Ghost Squadron Close Call Ft Lauderdale Airshow 12 May 2024
Video from the channel blancolirio about Fort Lauderdale Air Show 2024, linked on its Above Ten Thousand entry. Duration: 5:19. Language: English. Video type: News.
What is reported
The channel analyses frame by frame an amateur video of the incident on Sunday, 12 May 2024 at the Fort Lauderdale Air Show. That day, Ghost Squadron's four-jet L-39 diamond formation closed up too tightly. According to this reading, aircraft number 2 and number 4 were out of position. Number 4's left wingtip tank may have touched number 2's right horizontal stabiliser. Number 2's right wingtip crossed the leader's jet exhaust very close to its tail. Damage to a wingtip tank is then visible.
Context
The four aircraft separated with an escape manoeuvre and landed without further problems. An emergency was declared as a precaution and the pilots were unharmed. The show continued with the Thunderbirds. Ghost Squadron is part of a civilian display team whose jets are also used to train astronauts for the Polaris programme. Their performances raise funds for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
What it implies
The author notes that close formation flying is among the most demanding tasks in aviation and that military pilots learn it from the very start of their training. Since there was no accident, a final report explaining what happened may never be published.