Forum: General F-16 forum

A pilot doesn't really have to answer this one if he doesn't want to. And maybe I'm taking my thinking too far, but today south of my hometown <a href="http://www.f-16.net/f-16_news_article1080.html">two F-16's crashed</a>. Which brings me to my question: what does one say when someone says to them "I don't see why anyone wants to do that... it's way too dangerous".

F.P.

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<a href="http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/Midwest/05/17/jet.collision.ap/index.html">CNN Story</a> / <a href="http://www.f-16.net/f-16_news_article1080.html">F-16.net story</a>

It is always a sad event when one of our service men or women die in the line of duty, whether it is in a war zone or in training. I have great sympathy and sadness for the pilot who lost his life today, his family, and his comrades-in-arms.

As to what to say to any of the survivors, including the pilot of the other mishap aircraft, it is the same as any loss of life. I offer my condolences, and am glad that at least one of the crew was able to survive.

Kevin

I fully agree with Kevin. I pray for the pilot who lost his life today. I would also like to add my condolences to his family and friends. I'm glad that the other pilot was able to survive.

To FuturePilot - Follow your dreams! I am not a pilot yet, but I plan to get my private licence when I can. I'm 27 years old and I used to dream of flying military jets when I was a kid. I just didn't stick with it enough and I didn't work hard enough and now I regret it everyday!!!

If someone tells you that military aviation is too dangerous, I'd say that they're sorrowfully misinformed! Especially if you're flying for the USA!!! No offense to the foreign airforce types, but I believe that the US has the best trained pilots, aircrews, and maintainers in the world. Even if you're flying for Israel, Norway, Bharain, or any of the US allies, I would offer you these thoughts.

Number one - Everyone in military aviation is a professional. The pilots are the best of the best or they would not be in the cockpit. Can you say that about the people driving on the highways with you?

Second, the people who maintain the aircraft are top notch and know what they are doing. As a military aviator, you know that you have superb equipment maintained by people who work on that type of aircraft day in and day out. Compare that to the guy driving the 1977 POS next to you who has duct taped the crack in the fuel line, thinks that his tires are OK as long as he can't see the steel belts, wonders why the steering is so loose, and just completed his first brake job.

Last but not least, look at the accident rate and how low it really is, especially compared to the accident rate on our streets and highways. Think of how many missions are flown every year by military pilots and how few accidents occur. Now consider how few of the accidnets that do occur are fatal. It is due to the professionalism and sense of duty on the part of everyone involved from the designers and manufacturers to the maintainers and pilots that military flying is as safe as it is.

Once again, I say you should follow your dreams and don't let anyone or anything divert you from what you want to do! Remember, this is your life, not theirs. I have yet to meet a military pilot who regrets his career choice or anything he had to do to achieve it. I also know from personal experience the regret that comes from not doing everything I could to get what I dreamed of. Please let us know when you solo!

Thanks parrothead,

Even though your message was not meant for me. I think I had alot to digest from it. I am a wannabe fighterpilot but everyone who comes to know of this tells to me make alternative choices. Not because of the risk in it but they claim that a muslim like me cannot become one in my country Shocked

. Recently though, there has been one who flies a Viper but it seems to abe alot tougher to be the second one. I have told myself to shut my ears from these rumours [I hope they are.......] and have taken necessary steps towards my dreams to fly a viper pass my house Wink

[actually just to fly one].

ismail

Thank you viper030687! The least I can do is to help inspire guys like you! I'll bet that the pilot you heard about is probably the best because of what he had to overcome. Reminds me of the Tuskeege Airmen in WWII. Just close your ears, do your best, and then do even better. Also, check out the threads on getting into pilot school. Good luck! Very Happy

Life Is Short, Fly Hard.

Agree with all the above comments, with one addition - you stand a greater chance of being killed by a drunk driver than dying in a military jet accident. Given the choice I'd say the experience of flying the jet and the contribution made to your country are easily worth the risks involved.

