Thunderbird eight flies with the 50th FTS

  • Published
  • By Sonic Johnson
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  While the Thunderbirds team departed for home late Monday morning after their six-day stay at Columbus, one pilot, her crew chief and a select few maintainers, stayed behind with the number eight aircraft.

Shortly after engine start Saturday afternoon to begin the Thunderbirds Wings over Columbus 2010 performance, one of the Thunderbirds aircraft displayed some engine-related maintenance fault codes. Maintenance fault codes confer maintenance related information to ground crews; usually do not prevent the sortie from flying. The Thunderbirds team, always with safety as the number one factor in most decision-making process, decided to spare out the aircraft.

Capt. Kristin Hubbard, Thunderbird number eight advance pilot and team narrator, stayed behind with the aircraft as team members at Nellis AFB, Nev., prepared a replacement engine and equipment for surface transportation to Columbus AFB.
During her delay at Columbus AFB, Captain Hubbard flew a T-38C formation sortie with the 50th Flying Training Squadron "Striking Snakes."

"This provides me an opportunity to experience firsthand the mission of our pilot training bases," remarked Hubbard. "Getting a deeper understanding of the many facets of our Air Force mission helps me to better tell their story."

Captain Hubbard flew with 50th Training Flight instructor 1st Lt. Russ Hobbs with Capt. Kevin Pugh piloting the second aircraft.

"What a great sortie," beamed Lt Hobbs after the sortie. "She shared a few good tips about flying formation."

Captain Hubbard attended Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training at two locations; the T-6 phase of pilot training at Moody AFB, Ga., and then went to Laughlin AFB, Texas to complete the T-38 phase.

Meanwhile the Engine arrived late Tuesday afternoon and the maintenance team began working earnestly to first remove the ailing engine and prepare to install the new one.

"This will probably take us all night to do this engine change," remarked Tech. Sgt. Joseph Michel, part of the Thunderbirds maintenance team. "Our goal is to have it ready first thing in the morning so it can launch to this weekend's show location at Grand Forks AFB, N.D."