We lost that money the second we built those pointless jets in the first place. Must be nice playing "acrobat" on the public dime. Our country is drowning in debt, but we MUST borrow billions from the Chinese for a "defense" budget as large as the next nine powers combined? And seven of those powers are allies? Our military is just a big government jobs program that builds nothing.
In any airplane except one equipped with a superb modern ejection seat (such as a P-51 Mustang or an Extra 300, for example,) he would have paid the ultimate price for his mistake. I think he knows that, and that's good enough for me.
This boggles my mind. I don't know how the air force expects such from pilots being rush-trained in extreme performance aircraft and set out to combat. I think many of these pilots forget some of the simpler parts of flying.
OK. Maybe my words/opinion are not correct. (like my english skills XD) but i have to say, this is an accident. accidents happens. yesterday, today and tomorrow. the important thing is that the pilot is still alive! i don't understand people who write about nationality or money what you need to pay the damage. it was an airshow. people fly to have fun and many people come to watch and have fun. the airshow cost a lot of money without an accident! no one died at this accident! thats important!
@iostream999 He's still flying and is one heck of a pilot. It's a one crime Air Force, not a one mistake Air Force, and he's a perfect example of that.
@noonedude101 my attitude gets people killed. and your attitude saves people's lives, right sir? i sleep alone sometimes and i study all the time. wtf? go enjoy your creed, violence, and whatever else you're into... and kill me if you want to, i don't care. this planet is stupid
You clearly are in high school or college. It's a figure of speech. It means the man that is not prepared for the unlikely, will die in the event that it happens.
@stevilgates that is for self-preservation, I'm guessing after he came off the top of the maneuver he knew he was pretty screwed. Also you can't really see his facial expression when he has the mask and visor on.
DONT READ THIS Cause It Really Works. YOU WILL GET KISSED ON THE NEAREST POSSIBLE FRIDAY BY THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE. TOMORROW WILL BE THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER IF YOU DONT POST THIS COMMENT TO AT LEAST 3 VIDEOS YOU WILL DIE WITHIN 2 DAYS. NOW UV STARTED READIN DIS DUNT STOP THIS IS SO SCARY. SEND THIS OVER TO 5 VIDEOS IN 143 MINUTES WHEN UR DONE PRESS F6 AND UR CRUSHES NAME WILL APPEAR ON THE SCREEN IN BIG LETTERS THIS IS SO SCARY Cuz IT ACTUALLY WORK
stop bitching about amateur mistakt this, amateure mistake that, I had a instructor who crashed his plane last year, he is one of the best we have in our flying club and he very keen on details, he made a mistake and crashed, everyone makes mistakes, no matter if they are big or small, if you are a thunderbird pilot or not. That you belong to the elite in avation doesn't mean nothing bad can happen to you.
@barrettrifles But mistakes sometimes mean lives. Mistakes shouldn't happen sometimes. You would feel different if a mistake ended your friend or relatives lives.
@MrUSAJAY - Everyone makes mistakes at some point, problem with being the Elite is that you think on the elite level and some times forgeti the amateur mistakes, so honestly i think they were hard on him big time, If you make a miscalculation yet still eject 1 second before you hit the floor and survive, then he is truly the elite as an amateur Pilot would have bailed as soon as possible. Being the Best can sometimes make you forget the most basic things, so they were infact hard on him.
Great pilot with superb timing but one that makes stupid mistakes like not setting his altimeter correctly. 'Old and Bold pilots don't mix'! Probably arguing with his wife before he set off for work and his brain was elsewhere during the checks. Shit happens!
I f any air force aircraft mechanic made a mistake like striklin did and caused a jet to crash. That mechanic would be court martialed and sent to leavenworth!
@oogabubchub doesn't fly with the thunderbirds, no. but i think he may still be flying in the Air Force, a pilot can eject up to three times from an aircraft before being declared non-airworthy
@k2477456 That is to solo a pilot, or combat ready status. Add the additional training , cost of flight hours, etc., and experience it took so he could simply apply to the Thunderbirds let alone be accepted. You will get a expenentially higher figure. In fact, it's incalcualable. Thanks for the info though, inflation has increased that figure. Regards.
@torro454 you dont apply for the thunderbirds you are selected by the airforce there is no aditional training these are manuvers they mostly have already learned they just do them closer to the ground these pilots literaly are the very best of the best of fighter pilots same way with the blue angels
@k2477456 There is a selection process, you must show interest first. Show me one inexperienced pilot ever in the Thunderbirds. Add up hours of flight time, most have additional training of different types etc. Mandatory, no. Does it make a difference in the selection process, absolutely! True, they are some of the best pilots, and more experienced as well! However, some of the best pilots just don't fit in an acrobatic team, due to temperament, and chemistry. Navy is the Navy. LOL Regards.
@k2477456 There is still an application process of sorts, there has to be. Then the selection procecess, and if you are lucky, you are invited to be part of the Thunderbirds. For a pilot it is more formal than just saying your interested. To get a flight with the Thunderbirds is by invitation only! To be a part of the program you have to apply. It can be a 4 to an 8 year commitment depending on the position. It can be extremely hard on the people, their personal lives, and mirage. Regards
"Thunderbird 1st year Capt. Christopher Stricklin ejected from his USAF F-16 aircraft at an airshow at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, on September 14, 2003. While performing a Reverse Half Cuban Eight, Stricklin realized he could not pull up in time and ejected. Eight-tenths of a second later, the plane crashed, skidding aflame 200 yards, and the engine flew out and went another 100 yards. Except for a few bruises, he was not injured." that was the engine.
