Gripen Fighter Jet Crashes at Hat Yai Air Show, Pilot Killed

[khunPer]

Sad – R.I.P. to the pilot – I believe Gripen unfurtunately has had a number of accidents. Still remember the one at the initial presentation of the fighter at a Swedish event for a number of important people, and with the TV transmitting it, and the plane crashing if front of the audience. Some years later the plane was presented again at a public show, and crashed again. Wikipedia talks about at least 10 incidents, including the one today.

[Bangkok Barry]

5 hours ago, markusangel said:

The trauma for children witnessing this. :-(

 

That is a Westerner's reaction, because we are not used to seeing death. But kids in Thailand have probably seen plenty of road accidents up close, or even been involved in one. Sadly.

[fish monger]

4 hours ago, bubba said:

 

 

Almost new. First deliveries began in 2013.

Wrong...!  Thailand has acquired 12 Gripen C/D single-engine fighter jets since 2008 at a cost of nearly US$70 million (2.5 billion baht) apiece.  Research always helps...!

 

 

[Saraburi121]

Its usually not just one factor that causes a crash its several intertwined events leading up to it.   

[F4UCorsair]

4 hours ago, arrowsdawdle said:

The FAA recently rated Thailand aviation as not meeting international standards, so this happening before the ink is even dry on the FAA warning flies in the losing face of country reputation. Poor pilot had no chance.

 

 

Military aviation Is not subject to FAA  oversight or regulation.

[song0674]

And a fire truck crashed and overturned on the way to the crash site closing the runway......

I thought this was a joke then I saw the overturned truck on the runway when watching the news!

[balo]

RIP to the 35 year old pilot .  I think he must have passed out just before the crash or else he would have ejected .  

Is it normal to perform aerobatics at such low altitudes?  

 

[mrdome]

Anyone remember Rammstein 1988?

 

These air shows are no fun and games. I certainly would not take my kids there.

[al007]

5 hours ago, sungod said:

And a fire truck crashed and overturned on the way to the crash site closing the runway......

 

Only in Thailand

 

Very sad for the children

[Rubbertree Duck]

1 hour ago, Panda13 said:

Gripen is Swedish for Griffen in english. Its not rocket science!

Sent from my SM-G930F using Thaivisa Connect mobile app
 

 

Well, Griffen is English for Gripen, not the other way around. There is a slight difference;)

 

[planemad]

5 hours ago, bubba said:

 

Almost new. First deliveries began in 2013.

Wrong...!  Thailand has acquired 12 Gripen C/D single-engine fighter jets since 2008 at a cost of nearly US$70 million (2.5 billion baht) apiece.  Research always helps...!
 

 

Fish Monger - You are also wrong, the Gripen was ordered in 2008 with the first aircraft arriving at Surat Thani in southern Thailand on 22 February 2011. You are quite right however, research really does help!

 

Edited January 14, 2017 by planemad

[Rubbertree Duck]

54 minutes ago, fish monger said:

Wrong...!  Thailand has acquired 12 Gripen C/D single-engine fighter jets since 2008 at a cost of nearly US$70 million (2.5 billion baht) apiece.  Research always helps...!

 

 

 

2008 was the year they where ordered. First delivery came 2011. 

Second order was 2010 with delivery 2013. Therefore it is possible that this plane is from 2013 depending from what order it origin from.

 

Intersting/funny fact is that a couple of years ago, Thailand asked if they can to pay part of the bill with chicken and rice:). That's not a joke

[whatawonderfulday]

5 hours ago, mick220675 said:

I do not understand why on a day for children the military have to get so involved. I have just returned from a event in our local town, lots of fun things for the kids to do and then solders with M16 rifles. 

Well it is all part of the national brainwashing. 

[KMartinHandyman]

A fire engine overturned on the way to the crash site forcing a run way closure.............

Very Thai to crash something responding to a crash. Usually it's another helicopter.

[Essaybloke]

6 hours ago, zorro1 said:

RIP. poor kids didn't need to see that

I agree, I feel for the pilot's family. A tragedy. But maybe yes they did need to see that. Maybe they'll be asking questions like "Why do we need an airforce?",  "Do we really need to put lives in danger like this?", "How can the government protect us from the evils of democracy if we don't have soldiers and pilots to protect us?"

[Essaybloke]

1 hour ago, krobert6 said:

Probably to show force and control to their own people - cannot see them fighting another army.

 

1 hour ago, krobert6 said:

Probably to show force and control to their own people - cannot see them fighting another army.

The Thai military would never intervene in the democratic process of government. No Thai alive would agree with you, what an absurd notion!

[kannot]

4 hours ago, sungod said:

A fire engine overturned on the way to the crash site forcing a run way closure.............

mickey mouse  firefighters  inc!

[Sparkles]

Have never understood why this type of display is approriate for children.take Then to the nearest zoo and fill them up with ice cream and cordial.

