The Air Force Thunderbirds will grace the skies over northern El Paso County before zooming over the Air Force Academy’s Falcon Stadium at commencement May 30.

The flyover is the dramatic culmination of the graduation ceremony, with the Thunderbirds zooming over the stadium as graduates’ hats are tossed in the air.

For Air Force Maj. Jeff Downie, advanced pilot and narrator for the Air Demonstration Squadron, the flyover is an opportunity to honor the dedication of the cadets.

“They have worked hard; I’m humbled and truly blessed,” Downie said from Duluth, Minn., where the Thunderbirds were performing an air show, one of up to 280 a year around the country. “We do shows to express the pride and professionalism of the Air Force.”

Flying over his alma mater is emotional for Downie, a 2013 graduate of the Academy.

“When I graduated during the sequestration time, the Thunderbirds couldn’t fly,” Downie said, referring to spending cuts by the federal government. “But for three years prior to that I got to experience the flyover from a different viewpoint.”

Instead, Downie said, a contingent of nine World War II-era war planes flew over the graduation ceremony that year.

Fans of the Thunderbirds can see the six-jet group on practice runs at 10:15 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, Downie said.

Commuters are reminded by officials to not stop along Interstate 25 or nearby roads to watch the flights.

Air Force Maj. Jeff Downie is one of six Thunderbird pilots to fly over Teller County on the path to Falcon Stadium for the Air Force Academy graduation ceremonies. (Courtesy of the

U.S. Air Force Academy)