Towards my last comment... Alot of respect to this guy. These guys are triained to never just dump,or give up on the aircraft. They were mentioning how his arm never left the stick till the split second before it wrecked. I know he knew long before he ejected that he was going to loose that plane,but fought for it all the way till the end.
@Lamb00FGoD More likely he knew that if he let go of that stick before the very last second the plane would crash before he could eject. He needed full elevon deflection to at least slow the descent. It was not noble, it was self preservation.
I don't like how they come down hard on the pilots. Mistakes happen and considering the revenue collected from income tax, economically this plane could be replaced in less than 2 days.
@sierrxhadlin I agree with you there but one must also consider to be a Thunderbird pilot I think means your top of your game in the Air Force and I guess the Air Force didn't see this mistake as one a pilot with the Thunder Birds should have made. Sadly the better you are the more is expected of you and less forgiving when you make mistakes.
Incredible photo! His retirement from Thunderbirds I think was good, a different maneuver he could have taken others out. Their schedule is extraordinarily rigorous, and Flying Acrobatics is inherently dangerous. One mistake can be catastrophic! I'm glad he got out! I'll bet he is about an inch or so shorter from the ejection. (no joke) F-16 is now 30 Million Dollar plane. Last time I saw them was the best I've seen! Perfect weather, and airport is on a hill, the show was eye level! Awesome!
I dont get it, he is over a runway, so he would be on the QFE. How can you then mistake height above the runway, when you are set to the height above the runway :s
@groomey2 It is a little technical. Altitude in flying is what they call "pressure altitude" it takes account altitude, temperature, and pressure (density) of air. If ground level is 5k ft. the plane may respond like at 7k ft. Air is a gas medium compressible & dynamic. A1/3 fundamental error is huge! Used wrong "altitude". By top of split S, it looks like he has not enough speed. He's in high speed stall w/ crashed. This is why Military prefer engineers as pilots. He's damn lucky he's alive!
@torro454 oh I get what your on about. A change in A/C performance at higher alt (lower air density). So in short a large mistake was made. You learn something new everyday, thanks.
@groomey2 Anytime. Yes. He may have used elevation, instead of "pressure altitude" which is variable, and usually given via Airport. It is basically meteorology, and its applications in aviation. Extremely important, especially near mountain ranges, which he was, due to weather patterns, up and down drafts, etc. In this case, he used the wrong data, was the "Official Conclusion." We all have bad days, his was almost fatal. They all know that goes along with the business. Best Regards
almost forgot... during earlier performances, various pyrotechnics had been used in the approximate area where he hit. Show stuff, like strafing the airfield with blanks. Many spectators took a second to recognize that it was an actual crash, not show pyro.
I was stationed at Mountain Home AFB during this airshow.
Because of the late ejection and stream of fire left by the destroyed aircraft, nobody on the ground (spectators) could tell if the pilot was ok or not.
Within about 2 hours, we had 50,000+ civilians off of the base, equipment in place to recover the debris, and it was handled. By the way, THANKS 366LRS for returning my Cat 10k tractor full of flightline sand!
I believe that at 2:38 if he would've full throttled it there would've been a slight chance that he would've just made it unless he was stalling, which he probably was but hey at least hes okay.
The Split S as performed by the Thunderbirds is done with full afterburner selected through the entire maneuver, from takeoff to the clearing break. So he was at "full" throttle already.
he actually was in a stall. i asked my instructor about it, and he told me the pilot was in an accelerated stall, which was irreversable at his altitude.
Yeah, I was there too. And aside from the fact that you could clearly see the ejection, complete with full chute deployment, and the pilot walking around on the ground after he handed, you really couldn't tell.
We use 0.0 as sea level and anything above that is our True Altitude (this is an information the plane never gives us) then we calculate the altitude of the terrain we are flying above from sea level. Then the information that is given to us from the altimeter, we subtract the terrain elevation and we get our Indicated Altitude. Its tough precision. In my case I always give myself an extra 1000ft and readjust as the ground approaches. This way the maneuver can still be carried out flawlessly.
sounds like 'we' take video games way too seriously... too bad for you the difference from a pilot and your dumbass playing a video game is that their life is at risk.
Well, I did some extensive flight simulation training before taking on the real machine. I'm at risk too, however, it is somewhat safer on my end and my squad. We fly the f-18 which has two engines contrary to the singular one of the f-16. The CAR and CAF (Canadian air regulations and air force) are tremendously strict and these particular maneuvers could cease any pilot from ever flying again.
I would like to live in your "reality" based life! The giveaway is in the way you speak of flying and the ignorance of your explanations! I thought the Canadians who actually fly the CF-18 referred to it as such...but what would I know having been to Cold Lake during Maple Flag and was corrected for my ignorance!
