Air Force Thunderbirds fly over Walt Disney World’s Main Street U.S.A.

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flew up Main Street U.S.A. Tuesday afternoon in a six-plane “Delta” formation. The Walt Disney World flyover was part of the festivities surrounding Air Force Week in Central Florida.

Air Force Weeks are held in different U.S. cities each year. They are a public relations effort “for our Air Force to showcase some of its capabilities to the general public,” said Col. Lee Rosen, commander of the 45th Launch Group.

The Walt Disney World Thunderbirds flyover was months in the making, according to Maj. David Lemery, a Thunderbirds maintenance officer.

Besides planning the timing and coordinates of the flight, the Air Force had to ensure that the air space was clear. And while that might seem easy to do, there are some flying objects in the air that can’t be reached by radio:

“Birds. There were lots of giant birds,” said Lt. Col. Derek Routt, Thunderbirds operations officer. “They look pretty in the sky, but they can do a lot of damage to a jet aircraft.”

In addition to the flyover, airmen and their families visited Walt Disney World Tuesday to enjoy the park and interact with the public. On Wednesday, airmen are visiting SeaWorld, and on Thursday, they will be at Kennedy Space Center.

Air Force Week moves to Cocoa Beach, Florida for the weekend, with performances at the Cocoa Beach air show on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Cocoa Beach Pier.