A good read - Thunderbird manual

[Nige321]

If anyone fancies a bit of bedtime reading, have a look at this...

http://www.airforce.com/thunderbirds/librarysupport.htm

its the manual for anyone organising a USAF Thunderbirds display - Its a wonder they ever perform anywhere...;)

Nige

[BEagle]

Hilarious, isn't it. I liked this bit:

"Please reserve 35 single and 30 double rooms. This requirement includes billeting for the Thunderbird traveling team and the flight crew of our support aircraft. If double rooms are not available, our room requirement will be approximately 90 single rooms."

Plus the requirement for 32 vehicles, parking space for 150 'guests' plus other hangars-on. Even the narrator, his crew chief plus ego need a whole 15 seat minivan plus full size sedan just for the 2 of them!

The 75 minute 'show' includes 30 min flying.......

And they mustn't attend any social function after 1900!!

[Nige321]

Here's a couple more gems...

RE: Flights for the media...
The station manager must also assure the
Thunderbirds and the U.S. Air Force that the coverage will be handled
in a professional, dignified way (no stories mentioning vomiting or
passing out)....

We must take engine oil samples after each flight. These are
analyzed and the results returned before our F-16s fly again. We carry
a Spectroil Jr. oil-analysis machine for this purpose.

....it is mandatory
that all surfaces (runways, taxiways, and ramps) be thoroughly
swept prior to our arrival.
(1) If your airport maintenance facilities do not possess a vacuum
sweeper, it will be necessary to make arrangements to obtain one. We
cannot emphasize enough the importance of this requirement.
(2) If a brush-style sweeper is used, ensure the bristles are not
made of steel.....

[Gainesy]

The actual flying portion is 30 minutes long. Please allow 10 minutes after our aircraft engines have been shut down and our pilots have deplaned before beginning any other activities.

Quite the Prima Donnas. :rolleyes:

[con-pilot]

Boy, you guys never miss a chance do you. I guess the Red Arrows sleep in tents at airshows or on the ground under the airplanes. I also assume that the RAF does not care about FOD problems on their aircraft?

I have had the privilege of working with the Thunderbirds and the Blue Angels and let me assure you that they are very, very, very professional and except for one or two guys great to get along with in spite being in a situation that could create a huge ego. They will spend hours signing autographs for children and they always, and I mean always visit children’s wards and hospitals in every city they perform in without fail.

In every airshow in the United States the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels always perform last, in other words they close the show. Therefore there is no reason to have any other activity after their performance.

They are NOT a bunch of Prima Donnas! Just another cheap shot.
:rolleyes:

[Rhino power]

My heroes:hmm: :yuk:

Regards, RP

[Bill O'Average]

Con, may I suggest you read Viz, Farside, Beano, Dandy and other good lit on the subject of comedy.

For your viewing pleasure, may I suggest Monty Python, Blackadder and Steptoe and son. This will partialy equip you to understand ribbing, witty quips and other humourous things. Do not rely on Benny Hill to fulfil your Brit humour needs.

And, relax................

[Always_broken_in_wilts]

Con...........I bow down:E ......and apologise on behalf of all us pi@@ takin brits:rolleyes:

all spelling mistakes are "df" alcohol induced

[BEagle]

And do learn to pronounce 'Benny Hill' correctly, con-pilot old chap. Same goes for Robin Hood - the stress is on the second word, not the first.

Once you've mastered those, try 'aluminium'. Not hard that - you'll note that it isn't spelled 'aluminum'.....

As for the fawning saluting $hit that goes on for 30 minutes before the Thunderturkeys get airborne? Well, let's just say that it's not exactly the high spot of any air display. But don't we just love "Flying Thunderbird X up into the great Texas sky is Captain Jose Jimenez. He graduated (from - you never remember prepositions) Such-and-such University after playing college football before entering the AF Academy in 199x, then after training was assigned to the xxth Tac Fighter Wing flying the F-15 Eagle......." About the only thing missing is ".....and attends the church at Happytown every Sunday, is nice to little animals and small children and does not, repeat not, own a Desert Eagle Point Five-Oh, a souped-up pick-up truck with shotgun rack, 108" antenna, roof spots and one eyed dog - or brew 'shine in the hills of Kentucky with his half-witted half-brother Billie-Bob"

Sorry-was on a roll there. Yanks will never really understand Brit humour. That's 'humour', by the way, not 'humor'. You pronounce the 'h'. As you do in 'herbs' - it's not 'uurrbs'....

Actually the T-Birds and Blues are pretty good. Shame about all the sycophantic bull**** which surrounds them though.

But why NINETY rooms?

Have a nice day........;)








Missing you already.....:yuk:

[MightyGem]

ALL display team pilots are prima donnas. It goes with the job. ;)

[TheNightOwl]

Jeez, BEags, we don't much like "septics", do we? The primary dislike I developed for the USAF procedures was when we hosted the 1981 TAC BOMBING COMPETITION at Lossie. While most others had the "kick the tyres, light the fires and barrel off into the wild blue yonder" approach, the Yanks had to start in unison, marshal in unison, turn onto the peri-track in unison, salute the departing crew in unison, I began to believe they even went for a pee in unison!! Bloody good flyers, though, 16Sqn from Hill AFB wiped us all off the map.
What a week!