I know the guy who crashed. I was right in front of it when he crashed. Yeah it was horrible...I go to every Mountain Home AirBase show. :] They are so funn. Anyway I was just sayin. Im a close family friend of the guy. My dad knows him quite well. But Ive only met him a couple times. -Jessikuh<3
We lost that money the second we built those pointless jets in the first place. Must be nice playing "acrobat" on the public dime. Our country is drowning in debt, but we MUST borrow billions from the Chinese for a "defense" budget as large as the next nine powers combined? And seven of those powers are allies? Our military is just a big government jobs program that builds nothing.
In any airplane except one equipped with a superb modern ejection seat (such as a P-51 Mustang or an Extra 300, for example,) he would have paid the ultimate price for his mistake. I think he knows that, and that's good enough for me.
This boggles my mind. I don't know how the air force expects such from pilots being rush-trained in extreme performance aircraft and set out to combat. I think many of these pilots forget some of the simpler parts of flying.
OK. Maybe my words/opinion are not correct. (like my english skills XD) but i have to say, this is an accident. accidents happens. yesterday, today and tomorrow. the important thing is that the pilot is still alive! i don't understand people who write about nationality or money what you need to pay the damage. it was an airshow. people fly to have fun and many people come to watch and have fun. the airshow cost a lot of money without an accident! no one died at this accident! thats important!
@iostream999 He's still flying and is one heck of a pilot. It's a one crime Air Force, not a one mistake Air Force, and he's a perfect example of that.
@noonedude101 my attitude gets people killed. and your attitude saves people's lives, right sir? i sleep alone sometimes and i study all the time. wtf? go enjoy your creed, violence, and whatever else you're into... and kill me if you want to, i don't care. this planet is stupid
You clearly are in high school or college. It's a figure of speech. It means the man that is not prepared for the unlikely, will die in the event that it happens.
@stevilgates that is for self-preservation, I'm guessing after he came off the top of the maneuver he knew he was pretty screwed. Also you can't really see his facial expression when he has the mask and visor on.
DONT READ THIS Cause It Really Works. YOU WILL GET KISSED ON THE NEAREST POSSIBLE FRIDAY BY THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE. TOMORROW WILL BE THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER IF YOU DONT POST THIS COMMENT TO AT LEAST 3 VIDEOS YOU WILL DIE WITHIN 2 DAYS. NOW UV STARTED READIN DIS DUNT STOP THIS IS SO SCARY. SEND THIS OVER TO 5 VIDEOS IN 143 MINUTES WHEN UR DONE PRESS F6 AND UR CRUSHES NAME WILL APPEAR ON THE SCREEN IN BIG LETTERS THIS IS SO SCARY Cuz IT ACTUALLY WORK
stop bitching about amateur mistakt this, amateure mistake that, I had a instructor who crashed his plane last year, he is one of the best we have in our flying club and he very keen on details, he made a mistake and crashed, everyone makes mistakes, no matter if they are big or small, if you are a thunderbird pilot or not. That you belong to the elite in avation doesn't mean nothing bad can happen to you.
@barrettrifles But mistakes sometimes mean lives. Mistakes shouldn't happen sometimes. You would feel different if a mistake ended your friend or relatives lives.
@MrUSAJAY - Everyone makes mistakes at some point, problem with being the Elite is that you think on the elite level and some times forgeti the amateur mistakes, so honestly i think they were hard on him big time, If you make a miscalculation yet still eject 1 second before you hit the floor and survive, then he is truly the elite as an amateur Pilot would have bailed as soon as possible. Being the Best can sometimes make you forget the most basic things, so they were infact hard on him.
Great pilot with superb timing but one that makes stupid mistakes like not setting his altimeter correctly. 'Old and Bold pilots don't mix'! Probably arguing with his wife before he set off for work and his brain was elsewhere during the checks. Shit happens!
I f any air force aircraft mechanic made a mistake like striklin did and caused a jet to crash. That mechanic would be court martialed and sent to leavenworth!
Damn aero dynamics, you scary!
halokris13 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
halokris13 3 weeks ago
how it happened? it was a WOMAN flying the jet. thats all. ;-)
kLeRrks 2 months ago
We lost that money the second we built those pointless jets in the first place. Must be nice playing "acrobat" on the public dime. Our country is drowning in debt, but we MUST borrow billions from the Chinese for a "defense" budget as large as the next nine powers combined? And seven of those powers are allies? Our military is just a big government jobs program that builds nothing.
atomhammer1 2 months ago
In any airplane except one equipped with a superb modern ejection seat (such as a P-51 Mustang or an Extra 300, for example,) he would have paid the ultimate price for his mistake. I think he knows that, and that's good enough for me.
riderpoet 3 months ago
This boggles my mind. I don't know how the air force expects such from pilots being rush-trained in extreme performance aircraft and set out to combat. I think many of these pilots forget some of the simpler parts of flying.
aratidwell 5 months ago
OK. Maybe my words/opinion are not correct. (like my english skills XD) but i have to say, this is an accident. accidents happens. yesterday, today and tomorrow. the important thing is that the pilot is still alive! i don't understand people who write about nationality or money what you need to pay the damage. it was an airshow. people fly to have fun and many people come to watch and have fun. the airshow cost a lot of money without an accident! no one died at this accident! thats important!
