LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Appearing at first like small black dots in the blue sky, trailed by a plume of bright orange smoke, the U.S. Army Golden Knights soared above downtown Louisville for Thunder Over Louisville on Saturday.

The Golden Knights is the U.S. Army's elite demonstration and competition parachute team. It is one of only three aerial demonstration teams sanctioned by the U.S. Department of Defense. The other two being the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. 

Golden Knights plan jump for Thunder Over Louisville

The Golden Knights prepared for weeks ahead of arriving in Louisville for Thunder Over Louisville. 

The team practiced for weeks in Homestead, Florida before arriving in Kentucky. One team member said he estimates they completed over 100 jumps in anticipation of Saturday's show.  

Sgt. First Class Chas Dodt is among those who took to the skies for the show over the Ohio River. 

In his own words, Dodt described the Golden Knights as, "the epitome of everything the Army is: teamwork, dedication, discipline." 

Golden Knights member salutes during jump form aircraft during Thunder Over Louisville

Golden Knights member salutes during jump form aircraft during Thunder Over Louisville.

Dodt said the team is extremely detail oriented and always keeps safety as their top priority. 

While the plane's pilots check the aircraft for any malfunctions, the parachute team also checks, double checks, and triple checks their equipment also. 

Once in the air, the team surveys the wind and plans out their jump using special streamers. 

The appropriately-colored black and gold streamers are thrown from the jump doors in the back of the aircraft as the plane flies over the landing target. 

The team then watches the streamers fall thousands of feet toward the ground as the pilots relay wind speeds. Using the air and wind information, the team then calculates where they need to exit the aircraft in order to land on target. 

Golden Knights streamers

The elite parachute team uses gold and black streamers to calculate jump path ahead of skydiving.

In the case of Saturday's show, the landing zone was a small stretch of grass on the Great Lawn just south of I-64. 

The team is capable of landing on a wide range of surfaces from boats to football fields with extreme accuracy. 

"Our minimum requirement is 100 feet by 100 feet. That's what we can squeeze into," said Dodt. 

Dodt said the team's biggest concern Saturday afternoon were the winds above the cloud deck. 

Because of the winds at the time of their expected jump, Dodt said the call was made that he and another team member with less experience wouldn't jump on Saturday as a safety precaution. 

U.S. Army Golden Knights in Louisville

U.S. Army Golden Knights prepare for takeoff for Thunder Over Louisville.

"The first guy that jumped out radioed up and said it was a little bumpy under canopy so it might not be the best idea to let them go, so myself and Brandon unfortunately were not able to jump," said Dodt.

Dodt said he has 475 jumps under his belt. He jokingly referred to himself as the "baby on the team" saying, "there are guys that have way more than me."

Dodt said he looks forward to the next time he can come to Louisville for an airshow to perform. 

In 2021, WDRB's Grace Hayba shared her experience going airborne with the Golden Knights for a tandem jump over Elizabethtown. 

To see that story, click here.

Copyright 2023 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.