Just outside Falcon Stadium on the east side stands the largest falcon statue in the United States.

The bronze sculpture, valued at $400,000, spans 24 feet and weighs 10,000 pounds. It was created by Jon Hair, the official sculptor for the U.S. Olympic Team. Dedicated on Aug. 29, 2008, the statue was donated to the Air Force Academy by philanthropist Irwin “Ike” Belk, who attended the dedication ceremony.

Belk commissioned the work “to honor United States Air Force Academy graduates for their selfless service to our nation.” He died in 2018.

A World War II veteran, Belk served in the intelligence field in Europe with the Eighth Air Force. After the war, he became an executive with the Belk department store chain. He also funded similar large-scale mascots at more than 40 colleges and universities, many in his native North Carolina.