Look skyward Tuesday afternoon in Grand Forks; city to be part of Air Force demonstration

Jun. 25—EDITOR'S NOTE — The following story was changed Monday morning, June 26, to reflect a time change for the Grand Forks flyover.

GRAND FORKS — A Tuesday, June 27, Air Force flight to commemorate the 100-year anniversary of air refueling will include a flyover of Grand Forks.

According to a release from the Air Force, aircraft from Fairchild Air Force Base, in eastern Washington, will fly over 17 landmarks and destinations in two separate flights, including Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota.

The two aircraft that will fly over Grand Forks will take off at approximately 8 a.m.

The flight will include refueling demonstrations, with the demonstration over Grand Forks likely to occur shortly after 3 p.m. The Air Force originally predicted the flight over Grand Forks would occur shortly after 4 p.m., but on Monday changed its prediction to approximately 3:15 p.m.

According to the release from the Air Force, "air refueling, also known as aerial refueling, was first demonstrated on June 27, 1923, by the United States Army Air Service when a De Haviland DH-4B passed 75 gallons of gasoline through a hose to another DH-4B flying beneath it. This was the first air-to-air refueling using a gravity-flow hose."

Over the next century, the release noted, "the technique has since become a crucial component of military and civilian aviation operations around the world. Air refueling enables aircraft to extend their range and endurance, allowing them to complete missions that would otherwise be impossible or require multiple stops. As a result, this capability has become essential for strategic and tactical operations, as well as humanitarian relief efforts. Today the U.S. Air Force employs multiple aircraft for refueling, to include the KC-135, KC-10, and the KC-46."

The flight over Grand Forks will also include flyovers of the Idaho Capitol in Boise; Billings, Montana; Mount Rushmore; the Minnesota Capitol in St. Paul; Duluth, Minnesota; Minot; Glacier National Park, Montana; and Missoula, Montana.

"Air refueling propels our Nation's air power across the skies, unleashing its full potential," Gen. Mike Minihan, Air Mobility Command commander, said in a statement sent to the media. "It connects our strategic vision with operational reality, ensuring we can reach any corner of the globe with unwavering speed and precision. Air refueling embodies our resolve to defend freedom and project power, leaving an indelible mark on aviation history."

The release from the Air Force said that "aerial refueling serves as a force multiplier, increasing the speed, range, lethality, flexibility and versatility of combat aircraft. Tankers also carry cargo and passengers, perform aeromedical evacuations, and enable strategic deterrence for the United States."