...a picture of formation flying at its finest! From your right, the Thunderbird Diamond Pass in Review!



Now, that's scary tight formation considering the size of the F-16 and how each pilot litterally has next to nowhere to move for an abort.

LD

Wow. It looks like the slot is a little farther in but great pic and close.

wow....talk about having to be touchy on the stick while you are that close...hate for something to go wrong...

Well I was wrong! It looks like the wingmen are more "away" from the boss.

Airshow fan wrote:Well I was wrong! It looks like the wingmen are more "away" from the boss.

#2 and #3 are flying so as to not tuck their sidewinder rails underneath the Boss's elevators. Even still #2 is actually underneath the Boss's sidewinder rail. Could they be tighter, yes with more of a tuck. But technically #4 is too far forward for a balenced diamond here. We fly our PIRs with #4 is about that position with a tuck under the Boss's elevator.

Much more dangerous but hey, its not like we're doing this for real

How about this one?

beautiful!

Hehe I love that first pic, have the video. The guys in the way old days around the year 2000 used to play little games, this was one of them, not kiddin, they were nuts! Grab

"Now, that's scary tight formation considering the size of the F-16 and how each pilot litterally has next to nowhere to move for an abort. "

Thats why some of the european aerobatic teams dont fly as close as the american's

I notice that No. 3 is the D model. Now a couple of questions...

1. What difference, if any, is there from the C and D with the extended canopy.

2. Whenever the Blues have to fly their B model, they always stick it in the slot due to the air differential unless it is a mid-demo problem (i.e. 2 has a problem, drops out, lands, gets in no. 7, and then gets back in the air)

3. Is it "legal" to have someone in the 8 jet backseat in the diamond during a demo or practice?

Jonnyb wrote:"Now, that's scary tight formation considering the size of the F-16 and how each pilot litterally has next to nowhere to move for an abort. "

Thats why some of the european aerobatic teams dont fly as close as the american's

Then what is this?

SuperBugz wrote:What difference, if any, is there from the C and D with the extended canopy.

Less power, heavier airframe...

Is it "legal" to have someone in the 8 jet backseat in the diamond during a demo or practice?

Yes, while not any civilians, that's exactly what they do on purpose with the new incoming pilots at the end of the year, catching rides with the old (departing pilots) in their positions. A few others have rode along in the past, but as far as I know, those that did during air shows had fighter pilot backgrounds and good G-tolerance as well as knowing when to keep their mouth shut...

LD

Superbugz....I said SOME teams not all.

I remember when the Blues went to Russia in 1992, the Knights took them up, and took the two solos (Thumper and Gucci) in the back seaters that they use, and did those maneuvers. From what I heard, those two were screaming at the top of their lungs to stop!!! LOL!!! Sorry LD and Striker, totally not T-Bird related, but still, some good/funny stuff.

SuperBugz wrote:I remember when the Blues went to Russia in 1992, the Knights took them up, and took the two solos (Thumper and Gucci) in the back seaters that they use, and did those maneuvers. From what I heard, those two were screaming at the top of their lungs to stop!!! LOL!!! Sorry LD and Striker, totally not T-Bird related, but still, some good/funny stuff.

Do you have anything that would suggest that because I sincerely doubt they were screaming at the top of their lungs to stop bud.