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LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. (AFNS - 1/2/2013) -- The
serenity of a sleepy, morning sky broke as a dark form rose
from the ground and blotted out the sun. An F-22 Raptor
maneuvered through the dawn, banking and rolling, rising and
falling at impossible angles. Through the cockpit window, a
faceless visor disguised the pilot's exertion.
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Capt. Patrick Williams, Air Force F-22 Raptor demonstration pilot, awaits final preparation of his Raptor before flying at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Nov. 30, 2012. Williams wanted to be a pilot after he began flying as a 5-year-old boy with his father in Idaho. Before the demo team goes on tour, the incoming pilot undergoes extensive training with the help of the former pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo
by Airman 1st Class Austin Harvill)
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He
angled the jet into a vertical climb as the engines roared
to defy gravity. His plane leveled out, and he slowly spun
to the earth.
Such complex maneuvers become routine
for one pilot at Langley Air Force Base, Va.
Capt.
Patrick Williams, the new Air Force F-22 Raptor
demonstration pilot, practiced these maneuvers to give
crowds worldwide a taste of both the Raptor's, and the Air
Force's, capabilities.
"People typically see the Air
Force on the news, and that's it," said Williams. "The air
show is the best way we can say 'Hey America, look at this
awesome airplane you've given us. This is why we are so
successful at what we do.'"
Before taking the
controls of the world's premier, fifth-generation jet
fighter, Williams honed his skills in the back-country skies
of Idaho at the age of five.
"I still remember my
very first log-book entry," said Williams. "My dad let me
sit on his lap during a flight, so he wrote down the entry.
It said 'we saw horses and cows in the Salmon River
valley.'"
After speaking with his father about the
future of flying as a career, Williams embraced his desire
to fly fighters by joining the U.S. Air Force Academy in
Colorado Springs, Co., as a prospective pilot.
During
his tenure at the academy, Williams participated in the
glider program, became a cadet instructor and graduated with
a degree in Astronautical Engineering. Upon completion of
his academy training, he travelled to Mississippi to begin
basic fighter training, after which he began training to fly
the F-15C Eagle.
Williams was assigned to the 12th
Fighter Squadron in Alaska, and then transferred to the
Raptor once the 90th Fighter Squadron stood up. After
showing his skills in the cockpit at both Alaska and Hawaii,
the Air Force selected him to become the next Raptor demo
pilot.
With the new Raptor demo season quickly
approaching, Williams said he was excited to show the world
the power of the jet. The demo team plans to tour across the
country and hopes to make some international stops as well.
As a demo pilot, Williams said he is honored to be the
face of both the Raptor and the Air Force.
"I have to
pinch myself every time I get out of the jet," said
Williams. "You land, look back and think 'I can't believe I
get to fly that airplane.'"
Williams shares his
passion for flying with the awestruck audience each time he
hops into the cockpit to perform. His life in the sky
inspires those watching to reach up and grab their own
goals, even if they are small boys from Idaho.
By USAF Airman 1st Class Austin Harvill
633rd Air Base Wing Public Affairs
Air Force News Service
Copyright 2013
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