Airshows

The Royal Canadian Air Force has confirmed that Snowbirds Public Affairs Officer Capt. Jennifer Casey has been killed and pilot Captain Richard MacDougall is in serious condition after a CT-114 of the Snowbirds demo team crashed on May 17, 2020.  

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has confirmed that Snowbirds’ Public Affairs Officer (PAO) Capt. Jennifer Casey has been killed and pilot Captain Richard MacDougall is in serious condition after a CT-114 of the Snowbirds demo team crashed on May 17, 2020.  

‘It is with heavy hearts that we announce that one member of the CF Snowbirds team has died and one has sustained injuries. We can confirm that we have contacted all primary family members of those involved. More information will be communicated in the near future,’ the service said on its Facebook page.

‘Our previous statement indicated that the surviving member of the crash suffered serious injuries, we can confirm that their injuries are not considered life-threatening.

‘Today, the #RCAF has suffered another tragic loss of a dedicated member of the RCAF team and #CFSnowbirds. We grieve alongside Jenn’s family, friends, and colleagues and are deeply saddened. Our thoughts also go out to the loved ones of Captain Richard MacDougall. We hope for a swift recovery from his injuries.’

As reported, on May 17, 2020, a Canadian Armed Forces CT-114 Tutor aircraft belonging to the Snowbirds demonstration team crashed in Kamloops, BC.

After the takeoff, the aircraft climbed into the sky before rolling over and plunging to the ground.

Sunday’s crash occurred the same day the Snowbirds were scheduled to make a trip from Kamloops to Kelowna as part of Operation Inspiration, a cross-country tour aimed at boosting the morale of Canadians struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

This crash was the second involving one of the aircraft of the aerobatic team in less than a year (the May 17 crash in fact follows the downing of another team’s CT-114 in the US state of Georgia last October, where the team was scheduled to perform in an air show. Capt. Kevin Domon-Grenier sustained minor injuries when he was ejected from the Tutor).

Photo by Royal Canadian Air Force

On May 17, 2020, a Canadian Armed Forces CT-114 Tutor aircraft belonging to the Snowbirds demonstration team crashed in Kamloops, BC.

On May 17, 2020, a Canadian Armed Forces CT-114 Tutor aircraft belonging to the Snowbirds demonstration team crashed in Kamloops, BC.

According to the Kamloops Airport, emergency crews were responding to the crash as defense officials were scrambling for details about the incident, the second involving one of the aircraft of the aerobatic team in less than a year (the May 17 crash follows the downing of another team’s CT-114 in the US state of Georgia last October, where the team was scheduled to perform in an air show. Capt. Kevin Domon-Grenier sustained minor injuries when he was ejected from the Tutor).

As reported by CP24, Sunday’s crash occurred the same day the Snowbirds were scheduled to make a trip from Kamloops to Kelowna as part of Operation Inspiration, a cross-country tour aimed at boosting the morale of Canadians struggling with the COVID-19 pandemic.

The video in this post shows two Snowbirds’ CT-114 taking off from what is believed to have been Kamloops Airport.

One of the aircraft subsequently climbed into the sky before rolling over and plunging to the ground. The video appears to show at least one person ejecting from the plane before it disappears behind a stand of trees and an explosion is heard.

The BC Coroners Service has not confirmed a fatality

“A Canadian Forces Snowbirds aircraft has crashed in the vicinity of Kamloops, B.C.,” the Department of National Defence said in a statement.

“This is a developing situation. Our number one priority at this time is determining the status of our personnel, the community, and supporting emergency personnel. When appropriate, more information will be made available.”

Officially known as the Canadian Forces 431 Air Demonstration Squadron, the Snowbirds are Canada’s demonstration team whose purpose is to “demonstrate the skill, professionalism, and teamwork of Canadian Forces personnel”.

The team flies 11 CT-114 Tutors, nine for aerobatic performances, including two solo aircraft, and two for spares, flown by the team coordinators. Approximately 80 Canadian Forces personnel work with the squadron full-time.

The Snowbirds, which have been performing since 1971, continue the flying demonstration tradition of previous Canadian aerobatic teams, which include the Siskins, the Blue Devils, the Golden Hawks, and the Golden Centennaires.

