Just got the cd's back from this weekend, so here we go..

The cloudy, scuzzy, grainy pictures are from Saturday, which was a low/flat/half 6 ship half 5 ship show. (5 apparently hit a bird, although it was in the lineup the next day and apparently flew the Sunday show, which was the greatest Thunderbird high show I have ever seen)

Nose Wheels...


Deep Stack


Another Deep Stack


Diamond over the top


PIR


Line Abreast


Delta


Stinger BUP (From Saturday)


5 Card


I swear to god, my dad and I were the only ones looking to the left on this one, and I think it payed off


Calypso


While I'm At It...Some cool vapor shots from Saturday-


Eagle


Super Hornet



Enjoy!


Rhino

Awesome shots man! I love the vapor shots!

I think that delta shot was at the wrong angle. Its the BUP they do right after the rejoin.



A couple of Hornets leaving on Sunday....Lead is a C Model, Trail is an E, Model, and they were STEPPIN ON IT!!



Probably the best prop plane formation team out there, the Aeroshell Aerobatic Team





The "Eagle Mafia"



More Vapor



The 2nd to best part of an airshow...







Okay, BACK ON TOPIC RHINO!!!



Kind of distant, but it works





Finally! One where I hit the optical illusion right on the noggin!



Enjoy guys...

Rhino

Wow! Great Pictures!

We had a great time in Rockford! 6 did his first sneak pass in a show on Saturday, 8 and a half G's later (HAHAHA) he was pretty pumped, flew about 8 screws out of my jet. Grab

You guys definitely rocked the house that weekend! Things sounded a little scary during the Saturday show, but all seemed to go ok! Any chance you can tell us what exactly he hit and where? I noticed a lot of guys looking over that left wing when he parked it at the end of the runway.

grab6303 wrote:We had a great time in Rockford! 6 did his first sneak pass in a show on Saturday,

Is that because of a low show? At Indianapolis they had the two sneak passes. (Low show on Sunday)

Airshow fan wrote: Is that because of a low show? At Indianapolis they had the two sneak passes. (Low show on Sunday)

It was due to the fact that No. 5 had to abort during the show.

Oh! So #5 does both of them. Ok I get it now

Next year No. 6 *should* be the pilot performing the sneak passes. It gets confusing since the Solo's change number each year, but retain their profiles (or maneuvers associated with their "wing"... i.e. Left Solo / Right Solo). Since No. 5 is a Right Solo (the pilot who does the sneak) this year and supposedly leaving the team after November, next year's *new* Solo will be No. 6 and a Right Solo (hence, the sneak pass will be inherited too). This year's No. 6 (same as No. 5 next year) is a Left Solo...

Thanks for the pics Rhino!

The bird hit the top of the radome and caused no damage to the aircraft, may have been different if he would have hit on the bottom of the radome, never pretty taking a bird up the intake. Grab

So if i understand this correctly, Capt. Weeks (next years 6) will fly the same profile that Maj. Farrar is currently flying, which includes the 5 ship maneuvers (5 card, linebreak, etc), sneak pass, and also the split-s on takeoff. Makes sense, means that Maj. Casey doesnt have to learn a whole new profile (although I'm sure he would do just fine ). Will the wing positions on the delta stay the same as in Maj. Casey will still be on the left wing of the diamond?

Lawndart wrote:Thanks for the pics Rhino!

At least I'm good for something eh?

Exactly!

Unless the Thunderbirds change the entire show or maneuvers around due to new regs, equip requiring new profiles etc, this is precisely what Capt. Weeks will be flying as No. 6 next year. The wing positions are also retained, which is why they refer to to Solo's as "Left Solo" and "Right Solo". The number changes between seasons, but the wing remains the same. I heard a rumor about block 52's, but don't know if they are in the works for as early as next year. That may require some "tweaking" to the show profile given the more powerful jets.

Aside from things of that nature, you are 100% correct in your assumption Rhino.

I will say that I was EXTREMELY impressed with the way the show went on Saturday. Started low-show, had the abort by the diamond on the entry to the arrowhead roll because of the cloud deck, then 5's bird strike on the inbound of the opposing 4-point, cleared out above the clouds, went to a flat show after 5 landed (6 did an EXCELLENT job flying his wing on the way down, and darn near stopped the jet in mid-air), and still put on a heck of a flat show with the rain pouring down, with the music still cued to the demo. EXCELLENT work, if you guys read this forum, (which i see they do and post here as well).

Again, very impressive high-show and presentation with professionalism. Definitely doing the Air Force proud!

That is one of the best compliments I have ever received as a part of this team! Thank you from all of us!
As far as Maj. Casey's profile, it will stay the same. Maj. Farrar will walk Capt. Weeks through her profile via one of the D models throughout training season ending in her joining Maj. Casey and the diamond. One thing we all learn here, be it us maintainers on the ground performing the ground ceremony or the pilots in the air, Its easy to do things by yourself, HARD to do them in unison with others.
On a side note we always make fun of the solo if he gets stuck up there alone One can almost here the guy scream HHHEEEELLLPPP!!! as he tears around the airspace in burner to get in position for his next maneuver, and with this Boss and his quick transitions, its even worse haha.
Thanks again for the amazing compliment. Grab