Cadet, falcon will appear on ‘Today’ Published Aug. 7, 2003 U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFPN) -- An Air Force Academy cadet and academy falcon mascot will go national Aug. 8 with a live appearance at Rockefeller Plaza on NBC’s “Today” show.Cadet 2nd Class Krysta Peltzer, a junior and academy cadet falconer, will make the live appearance with Echo, a prairie falcon and academy mascot.Peltzer and Echo will appear in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza Aug. 8 and 9 as part of the Air Force’s Centennial of Flight celebration. Peltzer, a junior from Visalia, Calif., will discuss the history of the falconry program, her background, Air Force Academy experiences and goals during the visit.Peltzer, her fellow falconers and their feathered friends perform at most Air Force Academy NCAA football games and make many public appearances around the nation throughout the year.Echo can reach speeds exceeding 200 mph during dives upon his prey. Experts once said falcons could not be trained to perform before large audiences, but birds like Echo have flown before more than 50,000 spectators at intercollegiate football games.Echo is one of 11 falcons at the academy. Peltzer is one of 11 falconers who handle the birds, which also include American kestrel, peregrine, prairie and gyr falcons.To assist in the survival of some species of falcons, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Colorado Division of Wildlife have provided the academy special permits to breed captive falcons. Currently, the academy breeds captive prairie falcons. Recently, the peregrine falcon was taken off the endangered species list, which can be credited in part to the academy falconers and their efforts, officials said.