H/T Andrew Timmerman from Finn Aviation Photography

Dramatic footage features one of the US Air Force Thunderbirds taking evasive action to avoid a midair incident during a Los Angeles flyover.

Dramatic footage taken on May 15 from a news helicopter and available on the Dailymail website, features one of the US Air Force (USAF) Thunderbirds taking evasive action to avoid a midair incident during a Los Angeles flyover to support frontline workers.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO.

As the formation banked left, Thunderbird #6 Opposing Solo pilot Capt. Kyle Oliver on the far right of the delta formation suddenly broke away. 

In fact according to Aerobatic Teams, as the formation was making a left turn, Thunderbird #1 Lt. Col. John Caldwell made a slight correction turn that led Thunderbird 3 to make a further adjustment too, and Thunderbird 6 to completely pull away from the formation to avoid a potential collision. 

The rest of the six-ship delta formation also loses its shape. After a few more seconds, Thunderbirds return to its tight delta shape. In addition, after a few more seconds, they start a left turn.

Probably Thunderbird #1 started the left turn too earlier and then he corrected the straight flying, but too quickly and probably without notice the entire formation.

Noteworthy the US Navy Blue Angels experienced an incident too while performing a flyby over Detroit.

Many metro Detroiters saw it and took pictures and videos. 

But according to Fox2 Detroit one video circulating the internet right now shows a specific view that’s too close for comfort. 

The following video is from a drone and looks incredible, But, unfortunately, it’s also incredibly dangerous and likely illegal.

During high-profile events like this, there are things called TFRs, or temporary flight restrictions, for drone pilots. That means you cannot fly there. 

The FAA says the incident was reported to them and that they are investigating. 

Photo by Bloomberg QuickTake/YouTube via Dailymail

The F-16 Venom features black snake scales across its back and up the tail. The yellow used by the team for its logo is used to highlight the tail code and markings.

The US Air Force F-16 Viper Demo Team, unveiled a stunning new paint scheme for their primary demonstration jet (F-16CM 94-0047/SW of 77th FS ) on May 8, 2020, at their home base of Shaw Air Force Base (AFB), South Carolina.

Christened “Venom,” the jet features black snake scales across its back and up the tail. The yellow used by the team for its logo is used to highlight the tail code and markings.

The F-16 Viper Demo Team said on its Facebook Page: ‘We have been working on something special since December 2019 for the 2020 airshow season. While it was scheduled to be completed in March, due to the covid-19 pandemic we paused production to ensure the safety of our crews, but we’re now proud to introduce you to ‘VENOM’. The snake scales across the body of the aircraft fit the namesake of the jet and our signature black and yellow colors feature prominently from nose to tail. We wanted to undertake this project to make a special experience for our fans across the country and to inspire patriotic Americans to serve in the Air Force. Thank you to our wingmen at Shaw Air Force Base corrosion for sharing the enthusiasm for our design and making it a reality.’

Since most of the airshows of the 2020 season have already been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic we have to wait to admire the new paint scheme. However, there’s no need to panic about missing out: the team plans to fly this aircraft for at least three years!

The Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demo Team performs precision aerial maneuvers to demonstrate the capabilities of one of the US Air Force’s premier multi-role fighters, the F-16 Fighting Falcon. The team also works with the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation to create a unique demonstration of the US Air Force’s past and present, exhibiting the professional qualities the Air Force develops in the people who fly, maintain, and support these aircraft.

Photo by USAF

Check out the roll of Maj. Zane J. Taylor, Thunderbird #4 does near the end for foreign objects or debris. This is done before every demonstration to ensure nothing is loose in the cockpit and the maneuvers can be performed safely.

Taken at the 2019 Dayton Air Show, the cool video in this post features Thunderbirds’ diamond loop on takeoff.

Check out the roll of Maj. Zane J. Taylor, Thunderbird #4 does near the end for foreign objects or debris. According to the Team’s Official Facebook Page, this is done before every demonstration to ensure nothing is loose in the cockpit and the maneuvers can be performed safely.

