16-05-2025
Air Force Viper team launching from Peoria for air show this week
PERU, Ill. (WMBD) — An annual tradition of honoring veterans takes to the sky this week.
The 10th annual TBM Avenger Gathering and Salute to Veterans event in Peru will be held at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport. This includes air shows and displays of planes from different wartime eras.
The Viper Demo F-16 jets arrived in Peoria on Thursday in preparation for the air show. They will be launching from the 182nd Airlift Wing remotely.
Staff Sergeant Grayson Reams is the Electrical & Environmental Systems Specialist for the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team.
'The air show is a very unique skill set,' Reams said, 'because instead of flying an airplane at maybe 10,000 feet in air combat maneuvering, we're trying to showcase that air combat maneuvering at the surface for the crowd to see.'
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Reams talked about why he does this job, and the inspiration he hopes to spark for future pilots.
'Ever since I was a little boy, I always imagined the dream of becoming a fighter pilot. I don't remember wanting to do anything else,' he said. 'I know that every show that we go to, there's a young person there who would like to do that. So if I can inspire them to want to serve their country in this way, then that accomplishes the mission.'
The Viper team will be launching remotely from the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria.
To read all about the events, click here.
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