Tkachuk has ‘one of the greatest experiences of my life’ flying with U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds

FORT LAUDERDALE – It’s a bird! It’s a plane!

No, it’s Matthew Tkachuk!

Taking to the skies above Fort Lauderdale on Friday, the Florida Panthers superstar winger got to experience the thrill of a lifetime with the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds.

As part of the Air Force’s “Hometown Heroes” program, Tkachuk got to serve as a civilian passenger in the back seat of an F-16 Fighting Falcon.

“It’s very nice of them to share this with me,” Tkachuk said after his flight. “It was an amazing day leading into it. It’s crazy how much stuff goes into to flying for just over an hour. The only time I felt a little iffy up there was when he (the pilot) let me fly it. I was just doing flip after flip. It was one of the greatest experiences of my life.”

An elite 135-member team representing 31 different fields, the Thunderbirds hosted Tkachuk on the eve of their upcoming performance at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show.

But before he could takeoff, No. 19 had to go through several hours of rigorous preparation to get ready.

In addition to being fit for a flight suit and squeezing into the F-16's cockpit, he had to learn specialized breathing techniques in order in endure the jet's extreme G-force.

During his flight, Tkachuk reached 9.5 G’s during high-speed maneuvers, meaning he withstood 9.5 times the force of gravity.

Joining an special group, he later received a "9g" pin.

“I was more scared if I was going to have to throw up or if I was going to blackout,” said Tkachuk, who thankfully made it through the entire session without having to reach for the barf bag. “There was close call on both. When the G’s hit you, it’s crazy. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt before. It was cool to be able to do it and so much fun.”

For his flight, Tkachuk rode with Lt. Col. Tyler "Wrath" Keener, an experienced fighter pilot with the Air Force.

“He was ready for it,” Keener said proudly of his co-pilot.

At one point during the flight, when there was plenty of airspace to play with, Tkachuk was handed over control.

“The jet handles in a very crazy way,” Kenner said. “You hardly put any pressure on the stick, and it moves. Everybody has a similar reaction. You say, ‘Alright, you’re flying.’ Then the second they make a move it’s ‘Whoa!’ He got comfortable quick. He started doing rolls and pretty heavy g turns. Matthew was all about it.”

Despite holding his own at the helm of the F-16, Tkachuk doesn’t believe he has a promising future in aviation.

“I don’t think I could be a pilot,” he said while cracking a grin below his aviator sunglasses. “I’m going to leave that up to them.”

Making a pitstop before returning to the airport, Keener flew Tkachuk over his house in Fort Lauderdale.

Becoming a first-time father in April, Tkachuk expects he likely woke his baby girl, Camille, up from her nap.

"Hopefully one day she thinks I'm pretty cool,” the young dad said.

Already a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Panthers, Tkachuk became a household name well beyond South Florida when he helped the United States capture its first gold medal in men’s hockey since 1980 with a thrilling win in overtime against Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics.

A full-circle moment, Keener recalls waking up before sunrise to watch the historic win.  

“If you’re a hockey fan in general, you are a Matthew Tkachuk fan because of how he plays the game,” Keener said. “As an American, watching him wear the Red, White and Blue and win for our country and then getting him up in a Red, White and Blue jet, you couldn’t ask for a better story.”

After his flight, Tkachuk presented the Thunderbirds with a custom Panthers jersey.

He also let everyone in sight snap a pic with his gold medal, while also receiving a signed photo from the Thunderbirds.

“They went above and beyond,” Tkachuk said. “It was such an incredible day for me.”

While the fastest sport on ice can’t quite compare to hitting 9.5 G’s, Tkachuk believes there’s a common thread that connects the Panthers and Thunderbirds.

Teamwork.

“We were talking about a lot of similarities between hockey and what they do,” Tkachuk said. “It’s a family atmosphere. They’re so close and they need each other. They rely on each other. You have to do your exact part in order for it to work. They’re an inspiration. I love how they’re a big team.”