Air Show Narration
Below is a sample of what you might here while watching the GEICO Skytypers perform.
Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to the show.
I’d like to introduce the World Famous GEICO Skytypers. Sponsored by GEICO Insurance, the squadron is comprised of six 1940 North American SNJ-2 aircraft used to train WWII military pilots.
GEICO and the GEICO Skytypers would like to recognize all government and military personnel, many of whom are GEICO customers. The United States government and military have been important to GEICO since 1936 when it was known as the Government Employees Insurance Company. That’s 75 years of GEICO serving government and military personnel.
GEICO understands the sacrifices required to keep America strong. GEICO is indebted to you, to assist in any way it can. On behalf of all the employees of GEICO and the GEICO Skytypers, we thank you.
The following formations and maneuvers all have military applications. We will help explain them so you can appreciate how your military trains and what they accomplish when called to action!
Delta Pass (overhead from behind the crowd)
Watch the GEICO Skytypers approach from behind you in a Delta Formation. This is one of the most basic formations taught to military pilots. The six aircraft act as one, allowing large numbers of aircraft to fly through busy skies.
The Delta formation has the flight leader at the front with his wingmen and element flight leaders flying in reference to him. Ladies and Gentlemen, The GEICO Skytypers in a Delta Pass!
As the aircraft perform today, I’d like to introduce the GEICO Skytypers team members to you. Leading the flight is the Boss and Flight Leader Larry
Arken with Steve Kapur
Right Wing - Ken Johansen
Left Wing- Rob Steo
Slot Position -Bob Johansen
Lead Solo -Steve Salmirs;
Wing Solo - Tom Daly.
We would also like to recognize other key pilots on our team, Jim Record, Mike Eberhardt, and Dino Peros.
Delta Belly Pass (aircraft show center)
Watch as the Skytypers maneuver in their Delta formation. These aircraft weigh about 5500 pounds and use a 600 Horsepower supercharged 9-cylinder Radial Engine, the Pratt & Whitney R-1340.
Notice the precision of the pilots as they constantly fight to hold their position, all while maintaining a clearance of only 1’ wingtip-to-wingtip. They make it look so easy; even a
caveman can do it!
Solos Release and Cross (a/c show center)
But wait, the flight will release two members to investigate a bogey – an unidentified aircraft – that may be a threat.
The solos will cross, pulling into and through each other’s path in order to clear the area behind them!
Opposing Solo Two-Circle Guns Pass (a/c show left and right)
After identifying the threat as a bandit, or hostile aircraft, the solos are now in position to demonstrate their next maneuver, the Opposing Solo Two-Circle Guns Pass.
When two aircraft engage in air-to-air maneuvering, they attempt to pass as close as possible and either maneuver to get behind their opponent, or escape to safety. Turning towards each other would put both aircraft in separate, or two circle flight paths.
Diving for energy, the two solos approach one another in a descending, head-to-head engagement at a closure rate of over 320 mph. Close abeam, the solos will pitch up and roll into each other, passing canopy-to-canopy just 50 feet apart!
Line Abreast into Turning Rejoin ( a/c at show center)
As the solos clear, watch for the rest of the formation at show center. The GEICO Skytypers will demonstrate one of their signature formations, the Line Abreast! This formation is the same one they use when typing messages across the sky.
Fighter aircraft also use this when sweeping across enemy territory, ahead of bombers, to neutralize the air threat.
At the command from the leader, the flight will execute a 90 degree right maneuver, to change the formation into trail.
Once the flight is in trail, however, they must get back into a more effective formation to continue with the mission. One method to rejoin is for the lead aircraft to start a turn, and have the other aircraft add power and put their nose in front of lead to fly a shorter distance. The pilots must know where each other is and how to maneuver their aircraft to get “onboard” as quickly and safely as possible.
Let’s watch the Geico Skytypers as they show you how ALL the formation teams, including the jets, accomplish a rejoin. Watch as they as they show off their beautiful Diamond Formation!
Close Air Support (CAS) Strafe Wheel (a/c overhead behind the crowd)
After clearing the area of threats, one method of attacking enemy targets on the ground employs spotter planes in the air. These aircraft are called Forward Air Controllers, or FAC’s.
Watch overhead as two FAC’s, call sign GECKO 1 and 2 arrive over a target area.
Watch the FAC’s as they study the target area and determine the level of threat. They are calling out for any available aircraft in the area.
CAVEMAN, flight of 4, has reported in. They have enough ammunition and gas for one pass.
