Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: DaveBB on November 19, 2016, 08:52:22 AM

Title: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: DaveBB on November 19, 2016, 08:52:22 AM

In 2003 a USAF Thunderbird took off for a demonstration in Colorado.  Immediately after taking off, the plane went into a climb, then Split-S'd into the ground.  The pilot ejected well beyond the official parameters of the ejection seat, far too low and with too much rate of decent.  Miraculously he wasn't injured.

I love the picture of Thunderbird pilot Capt Chris Stricklin as he is ejecting.  It's such a high resolution photo with amazing details.  Heat streaming nearly vertically off the jet, nose high angle of attack,  ejection seat slightly angled to avoid the tail, canopy flying off.  It's just a really cool photo. 

So I decided to look up the pilot.  His name is Chris Stricklin, at the time he was a Capt.  I was actually pretty worried that the USAF would have destroyed his career purposely.  After the crash, he was transferred to an Aggressor squadron.  He only stayed there for a few months.  Then he went on to be somewhat of a liaison officer coordinating coalition airstrikes (this is during the height of the Iraq War and War on Terror).  During the same time, and slightly afterwards, he was also a UAV pilot.  Then in 2008 he became a T-38 instructor pilot, eventually becoming commander of the 49th Training Squadron.  He went on to some other high level positions before becoming deputy commander of a U-2/Global Hawk recon squadron.  Where he currently still is, as a Colonel.

So I'm glad to see the USAF can be forgiving for a little mistake.  Going from Capt to Colonel in 13 years and being a vice commander of a squadron.  My curiosity is satiated. 

(http://www.ejectionsite.com/eyewitness/tbirdejectdownthroatsm1.jpg)

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: Puma44 on November 20, 2016, 10:12:49 AM

This actually occurred at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho.

http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article842.html

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: zack1234 on November 20, 2016, 02:16:03 PM

Making the decision to eject that's a decision and a half :)

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: FLOOB on November 21, 2016, 02:39:08 AM

Publicity stunt.

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: GScholz on November 21, 2016, 08:58:39 AM

Quote from: FLOOB on November 21, 2016, 02:39:08 AM

Publicity stunt.

Exactly! After all the successful Russian ejection seat demonstrations the USAF thought it was about time to show the crowds the ACES II in action.

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: Vraciu on December 04, 2016, 02:32:35 PM

This was one of those COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO ANYONE mistakes.  The team changed its SOP on altimeter settings and/or callouts as a result.

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: Vraciu on December 05, 2016, 10:22:46 AM

http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article968.html

Title: Re: Ever wondered what happened to the Thunderbird pilot who Split-S'd too low ?
Post by: Puma44 on December 06, 2016, 07:57:07 PM

http://www.f-16.net/f-16-news-article842.html