USAF to Resume Flight Ops

[fk6065]

According to this Newsday article flying is to resume soon. No word on if any air shows will get support. http://www.newsday.com/news/nation/thunderbirds-to-fly-again-after-being-grounded-by-budget-cuts-1.5692699

[megatop412]

So now all of a sudden there's money? Why couldn't they have done this before a bunch of shows had to get cancelled? I have to wonder what the 'low-priority accounts' are the article speaks of. I have a feeling they aren't congressional paychecks

[MORS-AB-ALTO]

I have not seen an official announcement yet but it looks promising. Although I recogonize the econimc burden put on the tourism and airshow comminity as a result of cuts it was always a national security issue more than an airshow issue to me. Regardless, not sure if many of the venues will benefit from the Thunderbirds being back in the air as most events have already been cancelled. Not to mention it's only until the end of this fiscal year and with October 1st quickly approaching it might only be a short lived treat. The money was indeed always there and could have been appropriated from day 1 of sequestration with the stroke of a pen by the buffoon in the White House but he chose not to. With the goverment shut down brought on by Newt Gingrich in the 90's President Clintion acted accordinglyand our military never skipped a beat. Shame on Congress for taking so long to act this time around!

[Chris S]

It will be interesting to see if the T-Birds will be ready to fly at either the Milwaukee or Chicago shows in August,
because I'm sure they'll still try go overseas on their Pacific/Asia tour — Aug. 22 – Sep. 29th !! WTF?? :rolleyes:

[moose135]

Actually, it wasn't up to the President to move that money around - the sequestration law provided for across the board cuts, without provision to pick and choose where that money went. Just like when Congress had to act to shift FAA funds to keep control towers open, this required Congress to authorize a shift in funds. As you said - shame on Congress for taking so long to act. If the House Republicans spent as much time on this as they have promoting their religious-based agenda, it would have been resolved long ago.

[Chris S]

According to this Washington Times Article, a Thunderbirds spokesman said their demonstrations won’t start until next calendar year and the restoration of funds means they can start training again and be ready to perform a limited number of demonstrations in 2014.


Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/jul/15/air-force-combat-aircraft-no-longer-grounded/