Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - Before Sunday's Buffalo Bills game in Orchard Park, fans at Highmark Stadium can expect a show with some local flavor.
Four F-18 Super Hornets will fly over the stadium in a diamond formation after the national anthem, with three of them piloted by Western New Yorkers.
"I'm very excited to do it," said LCDR Collin Newcomb with Strike Fighter Squadron 106 in the US Navy. "I'm a huge Bills fan. Grew up in a Bills family, especially my uncle who indoctrinated me to be a Bills fan. I've always had a lifelong dream to be able to do this, especially when I got into Naval aviation. Hopefully we put on a good show and make sure the timing is good."
Newcomb will be part of the crew led by CMDR Jason Papadopoulos that also includes Western New York natives Lt. Carlee Conway and Lt. Ryan Hubbs.
The flyover isn't just a fun opportunity for the Western New Yorkers who will be doing a pregame flyover for the first time, but part of their training that simulates the precision needed when carrying out missions.
"One of the important things we always talk about is 'Time on Target' and on a lot of the missions you conduct you're given a very specific time on target where you need to be overhead that target with an impact on the ground," Papadopoulos said. "That translates very well to a flyover."
"It's a whole team effort," Hubbs said. "The anthem singer's going to have their timing that they're going to try to stick to the best of their ability. Our Captain is going to be on the ground letting us know 'Hey, the anthem's going a little bit long,' or if we need to speed it up a little bit."
The crew will have a number of fans cheering them on that will rival any player's entourage.
"Pretty much my entire family will be there outside of my brother, unfortunately he's a Dolphins fan," Newcomb said. "My wife and kids flew up from Virginia Beach last night so it's double the pressure for me to make sure the timing is good for not only all the Bills fans but for my family too."
Kickoff on Sunday between the Bills and Titans is set for 1 p.m. ET.