Soldiers from the Chicago Recruiting Battalion, Army Reserve and the Wounded Heroes Foundation participated in the Chicago Saint Patrick’s Day Parade.

Soldiers walked along the parade route handing out Army souvenirs while two Army-branded Humvees started and ended the Army column in the parade.

Marching Soldiers were from the Glenview Recruiting Company and two Reserve units: the 85th Support Command and the 416th Theater Engineer Command. WLS News Talk Radio (890 AM and 94.7 FM) also drove two wounded warriors in their “WLScalde,” to show their support to the Army.

Irish-American Soldier Capt. Peter Gillen, company commander for the Glenview Recruiting Company, led the group of Soldiers for the parade in downtown Chicago.

The event attracted many high-profile personalities, including Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen, who marched in the parade with Mayor Richard Daley and Governor Patrick Quinn.

Die-hard Chicagolanders showed their loyalty to the Irish-American celebration with about 250,000 attendees turning up for the 55th Annual Saint Patrick’s Day Parade, despite the cold rain. Last year’s attendance was more than 400,000.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron “Thunderbirds” flew their acceptance show March 11 and were approved by Gen. William M. Fraser III, commander of Air Combat Command, to start their 2010 show season.

“The acceptance show is the culmination of the hard work and dedication by our entire team throughout the training season, from November to March,” said Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, who is beginning his first year as the Thunderbirds commander and leader. “It is an opportunity for us to demonstrate a safe air show for General Fraser as we prepare for the 2010 air show season.”

The ground and air show lasted one hour. Immediately after, General Fraser greeted the Thunderbird officers on the flightline and later addressed the entire Thunderbirds squadron in the unit’s auditorium.

“The Thunderbirds are absolutely looking forward to the 2010 season and the opportunity to represent nearly 700,000 Airmen,” said Capt. Jason McCree, Thunderbirds public affairs officer.

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to fly 73 shows throughout the United States and Canada and will be on the road approximately 250 days from March to November. Their season ends with the homecoming show at Nellis AFB open house in November.

The Thunderbirds’ 2010 schedule is as follows:

March
20 and 21: Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.
27 and 28: Maxwell AFB, Ala.

April
10 and 11: Eglin AFB, Fla.
17 and 18: Lakeland, Fla.
24 and 25: Barksdale AFB, La.

May
1: Dyess AFB, Texas
2: Altus AFB, Okla.
8 and 9: Shaw AFB, S.C.
15 and 16: Columbus AFB, Miss.
22: Grand Forks AFB, N.D.
26: U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.
29 and 30: Janesville, Wis.

June
5 and 6: Ocean City, Md.
12 and 13: Quebec City, Canada
19 and 20: Tinker AFB, Okla.
26 and 27: North Kingstown, R.I.

July
10 and 11: Gary, Ind.
17 and 18: Duluth, Minn.
24 and 25: Fairchild AFB, Wash.
28: Cheyenne, Wyo.
Jul 31 and Aug 1: Rockford, Ill.

August
7 and 8: TBD
14 and 15: Abbotsford, Canada
21 and 22: Westfield, Mass.
25: Atlantic City, N.J.
28 and 29: Brooklyn (Coney Island), N.Y.

September
4 and 5: Martinsburg, W.V.
11 and 12: Coraopolis (Pittsburgh), Pa.
18 and 19: Whiteman AFB, Mo.
25 and 26: McConnell AFB, Kan.

October
2 and 3: Salinas, Calif.
9 and 10: Little Rock AFB, Ark.
16 and 17: El Paso, Texas
23 and 24: Houston
30 and 31: Cocoa Beach, Fla.

November
6 and 7: Lackland AFB, Texas
13 and 14: Nellis AFB, Nev.

Boeing and the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) celebrated Qatar’s deployment of C-17 Globemaster III airlifters during an Air Force Day ceremony held March 10 at Doha International Airport.

“When the Qatar Emiri Air Force acquired two C-17s last year, we did so with every intention of supporting international disaster-relief and humanitarian missions around the world,” said Brig. Gen. Ahmed Al-Malki, head of Qatar’s airlift selection committee. “We take great pride in being among the first of many nations to respond to Haiti and Chile, delivering several thousand tons of food, water and medical supplies.”

Just days after Haiti was struck by an earthquake on Jan. 12, a Qatar C-17 delivered aid to the country’s capital, Port-au-Prince. On March 4, Qatar sent a C-17 filled with humanitarian aid to Chile in response to that country’s Feb. 27 earthquake.

“It is with great appreciation that on Air Force Day we salute the Qatar Emiri Air Force and its leadership for the many important contributions they are making right now in Chile and Haiti,” said Chris Chadwick, president, Boeing Military Aircraft. “Boeing employees everywhere were extremely moved to see Qatar’s C-17s bringing hope to those in need, and joining so many other nations on lifesaving missions. We’re proud that the C-17, with its reputation for reliability and maintainability, is serving your nation, and the people of Chile and Haiti, so well.”

Boeing delivered Qatar’s first C-17 on Aug. 11 and the second on Sept. 10. Qatar, the first Middle East nation to order the C-17, signed an agreement with Boeing on July 21, 2008, for the two advanced airlifters and associated equipment and services, as well as an option for two additional aircraft. The company provides Qatar’s C-17s with operational support, including material management and depot maintenance support, under the C-17 Globemaster III Sustainment Partnership at Al Udeid Air Base, where the QEAF’s C-17s are based.

Three separate bird strike incidents in the northeast USA in the past 24h have caused schedule delays or damage for three airlines.

At approximately 18:30EST on 10 March, a Continental Airlines B777-200 departing New York’s Newark airport for Hong Kong hit a flock of birds shortly after take off from Runway 22. Continental flight 99, with 301 passengers and crew, returned to the airport for a safe landing about 90min later after entering holding pattern at 14,000ft (4,267m) to the southwest of the airport to burn fuel.

A US FAA spokesman says the aircraft hit the birds as it climbed through 300ft. After landing, the crew taxied to the gate, where maintenance crews determined that the aircraft’s left engine had ingested birds. The aircraft returned to service on 11 March after required borescope inspections revealed no damage to the engine, says a Continental spokeswoman. The airline offered hotel accommodations to the passengers and crew overnight and completed the route with a different aircraft this morning.

Also on 10 March, a Chautauqua Airlines Embraer ERJ-135 hit a flock of birds after departing Runway 23 at the Norfolk airport en route to Washington National airport. According to the FAA, Chautauqua Flight 2034 continued its flight after the incident, safely landing in Washington with fire and rescue services awaiting the arrival. The FAA says damage was limited to “a couple of bent fan blades” in the left engine and minor damage to the left wing.

Early on 11 March, a US Airways A319 with 124 passengers and crew hit a flock of birds on departure from Runway 22 at the Greater Rochester International airport and immediately returned for landing. The pilots of flight 1101, en route to Charlotte, reported hitting “a whole flock” of birds after departure, telling controllers that the engines continued to perform normally, though the right engine was indicating high exhaust gas temperatures. The aircraft landed safely.