircraft aren’t actually touching, will hopefully help all the spectators, both in the stadium and the national TV audience, understand a capability of the US Air Force that greatly increases our combat effectiveness and lethality,” said Maj. Jacob Lambach, 418th FLTS, who will be one of the KC-135 pilots for the flyover.

“All of us at the 416th Flight Test Squadron are extremely proud to represent the men and women of the 412th Test Wing, Edwards Air Force Base, and the U.S. Air Force. This flyover was only made possible by the hard work and dedication of thousands of aviation professionals. We dedicate this flyover to them,” said Maj. Stephen Jude, 416th Flight Test Squadron, who will be flying an F-16 at the flyover.

The 412TW is headquartered at Edwards AFB, the Center of the Aerospace Testing Universe. The 412TW plans, conducts, analyzes, and reports on all flight and ground testing of aircraft, weapons systems, software and components as well as modeling and simulation for the USAF. Edwards will be the testing home of the Air Force’s newest aircraft including the B-21 Raider and T-7 Red Hawk.