The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, performs precision aerial maneuvers demonstrating the capabilities of Air Force high-performance aircraft to people throughout the world. The squadron exhibits the professional qualities the Air Force develops in the people who fly, maintain, and support these aircraft.

A Thunderbirds air demonstration is a mix of formation flying and solo routines. The four-aircraft diamond formation demonstrates the training and precision of Air Force pilots, while the solo aircraft highlight the maximum capabilities of the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The pilots perform approximately 30 maneuvers in a demonstration. The entire show, including ground and air, runs about an hour and fifteen minutes. The season lasts from March to November, with the winter months used to train new members.

 

Diamond Loop on Takeoff

Todays Diamond Loop on Takeoff! Check out the roll Thunderbird #4 does near the end for foreign objects or debris. This is done before every demonstration to ensure nothing is loose in the cockpit and the maneuvers can be performed safely.Vectren Dayton Air Show Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio U.S. Air Force Recruiting United States Air Force

Posted by Air Force Thunderbirds on Friday, June 21, 2019

‘During that pass, we had “13 fireballs” come out of the SR-71’s exhaust. It looked beautiful, and people wanted to know if it could be done again,’ former Blackbird RSO, Lt. Col. Doug Soifer.

Taken at RAF Mildenhall in 1986, the famous, cool photo in this post features an SR-71 Blackbird Mach 3 spy plane creating a spectacular ball of flames while performing at the Air Fete Air Show.

Former Blackbird RSO, Lt. Col. Doug Soifer, tells about the accidental making of this unique SR-71 picture in Richard H. Graham’s book SR-71 Revealed The Inside Story.

‘On our very first TDY to Mildenhall, MikenSmith [the pilot] and I were lucky enough to be there for Air Fete—the big annual air show at Mildenhall. We got to fly the first day and thought we did a good job. During the 20-minute sortie, we had a really hard kick during one pass when we went to the afterburner and pulled up tight. We didn’t think much about it until we landed and were overwhelmed by people as we stepped off the jet and asked us what we did. We had no idea what they were talking about until someone brought over his camcorder and showed us the tape.

‘During that pass we had “13nfireballs” come out of the plane’s exhaust. It looked beautiful, and people wanted to know if it could be done again. They used the picture of us with the flames coming out for the next year’s Air Fete poster. Mike and I became known as the “Fireball Twins.” The maintenance people figured it was the TEB [triethylborane] shooting out of its container and igniting the JP-7. With that start, we had an exciting six weeks in England.’

The SR-71 burned JP-7 fuel. A one-of-a-kind fuel that used an additive to raise its flash point so the fuel would not break down at extreme temperatures. In an emergency situation, crews were authorized to refuel with JP-4 or JP-5, however, this limited the aircraft to Mach 1.5. These emergency fuels were to be used only if the crew was low on fuel and had to use any tanker he could find to avoid the loss of the aircraft.

To ignite the JP-7 for engine start, and to light, the afterburner section, a liquid chemical ignition system was used. Talk about “unique!” The liquid chemical, triethyl borane (TEB), had the physical property of exploding when exposed to air. Mounted on each engine was a sealed tank, inerted with nitrogen gas, and filled by maintenance with 600ccnof TEB prior to each flight. During engine start, the rising fuel pressure in the fuel control signaled the ignition system that a metered amount of TEB could be injected into the engine combustion section after the pilot moved the throttle from the cut-off to the idle position. Preceded slightly by fuel, the TEB exploded and ignited the JP-7. Anyone watching an engine start from behind the aircraft could see the tell-tale green flash of the TEB exploding, igniting the engine.

Each time a throttle was lifted up and moved forward into the afterburner range, another metered shot of TEB would light the AB fuel. Each engine’s tank contained enough TEB for at least 16nmetered shots to light either the engine or afterburners. Located on the throttle quadrant was TEB remaining counters for each throttle, reset to 16 by maintenance or crews, and mechanically clicked down a number every time the throttle was moved to start the engine or the AB was lit. The ABs are lit hard and rarely together. In the event you ran out of TEB or had a leaking tank, the afterburner could be lit by a catalytic ignitor. The catalytic ignitors are made up of a ceramic disk and two sets of pure platinum screening disks. When the turbine gets hot, the platinum glows and allows afterburner fuel to light off. Since the SR-71 cruised in AB, its AB throttle range was relatively large, allowing for vernier control at all speeds.

