European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Quot of 3 in undergirds head Eastby Meridith Winder staff writer the thunderbird zoom into the former East bloc next week bringing their own special Brand of flying to Poland and Hungary for the first time. Quot right now the timing could t be better Quot said capt. Michael Quot to Quot Beale one of two soloists for the six member . Air Force Aerial demonstration team. Quot just to have the Opportunity to get Over there now during this stage in their political development and show them american Good will and air Power is going to be something that a real  the thunderbird and their f-16s will appear in Deblin Poland on tuesday and Staszar Hungary on sept. 21. The visits conclude a three week visit to Europe the teams first in nearly seven years. Also still on the Agenda Are today s performance at Raf Ben Waters England and a show sunday in Tours France. The thunderbird had been scheduled to perform in Europe last year but cancelled the tour when Iraq invaded Kuwait. The tour this year did not include performances in Germany. After the August 1988 Ramstein air show disaster Germany no longer allows air shows that involve acrobatic flying. Also banned Are flights Over crowds at air shows. Seventy people were killed and More than 450 were injured when three italian air Force jets collided at the end of their pierced heart Man Euver at Ramstein a. Two jets tumbled to the ground in flames away irom the  thunderbird have been flying the f-16a for set the third car wheeled into the stunned crowd at the . Base. Beale said the thunderbird did not change their routine following the Ramstein tragedy. Quot we do business now As we be always done it Quot he said. Quot we have Faa Federal aviation administration guidelines that we go by and we have our own team standards which Are actually higher than the Faa s. Our no. 1 objective in anything we do is safety of the  he added that while their routine appears acrobatic Many of their techniques can be used in combat situations. Quot our Maneu vers Are very similar to combat mane vering that fighter pilots use Quot he said. Quot the Only difference is that we Fly lower to the ground and closer  in the team s 38 years two pilots have been killed m separate air show performances and 17 others died m training or other flights. The most recent deaths occurred in january 1982 when four planes crashed into the ground 35 Miles North of Nellis fab Nev. The six demonstration pilots in the tactical air come unit include four who Fly in a Diamond pattern to exhibit precision formation flying. Two pilots serve As soloists to show the maximum capabilities of the f-16a fighting Falcon. Their demonstration season lasts from March to november with the Winter months used for training new members. Beale said the pilots normally practice four to five times per week. Pilots just entering the Squadron practice 10 times a week with two flights a Day each lasting approximately one hour. The Squadron puts on 80 shows each year spend 3 210 Days on the Road in the process. In addition to their responsibilities As the official air Force Aerial demonstration team the thunderbird a part of the combat Force. If required team members and aircraft can be integrated into a tactical fighter unit in i hours. Capt. Michael a a Mon Beale leads the first tour to Eastern Europe. Page 14 the stars and stripes saturday september 1