EragonLea 5 months ago
i was there... it was crazy
TubularOnfire 5 months ago
i was there
KaseyJonesFTW 5 months ago
I saw the crash report. he is working a desk job now.
He forgot to change his ALT setting before doing the split S.
He went of MSL numbers he used on his home base.
this airfield was 1000 feet taller then that field. oops
iostream999 5 months ago
@iostream999 He's still flying and is one heck of a pilot. It's a one crime Air Force, not a one mistake Air Force, and he's a perfect example of that.
zackeone 4 months ago
AFTER THE CRASH....
"YOU DONT OWN THAT PLANE!!!!! THE TAXPAYERS DO!!!!!
SON YOUR EGO WROTE A CHECK YOUR BODY CAN'T CASH!!!!"
Psycolynch 6 months ago
This is one of the few commentaries I like.
stevethepilot 6 months ago
0:54 '20 million aircraft was loooost'
it's typical of stingy Americans to bitch and moan how much the equipment cost
RedgardH 6 months ago
@RedgardH LOL It almost costs that much to train the piolet! This is a military video, that is fact, simple information, not bitching! LOL
torro454 6 months ago
@RedgardH and your nationality?
k2477456 6 months ago
too bad they're not EVOLVED enough to not even have a military, let alone use old jet technology
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
This is the dumbest statement I've heard all day. Congrats. Want a cookie?
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 ahhh, i'm so glad you've educated me!
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
So far we have nothing that will out do jets in anything other than straight line speed.
Note - nobody else does either.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 and we all need to fight each other with bigger and louder inventions
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
Your sarcasm is the kind of attitude that gets people killed. He who sleeps alone dies ignorant.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 my attitude gets people killed. and your attitude saves people's lives, right sir? i sleep alone sometimes and i study all the time. wtf? go enjoy your creed, violence, and whatever else you're into... and kill me if you want to, i don't care. this planet is stupid
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
You clearly are in high school or college. It's a figure of speech. It means the man that is not prepared for the unlikely, will die in the event that it happens.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 hope for the best and expect the worst, whatever can go wrong will go wrong, ok, thanks, i'll write a letter to Prudence.
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda That is called "Murphy's Law." Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible time. Sometimes I swear it is true!
torro454 6 months ago
@torro454 i know it's called murphy's law
andrespereyda 6 months ago
the remains of this plane sold this week for scrap at 4600.00. govliquidation.
vk10024520 7 months ago
Talk about knowing your ejection envelope.
Guy at 2:00 is a staff sergeant, and thus, obviously, not a TB pilot.
xMKIVxVR6x 7 months ago
Did you see how calm he was, he was still holding the stick right up to the point of ejection!
stevilgates 8 months ago
@stevilgates that is for self-preservation, I'm guessing after he came off the top of the maneuver he knew he was pretty screwed. Also you can't really see his facial expression when he has the mask and visor on.
RainbowManification 7 months ago
Poor viper.
drbackjack 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
DONT READ THIS Cause It Really Works. YOU WILL GET KISSED ON THE NEAREST POSSIBLE FRIDAY BY THE LOVE OF YOUR LIFE. TOMORROW WILL BE THE BEST DAY OF YOUR LIFE. HOWEVER IF YOU DONT POST THIS COMMENT TO AT LEAST 3 VIDEOS YOU WILL DIE WITHIN 2 DAYS. NOW UV STARTED READIN DIS DUNT STOP THIS IS SO SCARY. SEND THIS OVER TO 5 VIDEOS IN 143 MINUTES WHEN UR DONE PRESS F6 AND UR CRUSHES NAME WILL APPEAR ON THE SCREEN IN BIG LETTERS THIS IS SO SCARY Cuz IT ACTUALLY WORK
1995mateen 8 months ago
stop bitching about amateur mistakt this, amateure mistake that, I had a instructor who crashed his plane last year, he is one of the best we have in our flying club and he very keen on details, he made a mistake and crashed, everyone makes mistakes, no matter if they are big or small, if you are a thunderbird pilot or not. That you belong to the elite in avation doesn't mean nothing bad can happen to you.
barrettrifles 8 months ago
@barrettrifles But mistakes sometimes mean lives. Mistakes shouldn't happen sometimes. You would feel different if a mistake ended your friend or relatives lives.
waterattack 8 months ago
whats up with septembers and planes :S
afgrocks123 9 months ago
No one mentions he's one inch less taller
polecat987 10 months ago
@polecat987 why is he shorter?
xLizzWizzx 9 months ago
@xLizzWizzx because of the compression force on the vertebrae, some say is temporal others permanent
polecat987 9 months ago
THIS IS WERE MATH MATTERS BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
26873547 10 months ago 2
@MrUSAJAY - Everyone makes mistakes at some point, problem with being the Elite is that you think on the elite level and some times forgeti the amateur mistakes, so honestly i think they were hard on him big time, If you make a miscalculation yet still eject 1 second before you hit the floor and survive, then he is truly the elite as an amateur Pilot would have bailed as soon as possible. Being the Best can sometimes make you forget the most basic things, so they were infact hard on him.
spazzsquirrel 10 months ago
@spazzsquirrel Yeah but to make a mistake is one thing. To lose your jet is another thing altogether.
