Vipers Downunder, PACAF F-16 demo team at Avalon 2025.

U.S. Pacific Air Forces F-16C Viper Demo team have attended Avalon Airshow 2025, with Captain Ethan ‘Bantam’ Smith leading his team down-under.

 

Article: Ryan Imeson

Images: Ryan Imeson & Calen McDougall

 

 

 

 

 

Not since 2017 has the Australian International Airshow featured an U.S. Pacific Air Forces (PACAF) General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcon, more commonly and affectionately known as the Viper.

In early February, the announcement was made by the Australian International Airshow organisers that the world-famous PACAF F-16 Demonstration Team based at Misawa Air Force Base in Japan, would be heading down-under to Avalon to participate in the show.

This years contingent is led by PACAF F-16 Demonstration Team Commander Captain Ethan ‘Bantam’ Smith.

‘Bantam’, as he told APD, is an easy play on his stature. “I’m a miniature chicken if you will. It’s a quick jab” ‘Bantam’ says with a smile.

Hailing from Kansas City, Missouri, Capt. Smith has over 500 hours on fixed wing aircraft and has been flying as the demonstration pilot and commander of the team for almost two years.

Beginning his U.S. Air Force flying career back in 2018, Capt. Smith puts it down to luck and at the right place at the right time when he speaks of his appointment as demonstration pilot.

“Man, it’s really luck. That it’s the right place, right time kind of thing. I was originally a safety observer which is our pilot on the ground for the demo team”.

“The previous demonstration pilot’s time (on the team) was coming up and I put my name in the slot with that previous experience.

What happened next? “I got the job” states Capt. Smith.

The United States Air Force has two F-16 Demonstration Teams. One based on the East Coast at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina which participates mainly at the Continental United States/ Canada airshows, and the other at the aforementioned Misawa Air Base in Japan for the Western Pacific events held throughout the Indo-Pacific theatre .

 

To be one of the two F-16 demo pilots of the United States Air Force means so much to Capt. Smith.

“Oh man, it’s everything. Best job I ever had. I get to travel the world, meet incredible people from all over. (We get to) work with all of our international partnerships, and just have a good time”.

Travelling the world is something that may come as a surprise to many, simply because of the name Pacific Demonstration Team but on occasion have ventured to other exotic places in the world. So why aren’t the team limited to just performing in the Pacific?

“We do airshows all over the world, we did Egypt last September, we just kind of go wherever, Europe doesn’t have a (USAF F-16) demo team, so we kind of help them out with airshows as well.”

Two F-16C’s made the trip to Avalon, coming from the 36th Fighter Squadron nicknamed “The Flying Fiends” apart of the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan Air Base in South Korea.

 

 

The demonstration jet for the week wore the special tail scheme commemorating the 70th Anniversary of the US/Republic of Korea alliance, this marked the first time other than Colorado ANG and Misawa 35th Fighter Wing based Viper units have attended Avalon Airshow.

As previously stated, the PACAF F-16 Demonstration Team has been absent from Avalon since 2017.

We asked Capt. Smith if the team has added any new maneuvers since their last appearance some 8 years ago.

“We kind of changed it up a little bit. We added the double immelmann, It’s sustained climbing turns. We added that one to the list which is a lot of fun, Additionally for the repositions back to the show line, we’ve kept those kind of flat”.

 

 

The double immelmann essentially is the aircraft drawing a giant vertical ‘S’ in the sky, showcasing the extreme power of the F-16.

To fly the demonstration, Capt. Smith needs to be ready both physically and mentally. So in preparation for his flying display what does he do to mentally to get himself ready for the 10-15 minute sequence.

“About an hour before we go and start the engines, I just find some place quiet”, said Capt. Smith.

“I look over my materials, have all the profiles and parameters for the airspeeds and altitudes that I’m looking for in the target. Also the different show lines for all your different airspeeds, so making sure you’re on air speed, on target and then on time as well for the beginning of that maneuver”.

“I then rehearse it through my mind and just get ready to go”.

 

 

Slow speed and high speed capabilities are well demonstrated by Capt. Smith throughout his display, with the high alpha pass which highlights the slow speed capabilities of the Viper, a total contrast to the high speed passes commonly seen and remembered at airshows by the viewing public.

“The slowest we can go is 115 knots, and you’ll see that in the high alpha, so that one is pretty fun. The slowest groundspeed I’ve ever seen was 95 knots”. He explains this was due to a strong headwind.

So how fast does Capt. Smith push the F-16? “We’ll go to 0.98 mach, so pretty quick, right there we are around 700 knots”.

Everyone that attends an airshow has a favourite maneuver from their favourite aircraft. High speed pass, minimum radius turn, the dirty pass just to name a few. But does Capt. Smith have a favourite in the F-16?

“The double immelmann which is my favourite. It’s incredible what it can do. 9G’s (9 times the force of gravity) for that initial pull, you start that at about 500-550 knots.

 

 

And you’re still at 400 knots by the top of the first one, then you bring it up and around and try to end slow, so 150 knots at the very top”.

With a job that entails flying one of the most dominant air superiority fighters in the world, you would imagine Capt. Smith’s time outside of flying consists of adrenaline-based fun.

That would be correct.

“I’m an outdoors kind of guy. We’re based out of northern-Japan so the skiing is phenomenal, you go out there every weekend. Surfing is a big pastime as well”.

Airshow aside, Capt. Smith told APD what he was looking forward to doing during his time here in Australia.

“We got to go a couple of days in Melbourne and look around. We went down to the coast and saw a Kangaroo, so that’s checked off. We gotta go see a Koala next and I think we are good”.

With a take off roll of only 1000 feet, the F-16 Viper leapt into the sky at Avalon in front of approximately 200,000 spectators over the six-day event.

Not many aircraft grab the attention like the F-16 Viper, and in the capable hands of Capt. Smith at Avalon, it was easy to see why.

APD would like to thank Captain Ethan ‘Bantam’ Smith, Technical Sergeant Peter ‘Turn’ Reft, 1st Lieutenant Casey Sturdivan 15 WG/PA and the Pacific Air Forces F-16 Demonstration Team for their extremely generous time and effort into making this all possible.