The 11th annual Airshow London kicks off Friday with some of the world’s top pilots touching down in the Forest City. “I was first inspired to aviation when I was 16 years old, watching the F-22 demonstration in the small town of Saint Cloud, Minnesota,” said Nick “Laz” Le Tourneau. “After that, I chased all my readiness to become an Air Force fighter pilot, and was fortunate enough to become an F-22 pilot.” Laz is the demo pilot of the United States Air Force f-22 Raptor. “The F-22 is the world’s premier air dominance. The fifth generation fighter is the first of its type in the world,” said Laz. “It’s about a, call it three year process from the time you start flying airplanes in order to get in the cockpit of an F-22. From there, it’s about seven months of training at our formal training unit at Langley Air Force Base.” Laz said he’s excited to be back in London to perform at the air show. “It really goes back to that start for me, the spark for aviation that got me into flying in the first place,” said Laz. “Being able to come up to London and hopefully share that same spark with all the kids and adults alike to not just maybe go into aviation, but also chase after something that they’re passionate about and I can’t think of a better place than London to do that.” Located at London International Airport, the airshow features air displays, ground displays, and local vendors. “You’re going to see loud, you’re going to see fast, you’re going to see big, you’re going to see small,” said Gerry “Hook” Vanderhoek, director of air operations for Air Show London. “We’ve got it all covered.” Organizers said the show takes about two years to plan. “It’s a lot of work,” said Hook. “It’s a lot of prep but as you can see, the reward is really amazing once it gets here.” Visitors can visit over 20 aircraft on the tarmac and get to know pilots like Laz. “I’m just excited to be back up here in London for both the local fare,” said Laz. “As well as the people.”
