US Air Force pilots share what it takes to make the elite Thunderbirds team and fly F-16s just inches apart at near-supersonic speeds

Thunderbird tryouts involve flying and interviews

Only two or three Thunderbird pilot slots open up every year, making the selection process highly competitive. Clark said the team could receive anywhere from 75 to 100 applications just for one flying position.

Applicants are typically fighter instructors or evaluator pilots with eight to 12 years of military service and between 1,000 and 1,500 flight hours.

The tryouts consist of multiple rounds of interviews, backseat flying, and seeing the enlisted personnel in action. Select candidates join the demo early in the show season to see how well they work with the team, both on the ground and in the air, he said.

“From start to finish, for an applicant who makes it to the team, you’re looking at about an eight to 10-month window before they finally get to show up,” Clark said, adding that new recruits go through four to five months of additional training ahead of the performance season.

During training season, Downie said pilots fly twice a day for about six days a week in preparation for the show circuit.

“It’s kind of like a professional sports team,” he said. “We have to have each other’s backs; we have to trust each other. So it takes a lot of meticulous time, effort, energy, blood, sweat, and tears.”