Fighter Pilot Reacts to Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds | Official Trailer | Netflix

About this video

Max, a former F-15E combat pilot and F-16 Thunderbirds demonstration pilot, reviews the Netflix trailer for ‘Air Force Elite: Thunderbirds.’ He shares his personal experiences flying with team leader Astro, explains technical details like the 18-inch formation spacing and unique maneuvers, and reflects on the 2018 fatal accident involving Thunderbird number four. Max praises the team’s new openness to media and critiques certain training philosophies shown in the trailer.

Key takeaways

• Max explains that air demonstration flying is completely different from combat flying, requiring the jets to fly 18 inches apart and use maneuvers (like using the rudder as a speed brake) that would never be done in regular combat squadrons.
• Max recounts that the last fatal Thunderbirds accident occurred in 2018 during a high bomb burst maneuver when Thunderbird number four experienced G-lock and crashed—a pilot Max describes as one of the best he ever flew with.
• Max argues against the idea of making the same mistake repeatedly until it clicks, instead advocating for incremental daily improvement and mentally rehearsing to avoid repeating errors.

Episode details: published May 4, 2025 · 16.1K views · 19:07 long. Summary written by Self Growth Videos from the episode itself. The analysis and commentary described are Max Afterburner’s, attributed to him — his channel includes hypothetical-scenario and news-react content, which is presented as his analysis, not established fact.

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