What interests me is if this latest mishap is a formation mid-air, when is the military in general going to get out of this habit of formation flying at the expense of everything else? More times than not when two fighters go down, it was a formation mid-air.

You been-there-done-that crowd think of how many formation mid-airs you know of.... Kind of expensive in man and machine. Can't technology help some so jets aren't always tucked in together so much? I understand some of the tactical advantage but geeez.

Very well said Parrothead, I wish I could have said it so well.

viper030687, stick to your dream, that's something you can be proud of!

Thanks Parrot. I'm gunna stick to my dreams and bust my hump to fly F-16's in the 181st FW. I just look at the danger element as an occupational risk and review my risks accept them as them come. I look at it the same way as when people ask why I play football in high school and if im scared of getting paralyzed or hurt. As for yesterday's mishap it happened about 20 minutes south of my home town of Robinson IL and I saw two F-16's returning home after the accident and it was kind of strange becuase I could tell something was wrong because usualy when the boys fly over its loud and quick but yesterday it was slow and relatively quiet for 2 fighter's.

Thanks again for the words Parrot I plan to stay with it and my friends and family will just have to accept it.

And I too like Viper030687 have a dream of one day buzzing my parents home on a fly by.

F.P.

Thanks Wildcat, and glad to hear it FuturePilot! Good luck! I just hope I can get a ride someday... Wink

About flybys, look to some of Gums' posts in other threads. Good idea is don't do it! If you do, as Gums says, stay subsonic, have other jets in the area to blame it on, and make sure to climb into the sun after overflying your objective. Wink

The Air Force kinda frowns on the practice a bit more than they used to.

ELP, formation flying is not going to go away anytime soon. There are too many advantages and the accident rate is very low when compared to the combined hours of all aircraft flying formation. The Air Force prohibited dogfight training some years ago and the pilots' air to air capability decreased accordingly. If they were to start to restrict formation flying it wouldn't just decrease pilot proficiency for the times when it is needed, I think it would also severely affect pilot morale. I personally think the pilots would see it as a lack of trust and a very public statement at that! Military flying isn't about safety over everything, that's the airlines. Military training missions are supposed to simulate combat missions with some extra safety (nobody's really shooting at you, etc.) Still, we have to push the edge of the envelope all the time to keep our pilots' skill on the razor's edge. I know, cliches, but true. Wink

If you want to be the best, you have to train like you fight and fight like you train!

I'll get ya a ride parrot when I get through training. Smile

parrothead wrote:

ELP, formation flying is not going to go away anytime soon. There are too many advantages and the accident rate is very low when compared to the combined hours of all aircraft flying formation. The Air Force prohibited dogfight training some years ago and the pilots' air to air capability decreased accordingly. If they were to start to restrict formation flying it wouldn't just decrease pilot proficiency for the times when it is needed, I think it would also severely affect pilot morale. I personally think the pilots would see it as a lack of trust and a very public statement at that! Military flying isn't about safety over everything, that's the airlines. Military training missions are supposed to simulate combat missions with some extra safety (nobody's really shooting at you, etc.) Still, we have to push the edge of the envelope all the time to keep our pilots' skill on the razor's edge. I know, cliches, but true. Wink

If you want to be the best, you have to train like you fight and fight like you train!

You are right, I was just ranting. I am always looking out for the pilot. Once the UCAV replaces the pilot, that means those same higher level thinking/aggressive personalities no longer need risk their life, but go on to serve humanity to do greater more productive things for society as...

professional wrestlers. Very Happy

...."That's it folks!... the flying elbow from J.R. The Destroyer.... puts an end to any hopes Death Cylon ever had for regaining the championship belt....."

Elp,

I hate UAVs. No more ACM, I'm glad I'll be gone before that happens! Mixing it up is the most fun you can have on this earth. Smile

Ya I was just funning but you are saying professional wrestling wouldn't be? Aw come on. Very Happy

I do think the pre and post ACM brief would be more interesting with pro wrestler trash talk. Very Happy

Forum: General F-16 forum

Tough question for a pilot...