Once CAVEMAN Flight has received their instructions, the FACs can turn towards each other to smoke, or mark, the target. This helps the faster aircraft get a quicker tally-ho on the enemy
Watch high and right of show center for the Caveman Flight to arrive in an Echelon, or All–On-One-Side, Formation. This formation is very famous. Anybody who stays up late to watch WWII movies will see aircraft rolling in on a target or enemy aircraft from the Echelon position.
Once the FAC’s have marked the target with smoke, the order for release is given, “Cleared in Hot.” CAVEMAN Flight will roll in for a very unique high-angle strafe. This spiral attack is used to confuse the enemy on the ground and delight the audience!
Battle Damage Assessment (BDA) (a/c show center)
As CAVEMAN Flight departs and rejoins into a defensive formation, watch high above the target area again as two aircraft are dispatched to assess the damage. They forward the information to order another attack.
As they exit the area, they will keep their speed up but change their heading and altitude to stay unpredictable!
Solo’s Heart (show center)
The GEICO Skytypers will show you another of their capabilities. Using just one or two aircraft, they can write simple messages or draw pictures, or just entertain.
As they prepare for their next surprise, I’d like to invite you to visit GEICO’s website, GEICO.com. They have had a close relationship with the Skytypers over a number of years. The Skytypers help to educate people about GEICO products and services with their skytyped messages, air shows, and public appearances.
GEICO -With a long list of diverse honors and awards, as well as testimonials from their millions of loyal customers, GEICO really embraces their philosophy of helping people!
Let’s watch straight ahead and see what the solos have in store for us…
Here they come. It looks like a HEART the two solos are drawing! Keep your eyes forward as the four-ship formation, reformed into a Diamond again, attempts to fly thru the heart.
Vertical Diamond (a/c show center)
But wait! The Diamond has gone from flat to Vertical! The references the wingmen use must change completely as they now have to look almost straight up referencing off the lead aircraft!
Solo’s Bomb Run (a/c show center)
If you look straight ahead again, you will see the solos approaching for a Low Altitude Pop-Up Bomb Run. They fly low to stay under enemy radar coverage. Today, there is a lone bogey attacking one of the solos. He has to fly an unpredictable flight path to complete his mission.
Watch as the solo pops up to deliver his ordinance while the bogey maneuvers to shoot him down. This is the Solo’s Bomb Run.
Fan Pass (a/c show center)
After finishing off the target, follow the solos as they exit to rejoin with the squadron.
Today, these aircraft have taken on a new role of writing giant messages in the sky, which they call Skytyping. Hopefully you were treated to these messages earlier welcoming you to the airshow.
Each letter is as tall as the Empire State building. Displayed at 10,000 feet, these messages can be seen in a 30-mile circle or over 400 square miles.
If you think that’s big, what would you say if I told you GEICO went from 1 million policyholders in 1964, to over 10 million to date, and now provides GEICO coverage and services in all 50 states! Now, That’s HUGE!
GEICO and the GEICO Skytypers would like to salute our military members, and all of you who support them, with our next unique formation!
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fan Pass.
Delta Photo Pass (show left OR right)
Continue to watch the aircraft overhead as they rejoin, and then reverse to give you one more exciting photo opportunity across show center!
These aircraft are operated most of the year in the NY Metro area and are based in Farmingdale, New York at Republic Airport. The men responsible for keeping these vintage aircraft in such fine shape are the Skytyper’s aircraft mechanics and assistants – Randy Kreitzer, Frank Atria, and Stan Routh.
If you’d like more information, or to see more photos of the Skytypers, please check out their web site at www.GEICOskytypers.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GEICOSkytypers.
The GEICO Skytyper’s Delta Photo Pass!
Delta Pitch-to-Land (show left OR right)
Follow the Delta as they roll out and reverse direction. They will line up with the runway, come in low and fast, and pitch up in sequence for landing.
Flying these WWII aircraft requires an unusual set of skills. Skytyper pilots must be able to fly large, tail-wheeled aircraft, as well as being accomplished formation pilots. It is not always easy to find the right combination of skills. The majority of the pilots here today are former Navy and Air Force Pilots.
By the way, the smoke that is used here today is an environmentally friendly, light paraffin-based oil that has been approved by the EPA and used in airshows nationwide!
Formation Taxi and Shut Down
Once on the ground, the Skytypers will taxi to their parking spots in formation. If you can see them, you’ll notice that everything they do from the flying, to the taxiing, to the shutdown of the engines, and the exit from their aircraft are all done as a team.
Well Done!