The aircraft performance charts provided data for “minimum,” “mid-range,” and “maximum” afterburner throttle positions.

Photo by US Gov Employee via Wikipedia

The RCAF also announced they will not be supporting any airshows or special events until at least Apr. 30.

The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Hornet used by the service CF-18 Demonstration Team will not feature a special paint scheme this year because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

The team in fact announced on its Facebook page:

‘To our demo team fans – Unfortunately, in order to enable the Canadian Armed Forces to prepare for COVID-19, current Royal Canadian Air Force tasks have been limited to only those that support critical operations, which means that this year’s #cf18demo jet will not feature a distinctive paint scheme.
⠀⠀⠀
‘However, we will continue to feature a theme honoring the legacy of #airpower and the 75 years since the end of the Second World War, as well as the 50th season of the Canadian Forces Snowbirds in the team’s 2020 patches and brochures.’

The RCAF also announced they will not be supporting any airshows or special events until at least Apr. 30.

‘In an effort to minimize the impact of COVID-19 and to prioritize the health and safety of our personnel, the Royal Canadian Air Force is suspending all support to air shows and other special events until April 30, 2020.’

Since Snowbird and CF-18 seasons do not start until June ‘teams’ schedules are not affected. However, we continue to monitor the situation and, if required, will take the necessary action to protect our personnel and the general public as recommended by the Public Health Agency of Canada.
‘While we are still planning for the 2020 air show season, we are continuously assessing the global situation and remain ready to adapt as needed.’

The US Air Force (USAF) has a similar policy in place that runs until May 15.

Photo by Royal Canadian Air Force

In August 1969, the Phantom demonstrated its ability to exceed the speed of sound at Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.

The McDonnell two-place, twinjet, all-weather F-4 Phantom II, with top speeds more than twice that of sound, was one of the most versatile fighters ever built. It served in the first line of more Western air forces than any other jet. Just 31 months after its first flight, the F-4 was the U.S. Navy’s fastest, highest-flying, and longest-range fighter. It first flew on May 27, 1958, and entered service in 1961.

F-4s saw combat in both the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Storm and served with the air forces of 11 countries in addition to the U.S. Both U.S. military flight demonstration teams, the Navy Blue Angels and the Air Force Thunderbirds, flew the Phantom II from 1969 to 1973.

The F-4 allowed the Blue Angels to perform the Dirty Loop maneuver on takeoff, in which the aircraft’s landing gear and flaps are left down, while they climb directly into a loop. The maneuver highlighted the Phantom’s raw power. Teal Leader Bill Wheat recalls in Nicholas A. Veronico’s book The Blue Angels a Fly-By History: “We could just leave the gear and flaps down and go right up over the top after takeoff.”

Because the Phantoms were faster, the BluenAngels were also able to add enough maneuvers to fill a 22-minute demonstration.

In August 1969, the Phantom demonstrated its ability to exceed the speed of sound at Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada.nWheat said, “We were practicing over the waterfront area. There are mountains on either side and a straight flight line above the waterfront and the center of town. We were practicing the crossing maneuver where we broke apart at altitude, and we came down and crossed in front of the crowd from four different directions. Ernie Christensen was flying number three and VincenDonile was flying number two. When Christensen saw that Donile was going to be late for the crossover, he told him to hustle. When he told him that, Donilenput it into a burner and didn’t quite take it out in time, and he broke the sound barrier right at the crossing. He made the cross, but we knocked all of the windows out for eight city blocks.

“The mayor’s office sat right on thenwaterfront looking out on a nice beautiful park and water. We had been in hisnoffice earlier in the day to receive a key to the city, and I’m sorry to say his whole 8-foot by 10-foot glass window was knocked out.

“They had a parade scheduled for the next day and they had to cancel that. All the windows were boarded up when we drove downtown,” Wheat recalled. There were signs on the boarded-up windows saying ‘Yankee Go Home: So I got the city fathers together that nightnand told them it was an error, a mistake that we would not make again if theynwould please let us fly. I told them we would fly very safely and sane—a good air show. Thankfully, they said OK. We flew a beautiful air show for them the next day. It was rather embarrassing to say the least.’

