PHOENIX — The diamond formation features four F-16 fighter jets, 18 inches apart, flying at the speed of sound. It takes skill, timing and focus to pull it off.

Watching it live is awe inspiring. From the ground, the sound chasing the jets through the sky is beautiful.

Inside the cockpit, though, is terrifying.

Execution requires synchronization and confidence, a reliance on each member carrying out their task meticulously. Pilots need to believe their colleagues won’t falter.

“If you don’t have blind trust, the show will not work,” Air Force Lt. Col. Justin Elliot said in the Netflix documentary “Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds.”

When Aces coach Becky Hammon first watched the film, she felt a kinship with the cohesion and camaraderie of the pilots. It resembled a championship team.

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