Nice article on practice season: https://theaviationist.com/?p=41189
It came to me that our two display teams operate very differently and now I am curious as to why.
Blues modify their Hornets with a control spring on the stick exerting constant 40 LBS of pressure nose down as a way of maintaining precision.
Thunderbirds fly traditional F-16 with FBW - that provides no real control force feedback -
Yet each team flies with equal precision.
Blues fly with boom mic and no G-suit where as Thunderbirds fly with O2 mask and G-suit at all times. Wondering why?
vs
It came to me that our two display teams operate very differently and now I am curious as to why.
Blues modify their Hornets with a control spring on the stick exerting constant 40 LBS of pressure nose down as a way of maintaining precision.
Thunderbirds fly traditional F-16 with FBW - that provides no real control force feedback -
Yet each team flies with equal precision.
Blues fly with boom mic and no G-suit where as Thunderbirds fly with O2 mask and G-suit at all times. Wondering why?


Last edited: