USAF Thunderbird Aircraft Mishap
According to the US Air Force Thunderbirds’ Facebook page, they lost one of their pilots and aircraft yesterday;
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. – A U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot was killed when his F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed over the Nevada Test and Training Range today at approximately 10:30 a.m. during a routine aerial demonstration training flight. The identity of the pilot is being withheld for 24-hours pending next of kin notification. An investigation is being conducted into the cause of the mishap.
The team’s participation at the March Air Reserve Base “The March Field Air & Space Expo” has been cancelled. It is unknown how this accident will impact the remainder of the 2018 Thunderbirds Season.
Gravity seems to be taking it’s toll on the military these days. I blame Global Warming.
Category: Air Force
May God grant the pilot, the team, and their families comfort in their grief.
That is sad…..as far as the team is concerned I am sure they have people anxious to fly with them standing by!
Why are some people calling the aircraft a Viper? Is it just people that don’t know any better, or does the Thunderbirds’ aircraft have a special designation?
Asking for a friend that hasn’t had enough coffee…ok me, I’m asking for me.
It’s one of the names for F-16s, along with Fighting Falcon
https://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/f-16v-viper-fighting-falcon-multi-role-fighter/
The official name is Fighting Falcon. It is known by several unofficial nicknames to include Viper, Lawn Dart, Electric Jet, etc.
The USAF has been inconsistent in assigning official names. The F-111 the Air Force out growth of the TFX program of the 60s, never had an official name but became known unofficially as the Aardvark, and the EF-111 variant picked up the unofficial Sparkvark.
The E-3 AWACS is officially the Sentry, while the E-8 JSTARS or Joint STARS hasno official name.
When I was in AFROTC I remember them calling the F-111 the switchblade.
The last day the F-111 was in service, 27 July 1996, the Air Force officially named the F-111 Aardvark. Yes, I found it in Wikipedia.
It’s like the official name of the A-10 is the Thunderbolt II, but most people know it by the affectionate name Warthog.
When the Navy aggressor pilots at Top Gun flew the souped up stripped down F-16N, they also referred to it as the Viper. Pretty much standard fighter pilot nickname for the F-16.
Where is the Navy Top Gun school now? When I was stationed at Miramar NAS, they were there, but that base has been made into a Marine Corp air base now?
The F-16 was known as a Viper well before it was officially named the Fighting Falcon. Looking at it from the nose, it looks like a Viper. The reason the Air Force did not name it a Viper is because they did not want their front line fighter to be named after a snake. Yes, they recently came out with a new version of the F-16 they call a Viper but that is not to be confused with what I wrote above. It has always been a Viper.
Sadly pushing aircraft to the edge means someone goes over every once in a while.
Condolences to his family, friends, and unit.
A bad week for Military Aviation, sad.
Defying gravity is always an inherently risky proposition, even for the best of aviators.
Gravity is a bitch and she works EVERY time.
Rest in peace young Warrior.
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