Kind regards,

TheNightOwl.:ok:

[reynoldsno1]

'aluminum'.....
...named as spelt by Humphrey Davy, a resident of Truro, Cornwall, England. The additional "i" was added later, presumably after the word had already crossed the Atlantic...

[West Coast]

I suppose in the Thunderbirds defense, at least I know they will be around in the near future. From the sounds of it, the Red Arrows might not be able to make the same claim.

[BEagle]

Yes - whatever banter might fly at them, the T-birds' future seems very secure. Can't imagine anyone daring to question that! Same goes for the Blues.

National pride. We also had that once - sometime just before political correctness and trendy leftie governments.:yuk:

[Exmil]

I've not had the pleasure of reading the T-bird manual; will it help me get to sleep? I will ask a mate who used to manage the Dead Sparrows if they have anything worth taking the p"** out of. I did once have the pleasure of waking one up early one Sunday morning - he looked resplendent in his red pyjamas which matched the red Rover blocking the road.

[Wizzard]

Learn from my experience.

Things NOT to do on this website.

1. DO NOT look under 'ENLISTED' to "Read about this years Thunderbirds Enlisted Members"

2. If you should be tempted to do the above, you are advised NOT to look at the list of Civilian Support staff

3. Again if you feel the urge you should NOT look at the last name.

4. You are strongly advised NOT to click for high res picture.

I'm off to lie down in a darkened room for a while.

Wiz

[propulike]

:sad: :sad: :sad:

I must start listening to good advice.

[Tonkenna]

I must start reading the post after good advice that confirms it was good advice:ooh: :ooh:

Tonks

[Wee Weasley Welshman]

My god thats funny. I just love the "Do you need a high resolution picture of this.."

(Click on the Images tab to start the ball rolling).

WWW

[BEagle]

Good grief! Mrs Mangel on acid?

Not quite the same as the Reds delightful PR ladies in the current issue of Prafda!

[Gainesy]

She probably has a very nice personality:uhoh:

[artyhug]

Dammit why oh why oh why don't I listen to good advice.

What was that about curiosty and the cat......

[Bill O'Average]

Steady on chaps, it says her home town is Wellingborough, U.K. Thats someones mum! Might even be a ppruners mummy! (Or an F3 mates missus).

I wouldnt be so rude as to say 'melted wellie head'.

(PS. Have saved hi res piccie to scare pikies and burglars away).

[PPRuNe Radar]

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhhhhhh

Wizzard you b******d :)

At least I have something to threaten the kids with now and to keep the cats off the lawn ;)

[airborne_artist]

Who said the good ol' US of A isn't PC? Read this from the T Birds officer bios:

"He is married to the former Kelly Jo Murphy of Clair, MI"

"He is married to the former Kathryn Morse of Sebago Lake, ME, "

"He is married to the former Tara Scanlan of Englewood, CO"

etc etc

[Boy_From_Brazil]

Wizzard
I am glad that you and the rest of the guys enjoyed the photo of my wife.

BFB

[DummyRun]

wizz,

You could print a few A3 pics of her off and sell them as pin-ups to GE's at EGDL, she's a Premiership GE's bird.

Load moving...........

[West Coast]

Oh crap, I got to do it

Cover me, I'm going in for a look......


A minute later

Dear God

She looks like she should be snatching salmon out of a stream with her toes.

I have a friend when confronted with a problem such as her would say "honestly how many beers are we talking here"

All of them I think would be the proper answer.

[BEagle]

Gutsy move, Westy!

That was braveness above and beyond the call of duty......

[AllTrimDoubt]

Make-up by Camrex I believe....

[Pilgrim101]

WC, Con

Can we have your F16's, F14's, F15's and F18's when you are finished with them please, please ?????? They'll still be better than the "European" crap now trying to blowtorch above our heads ! (EFA (ie TyFoon !), Rafale etc etc

:}

[Capt W E Johns]

"Police escorts must stop traffic at intersections and lead our convoy through traffic lights."

These boys have some problems with the complexities of a give-way (sorry, yield) system - obviously their marshallers really are there to help them leave the flight line. I wonder how they ever manage to find the runway?

[Gainesy]

Love the bit about needing 32 vehicles which will be fully fueled and left with keys in them (on driver's sun visor).

They'll be stuffed if they try a gig at Liverpool...:)

[Kolibear]

I thought that the Thunderbird's display was very good. When I realised that they were going to fly the jets too, I was even more impressed.

[BEagle]

Ex VC10K people will no doubt recognise that unbelievable photo as being of a typical Moulinex conquest!

[Trumpet_trousers]

...Must have been a brave man that gave her the pearl necklace.....:uhoh:

[samsonyte]

Good Grief!!!

Fell out of the ugly tree, and hit eery branch on the way down!

[airborne_artist]

Those ex BRNC will recall the Gronk trophy ....

[Trumpet_trousers]

...is that fish 'ed speak for Hippocrocodillopig then?:p :p

[Warped Factor]

By the excellent Bob Stevens :p

http://www.southernflyers.org.uk/images/team.jpg

WF.

[West Coast]

Pilgram

You are more than welcome to them, just send Liz Hurley over in exchange.