Keeping America’s premier aerial demonstration team flying day in and day out takes extraordinary skill behind the scenes. More than just routine aircraft upkeep, maintaining the Thunderbirds fleet is a high-precision dance.
A handpicked cadre of 135 maintenance professionals across 30 specialties keeps the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds sky-ready to perform the precision flying and heart-stopping maneuvers that viewers on the ground love.
At the 2025 AIAA AVIATION Forum and ASCEND in July, members of the Thunderbirds’ maintenance crew gave an inside look at what is required to keep 13 F-16 Fighting Falcons in tip-top shape and flight ready. They said it takes immense preparation to maintain the 1990s-era F-16s, powered by Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-229 engines.
The pilots may get the glory, but the maintenance crew makes it possible. Every member of the Thunderbirds — whether a seasoned crew chief, avionics technician, or engine mechanic — earns their spot through a rigorous selection process. “We’re the face of the Air Force,” maintenance superintendent Courtenay Spiritus said. “From enlisted crew chiefs to the 12 demonstration pilots, every individual is chosen from a pool of 365,000 Airmen.”
Their day starts long before takeoff. For most air shows, the ground crew executes both a “gray launch” and a “show launch” choreographed down to the second. “We set up every switch in the cockpit before the pilot even approaches,” explained SSgt Michael DeJournett, one of just four flying crew chiefs in the F-16 community. That lets pilots focus solely on a flawless aerial demo — flying wingtip-to-canopy as close – and sometimes closer than – 18 inches apart.
Thunderbird newcomers like SSgt Jonathan Hansen, an avionics technician, share how cross-training has reshaped their careers. “I used to focus only on radios and radar,” he noted. “Now I’m collaborating with crew chiefs, sheet-metal specialists, and more. It’s accelerated my professional and personal growth.”
Jet engine mechanic SSgt Justin Weidner echoed the sentiment, “Going from engines to assistant dedicated crew chief on the show line has taken me completely out of my comfort zone — in the best possible way.”
Check out our two-part behind-the-scenes hangar tour with the Thunderbirds maintenance crew at Nellis Air Force Base: Part 1: https://bit.ly/3JAEEsk and Part 2: https://bit.ly/4mJuV1p.
Beyond the hardware and high-stakes choreography, the maintainers’ relationship with their pilots is exceptional. “We know if a pilot had a rough practice, we’ve got to lock in even harder,” SSgt DeJournett said. Their meticulous inspections and lightning-fast turnarounds — a show launch can go from start-up to taxi in just five minutes — underpin the entire performance and ensure that the six-airship formations light up the sky without a hitch.
It’s not all glamour. The Thunderbirds visit about 72 show sites across 36 cities each year, logging more than 220 travel days. And while working on F-16s is what’s most comfortable, many crew members struggle with other requirements, such as public speaking and sudden uniform inspections. And then there are the physical demands of crawling into cramped F-16 avionics bays.
For those who want to join the team: the application process begins with the Air Force’s Talent Marketplace, a commanding officer’s recommendation, and then a competitive interview panel. Maintenance tours last three years with an optional fourth. Read more about joining the Thunderbirds online.
