Page 110 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2024 - Online Magazine

Department of Defense, who cockpit, a battle is
managed both the Thunderbirds raging with stick
(Air Force) and Blue Angels and rudder, as
(Navy). We flew around 70 trips the pilot works to
during the February through keep the aircraft
November flying season.” in the proper
position. Clear air
The team’s practice area, turbulence over
Thunderbird Lake, lies within the a show site can
restricted airspace of the gunnery be described as a
ranges northwest of Nellis AFB. shaking, pounding,
Nellis operations require a vast, hammering
controlled airspace from which sensation that
all other planes are barred from forces the aircraft
flying. This restricted area is to go where you do wing and was flying behind
the “training camp” for all new not want it to go! The diamond the diamond as an observer on
pilots who join the team. With the formation is often like a car my last flight. It was a clear day
grueling G forces that are pulled forced to rush at breakneck speed over Thunderbird Lake, and the
and held in 360 degree turns and over a road full of ruts, potholes, team had had a very successful
the constant back stick pressure and ditches.” practice. The last maneuver
that is required from 200 to 600 was the “pitch up to land”—
knots in the diamond formation, Because the show requires where each member pitches
there is constant movement of the the ultimate in precision, the up in one-second intervals for
stick, rudders, and throttle to stay slightest change can cause a major landing. This provides some
in formation. Homer once made problem. For instance: “This separation between each aircraft
a movie of his movements during happened in a show during a while landing. All members had
a roll. He was surprised to see change from the diamond to trail acknowledged the pitch up. I
his feet on the rudders, his right formation. After Robby made was still flying in the trail of the
hand on the flying control stick, the call to change, I (on the right diamond and saw a blur between
and his left hand on the throttle— wing) and Willie (on the left two of the aircraft. The timing
all in motion, and all moving in wing) were moving into the trail was off between John, the slot
different circles. position. Robby’s aircraft was pilot, and Chuck, the right wing.
pulled up by a turbulent draft
“The canyon walls of and caught my left wing bending John caught Chuck on the front of
Thunderbird Lake absorb the the wing tip—three feet straight his aircraft and tore off his pilot
sounds of afterburners going up. I told Robby what happened, boom—which shows air speed in
off during practice sessions. but the aircraft was flying OK, the cockpit. Since Chuck did not
The radio transmissions ring so Robby decided to finish the have a readable airspeed, Willie,
out: ‘nose coming up,’ ‘and show with the bomb burst. After on the left wing, came over,
the pull,’ ‘smoke on now,’ AB landing, I taxied behind a hangar and Chuck flew on his wing,
(afterburner) now,’ ‘rolling right,’ so the public would not see the back to Nellis. I caught up with
‘smoke on,’ ‘smoke off,’ ‘pitch up bent-up wing. The maintenance John's aircraft and observed his
left—acknowledge,’ ‘two left,’ team immediately replaced the vertical stabilizer (rudder) was
‘three left,’ ‘four left,’ all coming 36-inch wing tip with a new one. gone when he hit the right-wing
from the leader as he directs the Hardly anyone noticed, even aircraft. We climbed to 22,000 feet
greatest shows on Earth! though it had not been painted to check the aircraft to see how
red, white, and blue.” it would fly on landing. When
“From the ground, observers are he lowered the landing gear,
astounded by the four gleaming On another occasion: “I finished the aircraft went into a violent
aircraft gracefully sliding and my normal tour on the right spin. John tried to recover from
gliding through the air. But in the the spin by reducing the throttle

110 Lubbock Senior Link