After the Sunday crash of a solo Thunderbird F-16, the Air Force has decided to stand down for a bit... at least through this next weekend.

Thunderbird Pilot Capt. Chris Stricklin of Shelby, AL, lost his aircraft, Sunday, Sept. 14, 2003, at Mountain Home A.F.B., Idaho. Stricklin successfully ejected (at the last possible second, it seems) from the single-engine F-16C Falcon just before it impacted near MHAFB's control tower, exploding on impact. The 31-year-old pilot was not seriously injured (even standing up to wave at the crowd right after landing under canopy... a classy move), but the $23 million aircraft is a total loss.

Some 85,000 people were reported to be in attendance at the airshow. An accident investigation board has been convened to determine the cause of this accident.

The next scheduled performance, Sept. 20-21, at the Wichita Aviation Festival, has been canceled though the effect on other subsequent performances have, is yet, undecided. The festival starts this Thursday, and is to continue through Sunday at McConnell Air Force Base. Some 100,000 people a day, are expected to attend.

A spokesman for the McConnel AFB, Kansas Air National Guard Colonel Randy Roebuck, explained to media sources that, "They want to go through all their airplanes and make sure whatever caused that accident doesn't affect the other airplanes that are part of that, because safety is our number one job. We certainly wouldn't want an airplane crashing at McConnell during our airshow."

WAF officials have asked us to note that despite the absence of the T-Birds, that there is still quite a show planned. Among the many attractions on the roster are a T-6 & Zero Dogfight, a Warbird Parade, USAFA Wings of Blue Jump Team (using the USAF C-17), Red Bull MiG Magic, Pepsi Aerial Entertainers, Bill Leff Airshows, Jimmy Franklin's Jet Biplane Waco, Big Dog T-33, a Legacy Flight featuring an  F4U Corsair & F-18 Hornet flying together, a KC-135 Fly-by and much more. 

Remaining Thunderbird Show Dates/Locations:

• September
• • 20-21 Wichita, KS (Canceled)
  • 27-28 Janesville, WI
    
• October
• • 1 Tucumcari, NM
  • 4-5 El Paso, TX
  • 11-12 Ft Smith ANGB, AR
  • 18-19 Salinas, CA
  • 25-26 Edwards AFB, CA
  • 30 College Station, TX
    
• November
• • 1-2 NAS JRB New Orleans, LA
  • 8-9 Daytona Beach, FL
  • 15-16 Nellis AFB, NV

FMI: www.aviationfestival.com, www.airforce.com/thunderbirds