Chris Thomas Airshows

The Pilot
Chris Thomas is a third-generation pilot and earned his pilot’s license at the age of 17 with his father as his flight instructor.  He has logged over 20,000 hours of flight time in more than 105 types of aircraft. When not flying airshows,Chris is a Captain and Line Check Airman for a major airline.

Chris spent the 1990s as a professional firefighter for the Virginia Beach Fire Department and is a graduate of Norfolk State University. Concurrently, he earned his aviation ratings and worked as a flight instructor, banner tow pilot and corporate pilot. Chris left the VBFD in 1998 and became an airline pilot.

Chris resides in Virginia Beach, VA with his wife and two college-aged daughters.  When not flying, he can be found riding his motorcycle, playing guitar, or traveling with his family.  

The Aircraft
Chris flies a 1941 North American SNJ-2. This historically significant aircraft was utilized as an advanced trainer by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corp to train “The Greatest Generation” for WWII and Korean Conflict. Nearly every pilot in World War II and Korea trained in a version of this aircraft.

The Army Air Corp and later U.S. Air Force also flew the same aircraft with the designation of “T-6 Texan”. More than 15,000 SNJ/T-6 aircraft were built, and it has served in more than 60 countries worldwide – many times in combat by developing countries. The aircraft was retired from U.S. military service in the 1960s but was utilized around the world much longer. In fact, the South African military utilized the T-6 until 1995.

Chris’ aircraft is a SNJ-2. This aircraft is unique for many reasons. It was built in 1941 and is a very early model, only 61 of this variant were ever made and fewer than 10 are flying in the world today. This specific SNJ-2 is 81 years old and is powered by a 600 horsepower supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1340.

Performers

Full Throttle Formation Team

Full Throttle Formation Team

The Full Throttle Formation Team from Atlanta Georgia and are the largest precision formation airshow team in America. Their pilots are all aviation professionals with more than 300,000 total hours of flight experience in military and commercial aircraft. They fly...

F-18 Super Hornet

F-18 Super Hornet

ABOUT THE SUPER HORNET The Boeing F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornet are twin-engine, carrier-capable, multirole fighter aircraft variants based on the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet. The F/A-18E single-seat and F/A-18F tandem-seat variants are larger and more advanced...

Dougherty Airshows

Dougherty Airshows

Paul Dougherty has been flying airshows since 1998 and has logged over 23,000 hours in the sky. He offers unique acts in a 230 horsepower Christen Eagle or a 1930 Great Lakes! Spectators will be tapping their feet to modern day music while enjoying torque rolls, tail...

Jim Beasley P-51 Mustang

Jim Beasley P-51 Mustang

Jim Beasley has been flying historic fighter aircraft for over twenty years and has accumulated thousands of hours in aircraft such as the P-51 Mustang and Supermarine Spitfire, as well as Navy fighters including the F4U Corsair and Grumman F8F Bearca. Wednesday June...

USAF Thunderbirds

USAF Thunderbirds

The Thunderbirds squadron is an Air Combat Command unit composed of eight pilots (including six demonstration pilots), four support officers, four civilians and more than 100 enlisted personnel performing in almost 30 job specialties. A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The four-jet diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the lead and opposing solo aircraft highlight some of the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

US Army Golden Knights

US Army Golden Knights

HISTORY In 1959, nineteen Airborne Soldiers from various military units formed the Strategic Army Command Parachute Team (STRAC). Brigadier General Joseph Stilwell Jr. gathered the Soldiers with the intent of competing in the relatively new sport of skydiving, which...