Camerameister 9 months ago
heres some evidence of an instant where if you suck at math you will die
C0vertSn1per 11 months ago
Ah damn that was some stong spunk.
VampiresDoRule 1 year ago
He jizzed his pants.
katiesdad7 1 year ago
@katiesdad7 you mean peed his pants
xLizzWizzx 9 months ago
I was there when that happened i'm not joking, i was there becuz my dad was one of the first people on the scene :D
kittygirl216 1 year ago
Great pilot with superb timing but one that makes stupid mistakes like not setting his altimeter correctly. 'Old and Bold pilots don't mix'! Probably arguing with his wife before he set off for work and his brain was elsewhere during the checks. Shit happens!
mustanglead 1 year ago
FIRED. :/
b4sshunt3rgg 1 year ago
I f any air force aircraft mechanic made a mistake like striklin did and caused a jet to crash. That mechanic would be court martialed and sent to leavenworth!
B17GMODEL 1 year ago
sure you lost a jet, but you saved millions more on training another pilot's ass when he ejected, quit crying
sonicfan1996 1 year ago 26
@sonicfan1996 He's not allowed to fly anymore, so I don't see how that makes a difference.
oogabubchub 8 months ago
@oogabubchub doesn't fly with the thunderbirds, no. but i think he may still be flying in the Air Force, a pilot can eject up to three times from an aircraft before being declared non-airworthy
sonicfan1996 8 months ago
@sonicfan1996 is that just for flying mistakes or also for being shot down?
coastermania17 7 months ago
@coastermania17 three times under any circumstance that requires any kind of ejection from an aircraft
sonicfan1996 7 months ago
@sonicfan1996 2.2 million to train 1 USAF pilot
k2477456 6 months ago
@k2477456 That is to solo a pilot, or combat ready status. Add the additional training , cost of flight hours, etc., and experience it took so he could simply apply to the Thunderbirds let alone be accepted. You will get a expenentially higher figure. In fact, it's incalcualable. Thanks for the info though, inflation has increased that figure. Regards.
torro454 6 months ago
@torro454 you dont apply for the thunderbirds you are selected by the airforce there is no aditional training these are manuvers they mostly have already learned they just do them closer to the ground these pilots literaly are the very best of the best of fighter pilots same way with the blue angels
k2477456 6 months ago
@k2477456 There is a selection process, you must show interest first. Show me one inexperienced pilot ever in the Thunderbirds. Add up hours of flight time, most have additional training of different types etc. Mandatory, no. Does it make a difference in the selection process, absolutely! True, they are some of the best pilots, and more experienced as well! However, some of the best pilots just don't fit in an acrobatic team, due to temperament, and chemistry. Navy is the Navy. LOL Regards.
torro454 6 months ago
@torro454 i didnt say there was no selection process i just know you cant apply showing interest is different
k2477456 6 months ago
@k2477456 There is still an application process of sorts, there has to be. Then the selection procecess, and if you are lucky, you are invited to be part of the Thunderbirds. For a pilot it is more formal than just saying your interested. To get a flight with the Thunderbirds is by invitation only! To be a part of the program you have to apply. It can be a 4 to an 8 year commitment depending on the position. It can be extremely hard on the people, their personal lives, and mirage. Regards
torro454 6 months ago
@sonicfan1996 Actually he got cut from the Thunderbirds and the majority of their flight training is done before they are in the T-Bird program.
KickinNick09 5 months ago
here's a short wikipedia summary
"Thunderbird 1st year Capt. Christopher Stricklin ejected from his USAF F-16 aircraft at an airshow at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, on September 14, 2003. While performing a Reverse Half Cuban Eight, Stricklin realized he could not pull up in time and ejected. Eight-tenths of a second later, the plane crashed, skidding aflame 200 yards, and the engine flew out and went another 100 yards. Except for a few bruises, he was not injured." that was the engine.
sonicfan1996 1 year ago
Towards my last comment... Alot of respect to this guy. These guys are triained to never just dump,or give up on the aircraft. They were mentioning how his arm never left the stick till the split second before it wrecked. I know he knew long before he ejected that he was going to loose that plane,but fought for it all the way till the end.
Lamb00FGoD 1 year ago 13
@Lamb00FGoD More likely he knew that if he let go of that stick before the very last second the plane would crash before he could eject. He needed full elevon deflection to at least slow the descent. It was not noble, it was self preservation.
edomalley1 1 year ago
Damn what a pilot. He got out last second.
Lamb00FGoD 1 year ago
How awesome would it have been if he recovered the plane and had 20 feet to spare :D
RoboTekno 1 year ago 3
Who is the Staff Sergeant in the pilot's seat at 1:54 to 2:02?
preachermyron 1 year ago
type in: ejection seat homebuild
rovpilot1 1 year ago
Nice red uniform
Starscream2040 1 year ago
I don't like how they come down hard on the pilots. Mistakes happen and considering the revenue collected from income tax, economically this plane could be replaced in less than 2 days.
sierrxhadlin 1 year ago 3
@sierrxhadlin I agree with you there but one must also consider to be a Thunderbird pilot I think means your top of your game in the Air Force and I guess the Air Force didn't see this mistake as one a pilot with the Thunder Birds should have made. Sadly the better you are the more is expected of you and less forgiving when you make mistakes.
tempo1889 1 year ago
@tempo1889 The guys that fly on the Thunderbirds team are not necessarily the best....politics comes into play.
5769JJ 1 year ago
do pilots train for ejections
lokallize 1 year ago
@lokallize Yes.
Tuffo3 1 year ago
@Tuffo3 i meant erections I hear at high altitudes you can burst blood Vesicles down there causing ED
lokallize 1 year ago
Incredible photo! His retirement from Thunderbirds I think was good, a different maneuver he could have taken others out. Their schedule is extraordinarily rigorous, and Flying Acrobatics is inherently dangerous. One mistake can be catastrophic! I'm glad he got out! I'll bet he is about an inch or so shorter from the ejection. (no joke) F-16 is now 30 Million Dollar plane. Last time I saw them was the best I've seen! Perfect weather, and airport is on a hill, the show was eye level! Awesome!
torro454 1 year ago
I dont get it, he is over a runway, so he would be on the QFE. How can you then mistake height above the runway, when you are set to the height above the runway :s
groomey2 1 year ago
@groomey2 It is a little technical. Altitude in flying is what they call "pressure altitude" it takes account altitude, temperature, and pressure (density) of air. If ground level is 5k ft. the plane may respond like at 7k ft. Air is a gas medium compressible & dynamic. A1/3 fundamental error is huge! Used wrong "altitude". By top of split S, it looks like he has not enough speed. He's in high speed stall w/ crashed. This is why Military prefer engineers as pilots. He's damn lucky he's alive!
torro454 1 year ago
@torro454 oh I get what your on about. A change in A/C performance at higher alt (lower air density). So in short a large mistake was made. You learn something new everyday, thanks.
groomey2 1 year ago
@groomey2 Anytime. Yes. He may have used elevation, instead of "pressure altitude" which is variable, and usually given via Airport. It is basically meteorology, and its applications in aviation. Extremely important, especially near mountain ranges, which he was, due to weather patterns, up and down drafts, etc. In this case, he used the wrong data, was the "Official Conclusion." We all have bad days, his was almost fatal. They all know that goes along with the business. Best Regards
torro454 1 year ago
Thanks for this video, very informative.
gopherbar 1 year ago
Omg Omg Omg Omg Omg Omg!! thts fukn cool, itz cool how they put tht ejectn thing on the plane so u dnt die:]
goldboyjr 1 year ago
I saw this live..... wow
ryanjmcdonald 1 year ago
wow....
o2FRESH4u 1 year ago
that jet be coming out of his wages
cjellwood 1 year ago
@cjellwood That jet be coming out of OUR wages.
RainbowManification 1 year ago
@RainbowManification yeah lol
cjellwood 1 year ago
i was there. i was only 7 years old, though.
xxPOISONEDcupcakeXX 1 year ago
OMG 1:36 U CAN SEE A FACE
CrisAndAirTwins 1 year ago
what the box thing on the bottom?
LyndxD 1 year ago
i was working in the tower during this, it scared the crap out of me. the a/c came within 150 ft from hitting the tower. the engine came even closer.
nastynatetower 2 years ago
almost forgot... during earlier performances, various pyrotechnics had been used in the approximate area where he hit. Show stuff, like strafing the airfield with blanks. Many spectators took a second to recognize that it was an actual crash, not show pyro.
redpoostain 2 years ago
I was stationed at Mountain Home AFB during this airshow.
Because of the late ejection and stream of fire left by the destroyed aircraft, nobody on the ground (spectators) could tell if the pilot was ok or not.
Within about 2 hours, we had 50,000+ civilians off of the base, equipment in place to recover the debris, and it was handled. By the way, THANKS 366LRS for returning my Cat 10k tractor full of flightline sand!
redpoostain 2 years ago
It shows the truth.....Fighter jets are perfect beeings, except for one thing, they just don't forgive.....
evilkbk974 2 years ago
I believe that at 2:38 if he would've full throttled it there would've been a slight chance that he would've just made it unless he was stalling, which he probably was but hey at least hes okay.
cincinatibengal 2 years ago
The Split S as performed by the Thunderbirds is done with full afterburner selected through the entire maneuver, from takeoff to the clearing break. So he was at "full" throttle already.
siouxperb5570 2 years ago
he actually was in a stall. i asked my instructor about it, and he told me the pilot was in an accelerated stall, which was irreversable at his altitude.
ForeverForTomorrow 2 years ago
I don't care about the expensive aircraft, just as long as he's okay!
MsKeepinItReal 2 years ago 3
I was there. everyone in the audience had no idea he ejected until they announced that the pilot was okay
grizzySnax 2 years ago
Yeah, I was there too. And aside from the fact that you could clearly see the ejection, complete with full chute deployment, and the pilot walking around on the ground after he handed, you really couldn't tell.
yaknutsyeah 2 years ago
i to knew this pilot its a shame he outta the thunderchickens (old Nellis AFB joke) i lost contact with him a while ago
Xbladesman 2 years ago
What?
Skaflar 2 years ago
At least he survived a 20 mil jet is nothing look at the billions and billions we have thrown down rat holes since Sept 08.
jdhiner1 2 years ago 24
ya.. at least the Military uses the money. and puts it to thigns that will last years instead of 1 day.
Dogmeat1950 1 year ago
@jdhiner1 sigh why comment on economics when u havent studied it
bcthighs 10 months ago
the pilot showed excellent reflexes ,a 10 th of a second later he would be dead !
AerialSerialKiller 2 years ago
i wanna see 4 or 8 aircraft flying in a diamond shape formation at high speed,and another plane flying through the middle !that d be a sight!
AerialSerialKiller 2 years ago
they did it yesterday but not high speed
McSexyDeluxe 2 years ago
We use 0.0 as sea level and anything above that is our True Altitude (this is an information the plane never gives us) then we calculate the altitude of the terrain we are flying above from sea level. Then the information that is given to us from the altimeter, we subtract the terrain elevation and we get our Indicated Altitude. Its tough precision. In my case I always give myself an extra 1000ft and readjust as the ground approaches. This way the maneuver can still be carried out flawlessly.
Paulchac2 2 years ago
sounds like 'we' take video games way too seriously... too bad for you the difference from a pilot and your dumbass playing a video game is that their life is at risk.
godisgreatwwjd 2 years ago
Well, I did some extensive flight simulation training before taking on the real machine. I'm at risk too, however, it is somewhat safer on my end and my squad. We fly the f-18 which has two engines contrary to the singular one of the f-16. The CAR and CAF (Canadian air regulations and air force) are tremendously strict and these particular maneuvers could cease any pilot from ever flying again.
Paulchac2 2 years ago
I would like to live in your "reality" based life! The giveaway is in the way you speak of flying and the ignorance of your explanations! I thought the Canadians who actually fly the CF-18 referred to it as such...but what would I know having been to Cold Lake during Maple Flag and was corrected for my ignorance!
texdcd 2 years ago
These are in the show standard, thats what they do. I do understand, in squadrons, you would never do this that low or risky.
SideWinderVideos 2 years ago
I don't like these videos.
They drive me nuts!!
jazzcrazy1 2 years ago
I know the guy who crashed. I was right in front of it when he crashed. Yeah it was horrible...I go to every Mountain Home AirBase show. :] They are so funn. Anyway I was just sayin. Im a close family friend of the guy. My dad knows him quite well. But Ive only met him a couple times. -Jessikuh<3
devil2724 2 years ago
Want a cookie?
hurbt1980 2 years ago
HE thought fuck this i'm outta here...
cupomash 2 years ago 2
He thought he was flying a Su-35.
panictactics 2 years ago
i didn't say they didn't, brainiac. i just said the video was enlightening. reading comprehension. learn it.
geekdiggy 2 years ago
You didn't say that, either. You sounded surprised that they should know all that.
Bebbar 2 years ago
thunderbirds suckx n e wayzzzzzzzzzz
Some of you are dumb
joekuta 2 years ago
what an idiot to waist such a wonderful aircraft... he should have to pay for it...
groovee63 2 years ago
He did pay. He was transferred to a desk job after this.
wyo7011 2 years ago
heck yea, mtn home rocks!!! XD the home of the tigers!!! dude i saw that face to face it was crazzy!!!
songdemon 2 years ago
if u pauz at 6 seconds u can see the windsheid flying
blueblade9000 2 years ago
I saw the thunderbirds today at the jones beach airshow today!!!!!!!!!!!!! it was awesome!!!!
JoseKagan 2 years ago
i was there...i was in front row right next to where it happend my dad had to mob out to where it crashed
Zzodiac 2 years ago
Damn aero dynamics, you scary!
halokris13 3 weeks ago
Comment removed
halokris13 3 weeks ago
how it happened? it was a WOMAN flying the jet. thats all. ;-)
kLeRrks 2 months ago
We lost that money the second we built those pointless jets in the first place. Must be nice playing "acrobat" on the public dime. Our country is drowning in debt, but we MUST borrow billions from the Chinese for a "defense" budget as large as the next nine powers combined? And seven of those powers are allies? Our military is just a big government jobs program that builds nothing.
atomhammer1 2 months ago
In any airplane except one equipped with a superb modern ejection seat (such as a P-51 Mustang or an Extra 300, for example,) he would have paid the ultimate price for his mistake. I think he knows that, and that's good enough for me.
riderpoet 3 months ago
This boggles my mind. I don't know how the air force expects such from pilots being rush-trained in extreme performance aircraft and set out to combat. I think many of these pilots forget some of the simpler parts of flying.
aratidwell 5 months ago
OK. Maybe my words/opinion are not correct. (like my english skills XD) but i have to say, this is an accident. accidents happens. yesterday, today and tomorrow. the important thing is that the pilot is still alive! i don't understand people who write about nationality or money what you need to pay the damage. it was an airshow. people fly to have fun and many people come to watch and have fun. the airshow cost a lot of money without an accident! no one died at this accident! thats important!
EragonLea 5 months ago
i was there... it was crazy
TubularOnfire 5 months ago
i was there
KaseyJonesFTW 5 months ago
I saw the crash report. he is working a desk job now.
He forgot to change his ALT setting before doing the split S.
