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Thunderbird 4 AAIB final report

Posted: 18 Oct 2018, 20:08
by MIKE JG
Here is the full AAIB report of the accident that took the life of Thunderbird #4, Maj. Stephen Del Bagno. :cry:

https://media.defense.gov/2018/Oct/16/2 ... REPORT.PDF

Worth the read if you have the time. Makes me really, really appreciate what these guys do on a daily basis.

Re: Thunderbird 4 AAIB final report

Posted: 21 Oct 2018, 14:42
by Victory103
Tough read,knowing how much these guys train on and off duty, all the former fighter guys I know are big into cardio. Lost the previous AIB link in 2014 where I would read all the reports. I had heard that due to the F-16 requiring the 9G centrifuge qual, many Guard guys just get too "old" to fly them.

Re: Thunderbird 4 AAIB final report

Posted: 22 Oct 2018, 02:24
by MIKE JG
I've heard more than one Guard guy say it's a "young man's" airplane, seems like a lot of them end up with neck issues from always straining to look over their shoulder.

What gets me about this accident is that he went from -2 G's to +8 in about 6 seconds. Not sure anyone could withstand that without losing consciousness.