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CNN Live Saturday

Interview With Dann Carlson

Aired May 03, 2003 - 18:31   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You are about to feel mighty patriotic. The annual McDonald's Air and Sea Show off the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is awash with red, white and blue as U.S. troops returning from overseas are saluted. CNN's John Zarrella joins us now with more. Hey, John.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Anderson, that's right, wrapping it up right now, just about finished. Two million people estimated on the beach here today. They are all just about gone. They said at one point the boats of shore where seven miles long and a mile deep in boats to watch the air and sea show. And, of course, the highlight of the day was the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds who wrapped up the day at about 4 o'clock this afternoon, and Major Dann Carlson with the Thunderbirds is here taking some time.

And Major Dann, I know that one of the pieces of video we saw from that cockpit camera right away was that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) up, that's fabulous staff.

DANN CARLSON, ADVANCE PILOT NARRATOR: That's great. That maneuver itself is three miles straight up flying performing (UNINTELLIGIBLE) while he's doing it. That's a great move.

ZARRELLA: This has got to be somewhat special for you to be able to come out here, represent the Air Force, particularly coming out of a conflict in the Middle East.

CARLSON: It is. Let's say --- Everyone in our team comes from an operational background. But our job is a 120 team and 120 people is to represent that half a million folks that make up the United States Air Force reserves and the National Guard. Especially in light of what they were doing recently, with the war in Afghanistan, followed up by the war in Iraq, to be able to represent those folks to the American public is an awesome responsibility, and we can give the American public firsthand chance to basically take a look at the United States Air Force. We demonstrate the precision, the discipline, the teamwork that is very prevalent in our Air Force.

ZARRELLA: The kind of precision flying that you do obviously takes hours and hours. How much practice and training goes into that?

CARLSON: We start with the new team every -- basically in November. We train from November to March, and then we hit the road mid-March, and then we basically have the season all the way from March to November. It takes about 100 rides and a work-up program to get ourselves up to a basically a show quality, and come mid-March we hit the road and take the show to the American public.

ZARRELLA: Now, I was supposed to fly with you, but did not get the opportunity. After seeing that video, I'm not sure I want to.

CARLSON: Oh, you would have a great time, John, you would have a great time going up there. It's awesome. One of my great jobs is to be able to demonstrate to members of the media the capabilities of our Air Force and we do that by taking you up for a ride in an F-16 and showing you the capabilities of the airplane as well as the capabilities of the Air Force.

ZARRELLA: I think when people leave the show, and I'll leave you with this last question. I guess what you want to do is leave them with the jaw dropped, and I'm pretty sure that's what happens.

CARLSON: We do. I tell you, there's nothing more inspiring than watching a bunch of red, white and blue jets flying around, throw that to some patriotic music, and you can't help but leave with the great patriotic feeling in your heart.

ZARRELLA: Dann, thanks so much for taking time to stay with us, hang with us here a little bit. And if you get a chance and you're in this area tomorrow, they are going to be flying again tomorrow, wrapping up the Air and Sea Show, the McDonald's Air and Sea Show. Another two million people expected out here tomorrow. The weather was absolutely perfect, and red, white and blue everywhere as people came out to pay tribute to the armed forces and the men and women in uniform who have served this country so well -- Anderson.

COOPER: John, I cannot believe you are passing up a free flight like that. That is the opportunity of a life time.

ZARRELLA: He promises that I can fly again.

COOPER: All right, we'll see. I hope he'll hold you to it. John, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired May 3, 2003 - 18:31   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN ANCHOR: You are about to feel mighty patriotic. The annual McDonald's Air and Sea Show off the beach in Fort Lauderdale, Florida is awash with red, white and blue as U.S. troops returning from overseas are saluted. CNN's John Zarrella joins us now with more. Hey, John.
JOHN ZARRELLA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hey, Anderson, that's right, wrapping it up right now, just about finished. Two million people estimated on the beach here today. They are all just about gone. They said at one point the boats of shore where seven miles long and a mile deep in boats to watch the air and sea show. And, of course, the highlight of the day was the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds who wrapped up the day at about 4 o'clock this afternoon, and Major Dann Carlson with the Thunderbirds is here taking some time.

And Major Dann, I know that one of the pieces of video we saw from that cockpit camera right away was that (UNINTELLIGIBLE) up, that's fabulous staff.

DANN CARLSON, ADVANCE PILOT NARRATOR: That's great. That maneuver itself is three miles straight up flying performing (UNINTELLIGIBLE) while he's doing it. That's a great move.

ZARRELLA: This has got to be somewhat special for you to be able to come out here, represent the Air Force, particularly coming out of a conflict in the Middle East.

CARLSON: It is. Let's say --- Everyone in our team comes from an operational background. But our job is a 120 team and 120 people is to represent that half a million folks that make up the United States Air Force reserves and the National Guard. Especially in light of what they were doing recently, with the war in Afghanistan, followed up by the war in Iraq, to be able to represent those folks to the American public is an awesome responsibility, and we can give the American public firsthand chance to basically take a look at the United States Air Force. We demonstrate the precision, the discipline, the teamwork that is very prevalent in our Air Force.

ZARRELLA: The kind of precision flying that you do obviously takes hours and hours. How much practice and training goes into that?

CARLSON: We start with the new team every -- basically in November. We train from November to March, and then we hit the road mid-March, and then we basically have the season all the way from March to November. It takes about 100 rides and a work-up program to get ourselves up to a basically a show quality, and come mid-March we hit the road and take the show to the American public.

ZARRELLA: Now, I was supposed to fly with you, but did not get the opportunity. After seeing that video, I'm not sure I want to.

CARLSON: Oh, you would have a great time, John, you would have a great time going up there. It's awesome. One of my great jobs is to be able to demonstrate to members of the media the capabilities of our Air Force and we do that by taking you up for a ride in an F-16 and showing you the capabilities of the airplane as well as the capabilities of the Air Force.

ZARRELLA: I think when people leave the show, and I'll leave you with this last question. I guess what you want to do is leave them with the jaw dropped, and I'm pretty sure that's what happens.

CARLSON: We do. I tell you, there's nothing more inspiring than watching a bunch of red, white and blue jets flying around, throw that to some patriotic music, and you can't help but leave with the great patriotic feeling in your heart.

ZARRELLA: Dann, thanks so much for taking time to stay with us, hang with us here a little bit. And if you get a chance and you're in this area tomorrow, they are going to be flying again tomorrow, wrapping up the Air and Sea Show, the McDonald's Air and Sea Show. Another two million people expected out here tomorrow. The weather was absolutely perfect, and red, white and blue everywhere as people came out to pay tribute to the armed forces and the men and women in uniform who have served this country so well -- Anderson.

COOPER: John, I cannot believe you are passing up a free flight like that. That is the opportunity of a life time.

ZARRELLA: He promises that I can fly again.

COOPER: All right, we'll see. I hope he'll hold you to it. John, thanks very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com