ATLANTA — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds are preparing for their 2024 Atlanta Air Show.
The air show will be held at Falcon Field in Peachtree City on Saturday, Oct. 26, and Sunday, Oct. 27.
On Wednesday, 11Alive got a sneak peek of which fighter jets will be featured in the show -- including a look at an F-16.
Thunderbirds pilot Bryce Turner, who's been flying for 11 years, said the job requires physical and mental toughness.
"It can be tough on multiple accounts. In this fighter jet, we're pulling up to nine times the force of gravity," Turner said. "So, say you're 200 pounds -- you're going to feel like 1,800 pounds as you're pulling 9Gs."
Turner added at 9Gs, you're getting pressed to the back of your seat.
"All of the blood in your head wants to go to your feet, and so in order to stay awake, you gotta keep the blood in the brain because that's where your oxygen is," he described.
After Turner spent six months in Afghanistan, he went through extensive training to become an advanced pilot on the Thunderbirds. Turner said you must be at the top of your profession to become a member.
"The cool thing about this team is instead of people just getting assigned to the Thunderbirds, we get to pick every single person on the team," he added.
For a year now, Turner has been part of the Thunderbirds team, which performs at shows across the country.
The fighter pilots will be sure to dazzle in Atlanta with their close formations, loops and rolls.
Check out photos from the sneak peek of the airshow below:
