Not so long ago I wrote about the fighter pilot that was permanently grounded after a low flyover at a football game this past November.

On a bit more of an inspirational note, I have also found a great video about the NFL traditional of using flyovers pregame, and how they provide inspiration not only to the crowd, but also get the players fired up to fight out on the field!

One example I loved from this video was the story about late NFL player Derrick Thomas, whose dad was a fighter pilot for the US Air Force and was unfortunately killed in action in Vietnam. Derrick, himself, unfortunately died young due to a blood clot, but embodied the spirit of a true patriot.

The inspiration that these flyovers gave him and his team can’t be measured and they continue to rally professional football players today.

As stated several times in the video, the fact that we have the freedom in this country to enjoy things like football is really due to the efforts of the brave men and women of our armed forces and the skill of our military operations and technology. Fighter jets, in my opinion, are the pinnacle of this effort!

While the effect of these flyovers is thrilling and entertaining to the crowds there is a lot of work that goes into these shows. Though the planning that is required to pull off one of these flyovers is nothing like the skill and strategizing that goes into military operations, as the video demonstrates, there is still a lot of planning that goes into getting one of these flyovers just right.

As we saw from the incident at the Tech-Wake game, a miscalculation can not only be risky to the crowd, but can have a devastating effect on the career of the pilots involved. Flying jets, no matter what the circumstances, requires great skill and athleticism!

What could be more American than football and fighter jets! That is really why I think that this traditional started and has continued. While these events continue to awe and inspire the crowds and the teams involved, it has also taken on a new, more significant meaning in the last decade as the security our nation continues to be threatened.

Our military stands not only for our strength as a nation, but also our love and dedication to freedom, and it is through events like this that we can inspire those that love this country to continue their support for our troops!