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Thunderbird emergency breakaway caught on video

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The Thunderbirds had a bit of a scare over LA County, causing the #6 to perform an emergency breakaway maneuver. A news helicopter caught the event on camera while broadcasting the flyover. The excitement happens at the 0:26 mark. (www.youtube.com) More...

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talktalatka
F A 12
Lead saw an aircraft to the left and quickly rolls wings level. 6 was left high. Textbook breakout execution - well done.
jbsimms
James Simms 8
I see Robert’s up to his usual “Positive” self today
Moviela
Ric Wernicke 6
They passed directly over my house at about 1000ft off the deck. It was LOUD and beautiful.
bsampson
Bill Sampson 8
Got to LOVE that jet noise
AviationGirl767
It’s one of my favorite sounds next to bald eagles screeching.
bbabis
bbabis 3
I would love to hear the T-Bird radio conversation during the event. Well done and nice recovery!
talktalatka
F A 4
Probably concise. Now, the debrief on the other hand....
darjr26
darjr26 3
The last part of the video they looked really out of sync and those announcers were idiots.
ba151
IMHO it appears the leader made the first jig to the right, followed by #3 and then the breakaway by #6.
skylane777
John Nichols 1
Number Four was talking with wingtips or got rattled. Reform was perfect. Jeez those dudes or dudettes can fly.

[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

[This comment has been downvoted. Show anyway.]

jbsimms
James Simms 25
The money was already allocated & they need to keep their flying skills sharp. Same goes for local F-16 & C-130 flyovers & B-52 flyovers. Those missions were already planned for training flights anyway. Just another Negative Nancy boy.

WhiteKnight77
WhiteKnight77 6
Exactly. The money for the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds are part of an allocation for air shows. Since most, if not all, air shows have been cancelled for the year, they are able to use such those funds for such. Also, military pilots/aircrew have to fly X number of hours a month to keep current as well as keep flight pay.

Any hours logged can be put down as training flight, it does not matter where or what they do. It can be logged as such. Those flights have been paid for as well by previously approved budget items.
JMARTINSON
JMARTINSON 20
Claiming the PPE shortage could be eliminated by grounding our flight display teams doesn't make you angry, it makes you dishonest.

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ghstark
Greg S 11
I'm calling you a pompous fool and an attention whore. Even people who agree with your politics don't want to read your rants in a Thunderbirds news story.

I'm also note that you have a child's view of economics.
666adt
And he's got a completely ignorant, MSM-driven (lack of) understanding what that "Mission Accomplished" banner was referring to.
hwh888
hwh888 -3
The pilot who started the roll to the right is in error. The right side wing man only course of action was to get out of the way by breaking away. The command was a slow roll left, all executed except one guy. I'm betting that pilot is under review as to what & why he did just the opposite.
OnTheAve
OnTheAve 2
Actually, from a frame-by-frame review it appears the lead plane wings were stable along with the one to the its immediate right. The other planes to the lead left and as well as the right most plane had started to a bank to the left with the right-most plane (the one that broke away later) banking left more than the others. Presumably, the plane to the immediate right of the lead was doing exactly what the lead was doing.

You will see this starting at the 0.23 mark continuing into the 0.24 mark.
ScottMason
Scott Mason 1
If you slow the video down, I think the #3 banked early and #6 got out of his way. I’m not a pilot so just wondering what really happened.
talktalatka
F A 1
Has the audio been put on the internet?

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