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Inside the Super Bowl LVI Flyover

Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation pilot Steve Hinton reveals secrets of the flyover’s split-second timing and tight formation.

p-51 mustang wee willy II
A vintage P-51D Mustang named “Wee Willy II” will take part in Sunday’s Super Bowl flyover. [File Photo Courtesy AFHFF]
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Key Takeaways:

  • The Super Bowl LVI flyover, performed by the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation, will feature five historic U.S. military aircraft to celebrate the U.S. Air Force's 75th anniversary.
  • Achieving the precise "time on target" over the stadium during the national anthem requires extensive planning, practice, and intricate coordination among the Air Force, FAA, and NFL.
  • Led by veteran pilot Steve Hinton for his final heritage flight, the formation will navigate a complex route under a Temporary Flight Restriction, aiming for a tight, low-altitude pass.
  • Flyovers serve to inspire patriotism and aviation enthusiasm, while also providing valuable "time-on-target" training for pilots at no additional cost to taxpayers.
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During the final notes of the national anthem at Sunday’s Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles, most fans will be thinking about the matchup between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Los Angeles Rams. Others will be looking up, scanning the sky for the flyover. 

The pre-game flyover is a Super Bowl ritual more than half a century old. Although it only lasts a few seconds, for many pilots and aviation enthusiasts, it’s one of the most thrilling moments of the game. Previous flyovers at the NFL championship game have included the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds, U.S. Army helicopters, and even three different types of bombers. 

Thom Patterson

Thom is a former senior editor for FLYING. Previously, his freelance reporting appeared in aviation industry magazines. Thom also spent three decades as a TV and digital journalist at CNN’s bureaus in Washington and Atlanta, eventually specializing in aviation. He has reported from air shows in Oshkosh, Farnborough and Paris. Follow Thom on Twitter @thompatterson.

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