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First-Hand Account of Thunderbirds Mishap at Dayton
By Mike Heilman
The United States Air Force Thunderbirds Demonstration Team experienced a near-tragic aircraft mishap at the Dayton International Airport a day before the 43rd annual air show. The Thunderbird’s mishap occurred in very rainy conditions as remnants of tropical storm Cindy pushed through the Dayton area.
Lt. Col. Jason Heard, Thunderbird Commander, explains what happened: “The United States Thunderbirds were conducting a single ship familiarization flight Friday, June 23, 2017. Upon landing there was a mishap at the Dayton International Airport with our F-16D “Fighting Falcon” at approximately 12:20 p.m. The plane sustained damage. The pilot and his passenger, a tactical aircraft maintainer, were taken to a local hospital where they are receiving care and are currently in good condition.”
Red Flag: "The First Ten Missions"
By Richard VanderMeulen
Red Flag tracks its existence and basic format to lessons learned during the Vietnam War, when United States Air Force analysts noted a dramatic drop in mission survivability and dropping success rates among USAF pilots. According to past Red Flag sources, “After Vietnam we figured out that if you survived the first ten missions your chance of survival went up dramatically. Red Flag simulates the first ten missions a pilot flies in combat.” Red Flag however allows pilots to fly those first ten missions in a learning environment where the only missiles they face are represented in computer models and the closest they come to dying is hearing “you’re dead” on the radio.