USAF Thunderbirds are operational again!

Glad to hear the AF Combat Aircraft will start getting more flight time.

Not sure why the T-Birds Demonstration Team needs the flight time right now, I guess it will give something cool for the newly furloughed workers to look at on their days off.
 
Not sure why the T-Birds Demonstration Team needs the flight time right now, I guess it will give something cool for the newly furloughed workers to look at on their days off.

You aren't allowed to ask that.
 
Glad to hear the AF Combat Aircraft will start getting more flight time.

Not sure why the T-Birds Demonstration Team needs the flight time right now, I guess it will give something cool for the newly furloughed workers to look at on their days off.

Just so you know; Thunderbird pilots are first and foremost, "Fighter Pilots". And even though they are flying as a show for others to watch, that is also their training flight hours. If there was a war that they were needed immediately; their planes would get a quick paint job and they'd be in the fight right away.

So, other than the support measure that goes along with putting on a thunderbird show, the pilots and planes are in the exact same training/preparedness world as all other pilots.
 
The estimated amount to operate the T-Birds is $10 Million per year, not including payroll and flight costs. The reason the AF and Navy gave for cancelling the demo teams was to free up, in the AF case, 1520 combat training flights. If this is the case why are these pilots not just getting their required hours without spending the extra $$ needed to put on and support the demo shows.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Blue Angles every year at our SeaFair, though I understand why they were cancelled. Unless something happened over the weekend that I missed, the Sequestration is still in effect across the board. When money is now restored to one area, it has to come from another.
 
The estimated amount to operate the T-Birds is $10 Million per year, not including payroll and flight costs. The reason the AF and Navy gave for cancelling the demo teams was to free up, in the AF case, 1520 combat training flights. If this is the case why are these pilots not just getting their required hours without spending the extra $$ needed to put on and support the demo shows.

Don't get me wrong, I love watching the Blue Angles every year at our SeaFair, though I understand why they were cancelled. Unless something happened over the weekend that I missed, the Sequestration is still in effect across the board. When money is now restored to one area, it has to come from another.

I agree. By way of explanation though (my surmise only) we're coming up on a new fiscal year, and the year worth of cuts that had to be squeezed into 6 months last year, need only be squeezed into 12 months this next fiscal year. So I'm guessing they have more flexibility.

As much as I love these teams, I'd rather see them grounded and the money spent elsewhere at present. I understand the recruitment aspects and even the goodwill aspects, but I think these are hardly needed right now.
 
I agree. By way of explanation though (my surmise only) we're coming up on a new fiscal year, and the year worth of cuts that had to be squeezed into 6 months last year, need only be squeezed into 12 months this next fiscal year. So I'm guessing they have more flexibility.

As much as I love these teams, I'd rather see them grounded and the money spent elsewhere at present. I understand the recruitment aspects and even the goodwill aspects, but I think these are hardly needed right now.

I recall that the federal fiscal year was Oct 1. If true, then the 'why now ' question is important.
 
The estimated amount to operate the T-Birds is $10 Million per year, not including payroll and flight costs. The reason the AF and Navy gave for cancelling the demo teams was to free up, in the AF case, 1520 combat training flights. If this is the case why are these pilots not just getting their required hours without spending the extra $$ needed to put on and support the demo shows.

You did note that 2013 Thunderbird shows are still off, right? Only training flights will be resumed.
 
You did note that 2013 Thunderbird shows are still off, right? Only training flights will be resumed.

Yep, got that part, so I assume they will look to start up with demo flights again after the first of the year, providing the funds are available. Even they admit it is a wait and see what happens.

The OP's thread headline sort of suggests they are operational again, not the case as you pointed out, right now it's just training flights, no demo flights or Air Shows yet.
 
Burn the fuel now before October 1 when they shut it all down.

















o
 
^
The result of skimming the article a little too fast, I read it again after posting my previous comments and reading yours.
 
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