QC Air Show performance dream come true for local native

Growing up a mile from the Davenport Municipal Airport in the neighborhood behind North High School, Sam Larson had a vantage point to keep his eyes on the skies and imagine big dreams. “There’s a big water tower there that actually looks down at the airport. And so, when it was time for the Quad […]

Growing up a mile from the Davenport Municipal Airport in the neighborhood behind North High School, Sam Larson had a vantage point to keep his eyes on the skies and imagine big dreams. “There's a big water tower there that actually looks down at the airport. And so, when it was time for the Quad City Air Show, I would ride my bike up there to watch all the planes arrive and practice before the weekend performances,” Mr. Larson recalled in an interview this week with the QCBJ. “Every year, we bought tickets and at least went one day, and as I got older and got even more into it we were there every day. Or I was up at the water tower watching aircraft fly in or leave after the show. It was a week-long affair that always included convincing Mom and Dad to drive me over to Moline (and the Quad Cities International Airport), which is where some of the bigger, faster jets have to stage out of for runway length. So, as soon as the first jet landed at Moline, we were driving over there to see it.”

This weekend, the QC Air Show returns from a three-year hiatus because of the pandemic to fly over the Quad Cities area for the 32nd time. Mr. Larson is back, too, but makes the incredible transition from young fan to now a performer as a U.S. Air Force captain, who became the youngest commander of the elite F-22 Demo Team last December. His team’s precision performances this weekend are in addition to an appearance by the USAF’s legendary Thunderbirds. “Air Combat Command dictates where we go. But finalizing our schedule, they do take inputs from the teams, and they take into account hometowns -- and so this was No. 1 on my list and they granted that,” said Mr. Larson, who turned 30 in February. “They normally do not send us to the same show as the Thunderbirds. They try to spread us out as the two major demo teams, but I explained to them my connection to this show, having grown up going to it, having volunteered for it, and how this air show is the reason I joined the Air Force and got inspired to do this. I did not have to struggle too much to get us here. They realize there's a lot of public outreach opportunity by sending someone back to their hometown.” For Mr. Larson, the experience truly brings him full circle. “My parents took me to my first QC Air Show the year I was born in 1993 and the Thunderbirds happened to be headlining,” said Mr. Larson, who, of course, has no memory of it but has heard tales from his family.  “And then as I got a little older, my dad's business (the now defunct Command Business Systems) was one of the sponsors of the air show, so that got me started talking to the performers. There’s a sponsor dinner that occurs every year and I got to meet all kinds of pilots from the Blue Angels to the Thunderbirds and other Air Combat Command teams. I also got to talk to some of the best civilian performers,” the 2011 Bettendorf High School graduate recalled.

“Getting to talk with them all was illuminating for my path forward because I got the mentorship and advice I needed to go along with seeing the aircraft in the sky. I actually got to talk to the people who were doing it and it had a profound impact on my life. I took their advice to heart and tried to follow it and emulate their example as much as I could.”  Work ethic, attitude and humility were the three principles preached by every pilot, Mr. Larson added. “There's a lot of things you have to do to actually get to fly one of these aircraft, and if you look at it all at once, it can be overwhelming,” he said. “With all the obstacles, there's no guarantees that things are going to work out. And so the advice I got at a young age was to compartmentalize -- think about the goal, but then come back to present and what you need to do in your immediate future in order to make that happen. And by doing that, you kind of break it down and don't get overwhelmed.” The primary piece of advice Mr. Larson received was to focus on school, with education the key to opening the doors of opportunity. So, he took the standardized college entrance exams multiple times to work on getting the best grade possible. Mr. Larson also received tutoring during high school to help ensure a good GPA. He also followed advice to play as many sports as possible and pursue other interests, too, which led to photography and writing work early in high school for the magazine “World Air Show News,” and even more access to his aerial passion. All of that led to the U.S. Air Force Academy accepting his application and Mr. Larson heading there the day after his BHS graduation. He graduated from the Academy in 2015 “and was very fortunate,” Mr. Larson said to go straight to fighter pilot training at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. There, he said, he learned alongside NATO partners such as Germans and Italians. Selection to the Academy’s Parachute Team – and making more than 700 skydives – was a key factor in his quick ascent, he said. “I had no military background in the family. So, I had no idea what I was getting myself into and it was very challenging at first because I was just so far out of my comfort zone,” said Mr. Larson, who now has nearly 800 hours of F-22 flying experience. “Turns out, I learned along the way that you need to be out of your comfort zone for most of the time. When you're going after something that's unfamiliar and might be a big dream, you’ve got to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. But I feel like I found my stride at the Air Force Academy. I really learned to apply those principles of work ethic and attitude and humility and that's where I found the self confidence that I can actually make this a reality and have some really tremendous opportunities.” Mr. Larson’s excellence at Sheppard led to the 2017 assignment with an F-22 Raptor combat unit based in Alaska. One of his rare trips home in 2019 allowed him to return to the QC Air Show as a fan. “Outside of that, I have not made it home much, so it's really great to be back,” Mr. Larson said. “We're definitely taking the team to Whitey's. We might have to introduce them to Happy Joe’s pizza. And we've got a few other spots picked out this week, so it'll be a good visit home.

“My family has been out to see me fly a handful of times, including a couple shows when we got started this year, so I got to see them there. But this just means so much more to everyone because it's the hometown show my whole family has been attending forever and it's been a big part of our lives for so many years.” Mr. Larson’s many memories could double for the history of the long-running local event. “I got some really amazing opportunities once I was kind of on the media side,” he said, recalling his magazine work in high school. “I got to set off pyrotechnics with the ‘Tora! Tora! Tora!’ team when they were here. I also got to stand out on the runway and hold a pole for the flying ribbon cutting done by Jim LeRoy, the real famous performer that was at a lot of Quad City Air Shows. I did that with my dad and that was an amazing experience. “And then right before I went to the Air Force Academy, I actually got to fly in the Blue Angel C-130 during their demo at the QC Air Show. So, that is definitely one of the top moments. And there were multiple times where we were standing at the end of the runway at Davenport or Moline where the pilots we had met at the air show told us, ‘Hey, go stand in this spot.’ And they gave us a good little buzz (flyover) and we were all smiles.”  Now, Mr. Larson gets to put the smiles on faces. He is particularly looking forward to talking with and inspiring youngsters like those many pilots did with him growing up. “That helped me decide those were the people I wanted to be like someday,” he said. This weekend marks the 10th show of the year for the F-22 Demo Team. Mr. Larson said the schedule typically includes 20-25 shows, with some of the international or private variety, including ones at the Academy or pilot training bases. Mr. Larson’s 14-person team of pilots and maintenance crew are all based out of Langley Air Force Base in Virginia. As a flight instructor, he is one of nine making this trip, and all are attached to regular combat-ready units – a unique fact for the F-22 unit over other demo teams. The jets also change from show-to-show, he said, with a rotation of unmodified machines coming from different F-22 bases. “We're just out to showcase the capabilities of an amazing jet as well as talk with folks and share our stories,” Mr. Larson said. “We're looking to pay forward the inspiration that we received to the next generation who maybe will replace us someday. And at a minimum, we're just hoping to inspire folks to set goals for their lives and pursue them.” Just like Mr. Larson did at the QC Air Shows growing up. “A two-year tour of duty for a demo pilot is typical,” he said. “There's always a chance you'll stay on longer. But the typical tour is what I'm expecting. It's a fleeting moment, and I'm trying to enjoy it to the max. “This was always something I dreamed of doing but I never knew if I'd actually have the opportunity to get back, and so the fact that we're here, I'm thrilled now.”