The cool video in this post features the Blue Angels flying the mighty Phantom. Nearly always the team kept the F-4 back seat empty for flight demonstrations.

Photo by U.S. Navy

Taken last August at Oshkosh during AirVenture 2019 the interesting video in this post features the wheels of the C-5M Super Galaxy that took part in the air show taking fire after overheating brakes during landing.

Taken last August at Oshkosh during AirVenture 2019 the interesting video in this post features the wheels of the C-5M Super Galaxy that took part in the air show taking fire after overheating brakes during landing.

The issue, which was due to a leaky hydraulic line, was fixed in a few hours giving the mighty FRED the chance to fly back home safely.

Despite its massive size, the C-5 is able to operate on runways 6,000 feet long (1,829 meters), quite an impressive (especially for its size) capability.

The C-5 has a greater capacity than any other airlifter. It has the ability to carry 36 standard pallets and 81 troops simultaneously. The Galaxy is also capable of carrying any of the Army‘s air-transportable combat equipment, including such bulky items as the 74-ton mobile scissors bridge. Ground crews are able to load and offload the C-5 simultaneously at the front and rear cargo openings, reducing cargo transfer times. Other features of the C-5 are:
– Five sets of landing gear totaling 28 wheels to distribute weight
– Nose and aft doors that open the full width and height of the cargo compartment to permit faster and easier loading
– A “kneeling” landing gear system that permits lowering the parked aircraft to facilitate     drive-on/drive-off vehicle loading and adjusts the cargo floor to a standard truck-bed height
– Full-width drive-on ramps at each end for loading double rows of vehicles
– A maintenance diagnostics system that records and analyzes data from more than 800 (C-5A) and 7000 (C-5M) test points, reducing maintenance/repair time.

A Pakistan Air Force fighter pilot died on Mar. 11, 2020, when his F-16 jet crashed in a wooded area near Islamabad during a rehearsal for the upcoming Pakistan Day parade.

As the shocking video in this post shows, a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) fighter pilot died on Mar. 11, 2020, when his F-16 jet crashed in a wooded area near Islamabad during a rehearsal for the upcoming Pakistan Day parade in the capital, the country’s air force said in a statement.

The service also pointed out that there were no casualties on the ground or damage to property.

According to the Associated Press, Pakistan’snPresident Afif Alvi expressed his condolences to the family of the pilot, who has been identified as Noman Akram.

The US-built F-16 was taking part in rehearsals for a Pakistan Day airshow and parade planned for Mar. 23, according to a statement by the PAF.

“Rescue teams have been dispatched towards the site of the crash,” the statement said, adding that “ a board of inquiry has been ordered by Air Headquarters to determine the cause of the accident”.

A video that appeared on social media featured a large plume of smoke billowing into the sky after the plane hit the ground, after having apparently attempted a loop.

A second security official speaking on condition of anonymity also confirmed the crash.

With a fleet of about 50 F-16s, the Vipersnare among the most valuable defense tools in the Pakistani military’s arsenal.

On Feb. 27, 2019, two PAF F-16s, one F-16AM Block 15 MLU (S. No. 92731), were flown by Wg. Cdr. Nauman Ali Khan, Officer Commanding (OC) No. 29 ‘Aggressor’ Squadron, and one F-16BM Block 15 MLU (S. No. 92606), flown by Sqn. Ldr. Hassan Mehmood Siddiqui, both aircraft from No. 11 ‘Arrows’ Squadron, shot down two Indian Air Force fighters, one MiG-21 Bison (from No. 51 Squadron, flown by Wg. Cdr. Abhinandan Varthaman, the Squadron’s OC) and one Su-30MKI (from No. 221 Squadron, call sign “Avenger”) over Kashmir using AIM-120C AMRAAMs. These were the first air-to-air kills using beyond-visual-range (BVR) missiles in South Asia. India disputes the loss of the Su-30MKI and instead claimed the downing of an F-16. The only confirmed loss from the engagement was the MiG-21.