GEICO Skytypers Announce Busy 2016 Air Show Schedule

FARMINGDALE, N.Y., Jan. 19, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- This year will see the GEICO Skytypers once again take flight at some of the nation's top air shows. The season kicks off in March and wraps up in early November, with can't-miss special events planned for several weekends.

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"The SNJs flown by our team were training aircraft for WWII pilots," says Team Flight Lead Larry Arken. "We feel a strong sense of history flying these machines. Our mission is to honor the nation's veterans while encouraging kids to aim higher. We thank our sponsor GEICO for the opportunity to carry out this mission and show off these beautiful warbirds."

The GEICO Skytypers fly six SNJ-2 aircraft, each with a 600-horsepower Pratt and Whitney engine. As a training vehicle, the SNJ-2 can perform all the maneuvers of a fighter plane, while also being easy to maintain.

The name "Skytypers" stems from the team's unique way of creating messages in the sky. Flying five abreast in close formation, the planes coordinate in typing out dot matrix-style messages with environmentally friendly puffs of white smoke. A computer on the lead aircraft executes a custom program and communicates commands to the other planes via radio. The result is astonishing to behold – skytyping produces writing that can be seen from 15 miles away in any direction. Individual letters can be as tall as the Empire State Building.

Joining the GEICO Skytypers team at select events will be the Miss GEICO offshore racing team, whose high-powered speedboat has brought home eight world championships.

"Our pilots deliver crowd-pleasing performances at every event we attend," remarked pilot and marketing officer Steve Kapur. "Despite being 75 years old, the SNJ-2 is a testament to the engineering genius of the Greatest Generation. These aircraft are a dream to fly."

The GEICO Skytypers team believes strongly in giving back to the community, actively supporting youth organizations and children's charities. The team regularly partners with nonprofit organizations as part of promoting good works and advocating for worthy causes. Anyone interested in such a partnership is encouraged to visiting the GEICO Skytypers website or Facebook page.

Mar 19-20
Tampa Bay Airfest 16
MacDill AFB, FL

Apr 23-24
Airpower Over Hampton Roads
Joint Base Langley-Eustis, VA

Apr 30-May 1
2016 MCAS Cherry Point Air Show
MCAS Cherry Point, NC

May 7-8
Fort Lauderdale Air Show
Ft. Lauderdale, FL

May 14-15
Power in the Pines Open House & Air Show
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, NJ

May 28-29
Bethpage Air Show at Jones Beach State Park
Jones Beach, NY

Jun 4-5
The Great Tennessee Air Show
Smyrna, TN

Jun 11-12
Syracuse Hancock International Airport Airshow
Syracuse, NY

Jul 27-30
EAA Airventure OSHKOSH 2016
Oshkosh, WI

17-Aug
2016 Atlantic City Airshow Presented by GEICO
Atlantic City, NJ

Sep 3-4
New York Air Show
Newburgh, NY

Sep 11-12
NAS Oceana Air Show
NAS Oceana, VA

Oct 8-9
Embry-Riddle University Wings and Waves Air Show
Daytona Beach, FL

Oct 15-16
Star-Spangled Spectacular
Baltimore, MD

Nov 5-6
Jacksonville Sea & Sky Spectacular
Jacksonville Beach, FL

About the GEICO Skytypers

The GEICO Skytypers are the only flying unit in the world that performs at air shows and types messages in the sky. For more information on the GEICO Skytypers, visit geicoskytypers.com. The team can also be found on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

SOURCE GEICO Skytypers

Related Links

http://geicoskytypers.com