 

Incidentally the recent track record of helicoptors and now and aircraft going down hardly fills anyone with confidence

[Jim walker]

A day out for the kids to remember 

[elgordo38]

6 hours ago, bubba said:

Looked to me like he was attempting to do an Immelmann Turn, but lost it as he was completing the inside of the top half of the loop. There does not appear to have been any loss of power. At that point in the loop, aviators can experience 6 - 9 Gs, so I am wondering whether he greyed out at that point, didn't roll out and the aircraft continued on without controlled flight. 

 

Here is an F-16 doing an Immelmann correctly.

 

 

 

RIP to the aviator.

 

It was also a 64M euro aircraft loss for the RTAF.

Good explanation bravo. Was he a seasoned pilot? If one of our own can possibly spot a problem one has to question the pilots flying ability. Do they draw straws to see who take off into the wild blue yonder. 

Edited January 14, 2017 by elgordo38

[elgordo38]

5 hours ago, impulse said:

 

The guy died getting paid for doing something most of us can only dream of ever doing.  He had less than a few seconds realizing he was in trouble, and died instantly- too fast for any pain.  Not a bad way to go out. 

 

My heart goes out to the family he probably left behind.  

Out in a blaze of glory would be my choice to. If the pilots are trained in Sweden then looking at it in a rational sense it should not have happened. For me it would be on to Valhalla as I am a huge Vikings series fan. 

[bubba]

3 hours ago, fish monger said:

Wrong...!  Thailand has acquired 12 Gripen C/D single-engine fighter jets since 2008 at a cost of nearly US$70 million (2.5 billion baht) apiece.  Research always helps...!

 

 

 

In 2007, Thailand's Parliament authorized the Royal Thai Air Force to spend up to 34 billion baht (US$ 1.1 billion) as part of an effort to replace Thailand's existing Northrop F-5 fleet. In February 2008, the Thai Air Force ordered six Gripens (two single-seat C-models and four two-seat D-models) from Saab; deliveries began in 2011.

 

https://web.archive.org/web/20131213163538/http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/thailand-signs-contract-for-six-saab-gripen-fighters-221552/

[evadgib]

1 hour ago, Sparkles said:

Have never understood why this type of display is approriate for children.take 

 

At the age of 4 I watched my dad 'lob-in' to Hankly DZ direct from action in Cyprus. As soon as he stood up he produced a dozen oranges that he'd picked 12 hrs earlier...

 

That was some attraction and it worked :)

 

RIP to the pilot and condolences to his family.

[tx22cb]

8 hours ago, hobz said:

This swedish piece of shit has a history of crashing during these show events.

In fact, if i recall correctly it crashed on its first public show in stockholm many years ago.. Pilot ejected and survived that time.

Expensive piece of shit

Expensive maybe, but no doubt great under-the-table kick-backs for the RTAF

[oldsailor35]

8 hours ago, SOUTHERNSTAR said:

When have they ever put the blame of an air crash on foreigners ? Please supply a link.

It did not loose power.

 

[SiSePuede419]

Another SAAB story? ?

 

Seriously, the number one cause of small plane crashes is running out of gas.  IOW, pilot error.  Flighter planes are much more complicated to operate than small airplanes.

 

Is the Pilot Manual written in Swedish?  If it's written in Thai, first thing to check is there any translation errors? 

Edited January 14, 2017 by SiSePuede419
Clarify.

[oldsailor35]

5 hours ago, bdenner said:

Spare me effin days = "Relatively" (Spell checker upset) Sorry to confuse your little brain!

You obviously have know idea what you had seen in the video! If there was a mechanical issue this pilot had a great deal of time to eject. There was NO violent maneuver so I'm guessing disorientation. Just MHO. Same Same with the truck driver = piss poor training!

Possibly a Grey out !

[bubba]

31 minutes ago, oldsailor35 said:

Possibly a Grey out !

 

That's what I suggested earlier - G force induced loss of control (G-LOC). If you look at the video, he is in an almost a 90° roll and pulls up hard, initiating a roll he couldn't handle. From the vapour you can see over the wings at that point, this means the aircraft was developing a lot of lift, thus Gs. There was plenty of time to eject, indicating he may have been unconscious. Apparently, this aircraft was not equipped with an Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto-GCAS), as are some modern fighters, and that would saved him by getting out of the situation, levelling his wings and climbing, even if he was unconscious.

Edited January 14, 2017 by bubba
spelling

[billd766]

7 hours ago, wvavin said:

Its utterly useless to own the most advance fighter jet with no REAL QUALIFIED people and enough funds (too many brown envelopes passing around) to maintain it. Finally, the pilot bear the brunt! Sad.

 

You really have no idea what you are talking about do you.

[Trouble]

8 hours ago, KhunBENQ said:

Removed a couple of abusive and disrespectful posts and response to those.

 

Seems you should remove a good number of the posts on this thread as most are stupid and insensitive comments about a tragedy.  Accident could have happened at any air show, anywhere. Only shows what pathetic lives some TV members live if they have nothing better to do than make inane comments when someone looses his life while trying to do something positive for a day of entertainment for parents and children.