He went of MSL numbers he used on his home base.
this airfield was 1000 feet taller then that field. oops
iostream999 5 months ago
@iostream999 He's still flying and is one heck of a pilot. It's a one crime Air Force, not a one mistake Air Force, and he's a perfect example of that.
zackeone 4 months ago
AFTER THE CRASH....
"YOU DONT OWN THAT PLANE!!!!! THE TAXPAYERS DO!!!!!
SON YOUR EGO WROTE A CHECK YOUR BODY CAN'T CASH!!!!"
Psycolynch 6 months ago
This is one of the few commentaries I like.
stevethepilot 6 months ago
0:54 '20 million aircraft was loooost'
it's typical of stingy Americans to bitch and moan how much the equipment cost
RedgardH 6 months ago
@RedgardH LOL It almost costs that much to train the piolet! This is a military video, that is fact, simple information, not bitching! LOL
torro454 6 months ago
@RedgardH and your nationality?
k2477456 6 months ago
too bad they're not EVOLVED enough to not even have a military, let alone use old jet technology
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
This is the dumbest statement I've heard all day. Congrats. Want a cookie?
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 ahhh, i'm so glad you've educated me!
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
So far we have nothing that will out do jets in anything other than straight line speed.
Note - nobody else does either.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 and we all need to fight each other with bigger and louder inventions
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
Your sarcasm is the kind of attitude that gets people killed. He who sleeps alone dies ignorant.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 my attitude gets people killed. and your attitude saves people's lives, right sir? i sleep alone sometimes and i study all the time. wtf? go enjoy your creed, violence, and whatever else you're into... and kill me if you want to, i don't care. this planet is stupid
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda
You clearly are in high school or college. It's a figure of speech. It means the man that is not prepared for the unlikely, will die in the event that it happens.
noonedude101 6 months ago
@noonedude101 hope for the best and expect the worst, whatever can go wrong will go wrong, ok, thanks, i'll write a letter to Prudence.
andrespereyda 6 months ago
@andrespereyda That is called "Murphy's Law." Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong, at the worst possible time. Sometimes I swear it is true!
torro454 6 months ago
@torro454 i know it's called murphy's law
andrespereyda 6 months ago
the remains of this plane sold this week for scrap at 4600.00. govliquidation.
vk10024520 7 months ago
Talk about knowing your ejection envelope.
Guy at 2:00 is a staff sergeant, and thus, obviously, not a TB pilot.
xMKIVxVR6x 7 months ago
Did you see how calm he was, he was still holding the stick right up to the point of ejection!
stevilgates 8 months ago
@stevilgates that is for self-preservation, I'm guessing after he came off the top of the maneuver he knew he was pretty screwed. Also you can't really see his facial expression when he has the mask and visor on.
RainbowManification 7 months ago
Poor viper.
drbackjack 8 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
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1995mateen 8 months ago
stop bitching about amateur mistakt this, amateure mistake that, I had a instructor who crashed his plane last year, he is one of the best we have in our flying club and he very keen on details, he made a mistake and crashed, everyone makes mistakes, no matter if they are big or small, if you are a thunderbird pilot or not. That you belong to the elite in avation doesn't mean nothing bad can happen to you.
barrettrifles 8 months ago
@barrettrifles But mistakes sometimes mean lives. Mistakes shouldn't happen sometimes. You would feel different if a mistake ended your friend or relatives lives.
waterattack 8 months ago
whats up with septembers and planes :S
afgrocks123 9 months ago
No one mentions he's one inch less taller
polecat987 10 months ago
@polecat987 why is he shorter?
xLizzWizzx 9 months ago
@xLizzWizzx because of the compression force on the vertebrae, some say is temporal others permanent
polecat987 9 months ago
THIS IS WERE MATH MATTERS BIG TIME!!!!!!!!!!!
26873547 10 months ago 2
@MrUSAJAY - Everyone makes mistakes at some point, problem with being the Elite is that you think on the elite level and some times forgeti the amateur mistakes, so honestly i think they were hard on him big time, If you make a miscalculation yet still eject 1 second before you hit the floor and survive, then he is truly the elite as an amateur Pilot would have bailed as soon as possible. Being the Best can sometimes make you forget the most basic things, so they were infact hard on him.
spazzsquirrel 10 months ago
@spazzsquirrel Yeah but to make a mistake is one thing. To lose your jet is another thing altogether.
Camerameister 9 months ago
heres some evidence of an instant where if you suck at math you will die
C0vertSn1per 11 months ago
Ah damn that was some stong spunk.
VampiresDoRule 1 year ago
He jizzed his pants.
katiesdad7 1 year ago
@katiesdad7 you mean peed his pants
xLizzWizzx 9 months ago
I was there when that happened i'm not joking, i was there becuz my dad was one of the first people on the scene :D
kittygirl216 1 year ago
Great pilot with superb timing but one that makes stupid mistakes like not setting his altimeter correctly. 'Old and Bold pilots don't mix'! Probably arguing with his wife before he set off for work and his brain was elsewhere during the checks. Shit happens!
mustanglead 1 year ago
FIRED. :/
b4sshunt3rgg 1 year ago
I f any air force aircraft mechanic made a mistake like striklin did and caused a jet to crash. That mechanic would be court martialed and sent to leavenworth!
B17GMODEL 1 year ago