An Albany, Georgia Sailor looks forward to supporting the U.S. Navy Rhino Demonstration Team for the 2020 air show season.

The Rhino Demo Team is a single ship air show demonstration that displays the rich heritage of Naval Aviation to patriotic audiences across the United States. The demo flight profile highlights the mobility, versatility, and power of the most lethal, carrier-based Strike Fighter aircraft in the world, the F/A-18F Super Hornet, nicknamed the “Rhino”.

The Rhino Demo Team includes 15 elite members; four pilots, three weapon systems officers, and eight maintainers. All Team members are attached to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA-106).

Aviation Electrician Mate 2nd Class D’Mauriel Willis, who has been assigned to VFA-106 since March 2018, marks this year as a first for supporting the Rhino Demo Team.

Willis inspects, maintains, and repairs electrical systems on the Boeing built F/A-18 Super Hornet.

“I am proud to be a part of Rhino Demo,” said Willis, who added despite long hours examining systematics he knows his work is not in vain. “Those tedious hours are important and serve a bigger purpose.”

The Rhino Demo Team will fly the F/A-18F to 11 different air shows throughout the United States in 2020:

April 18, Thunder Over Louisville (Louisville, KY)

May 23-24, Hyundai Air & Sea Show (Miami Beach, FL)

June 5-7, Wildwood Air Show (North Wildwood, NJ)

June 13-14, Ocean City Air Show (Ocean City, MD)

July 4, Thunder Over North Beach (Racine, WI)

July 23-26, EAA AirVenture Oshkosh (Oshkosh, WI)

August 15-16, Chicago Air & Water Show (Chicago, IL)

August 29-30, New York Air Show (New Windsor, NY)

September 19-20, NAS Oceana Air Show (Virginia Beach, VA)

October 10-11, Wings Over Houston Air Show (Houston, TX)

November 14-15, JBSA Air Show (San Antonio, TX)

VFA-106, also known as the “Gladiators”, is located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana. As the East Coast Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron, VFA-106 is comprised of over 200 Officers and 1,340 Sailors who are committed to training the next generation of Strike Fighter aircrew in the tactical employment of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.