Military Aviation News

All News

309th AMU receives Nellis AFB jets
The fleet of gray F-16 Fighting Falcons on the Luke Air Force Base flightline is in sharp contrast to a small group of blue-colored training aircraft that arrived earlier this month.
Top Dogs squadron stands down
After 69 years in existence, the 61st Fighter Squadron will stand down in a ceremony at 4 p.m. in Hangar 413.
Woman to become Alabama ANG's first female fighter...
Woman to become Alabama Air National Guard's first female fighter pilot. Sara Ferrero is flying al­most every day and is nearing her destination -- becoming the Alabama Air National Guard's first female fighter pilot.

F-16 News

309th AMU receives Nellis AFB jets
The fleet of gray F-16 Fighting Falcons on the Luke Air Force Base flightline is in sharp contrast to a small group of blue-colored training aircraft that arrived earlier this month.
Top Dogs squadron stands down
After 69 years in existence, the 61st Fighter Squadron will stand down in a ceremony at 4 p.m. in Hangar 413.
Woman to become Alabama ANG's first female fighter...
Woman to become Alabama Air National Guard's first female fighter pilot. Sara Ferrero is flying al­most every day and is nearing her destination -- becoming the Alabama Air National Guard's first female fighter pilot.

F-22 News

Reserve pilot pulls double duty during Red Flag
Any pilot flying sorties during Red Flag-Alaska can expect long days filled with mission planning, and pre and post flight briefings.
Raptors practice capabilities during Global Gem
More than 150 Airmen and 12 F-22 Raptors from the 43rd Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., arrived here July 31 in support of the Air Force's first Exercise Global Gem joint training.
First ever deployed PMP performed on Andersen
History was made Aug. 4, as the first accelerated packaged maintenance plan, or PMP, on an F-22 Raptor in a deployed environment came to a conclusion.

F-35 News

Officials recommend Eglin as preferred alternative...
Air Force officials announced July 28 its proposal for basing 59 F-35 Lightning IIs at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.
Lockheed Martin Marietta facility kicks off F-35...
Officials at the Lockheed Martin facility formally announced the start of F-35 Lightning II center wing production operations at the plant during a ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday.
F-35: Centerpiece of 21st century global security
The 5th generation F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter will serve as the centrepiece for 21st century global security while strengthening international political and industrial partnerships, a senior Lockheed Martin F-35 executive said Monday at the Farnborough Air Show.
F-16 Fleet Status
F-16 fleet - Sep 3, 2010
Fleet overview:
scrapped: 41
write-off: 544
preserved: 107
stored: 534
instructional: 108
on order: 106
active: 3100
Changes '09/'10:
Fleet adds: 26
Fleet drop: 136
See detailed fleet reports
Sponsor
F-16 Unit
338 skv "Tiger" (RNoAF)
Quote of the Day
In response to how he checked the weather, "I just whip out my blue card with a hole in it and read what it says: 'When color of card matches color of sky, FLY!'"
-- Gordon Baxter
Today in history
3 Sep 1992
Taiwan orders 150 F-16s (Peace Fenghuang) becoming the 18th customer.
Image Gallery
BAF F-16A block 15 #FA-134 on a nice sunny day in Belgium. Note the 'Comet' of the 2nd sqn is just removed from the tail with the silhouette still visible.
F-16 Hall of Fame
Twice as Nice
USAF #79377
F-16A Block 10
This USAF F-16 crashed twice, but was repaired both times - hence it got named 'Twice as Nice'. It was later sold to Israel. The first crash was in 1984 - sometimes when aircraft systems designers integrate various components into an airframe, they forget to examine what happens if a component should fail. Such was the case in the original F-16 design. An electrical connector (cannon plug) came loose and unfortunately the wiring for critical components like brakes and arrestor hook all went through the same connector. The pilot attempted to land the aircraft and engage the arrestor wires. Both wires were missed and the aircraft went off the end of the runway. The pilot stayed with the aircraft and the rescue crews had to cut through the canopy to reach hime - the hole in the canopy can be seen in the photo. After this accident they changed the electrical schematic and wiring harness so that those features went through different connectors now. The second crash occurred a few years later. Cause of mishap was a stuck throttle cable at 70% power. The incident happened at MacDill and the pilot landed the aircraft then ejected when he couldn't stop it. It then went off the end of the runway.
See more interesting F-16 Aircraft profiles
Sierra Hotel
Latest Viper Drivers to reach 1K - 6K flying hours:
6,000 Hours
6,000 Hrs
2008-05-02

  Lt.Col. Mike "Brillo" Brill

| 466 FS | 421 FS  
5,000 Hours
5,000 Hrs
2006-03-04
4,000 Hours
4,000 Hrs
2010-08-01

  Lt.Col. Doug "Scary" Schaare

| 55 FS | 55 FS  
3,000 Hours
3,000 Hrs
2010-08-14

  Lt.Col. Mike "Swamp" Marsh

125 FS | 125 FS | 138 FW  
2,000 Hours
2,000 Hrs
2010-08-09

  Wg.Cmd. Fauad Masud Hatmi

11 sqn | 9 sqn  
1,000 Hours
1,000 Hrs
2010-07-01
See more F-16 Pilots profiles
Crew Chief Profiles

 SSgt. Robert Scire

 (added: 9 Feb 2007)
63 FS | 63 FS | 36 FS | 36 FS | 555 FS

 CMSgt. Chuck Elliott

 (added: 31 Aug 2010)
F-4 | 312 FS | 13 FS | F-117 | 51 FW | 61 FS | 62 FS | A-10 | UAV Predator

 TSgt. Jason Passmore

 (added: 21 Jan 2008)
18 AS | F-117 | 36 FS | 23 FS | F-22

 MSgt. Scott Currie

 (added: 24 Dec 2006)
512 FS | 428 TFS | 428 TFS | 526 FS | 526 FS | 526 FS | 526 FS | 421 FS | 51 FW | 421 FS

 TSgt. Roger Price

 (added: 25 Aug 2010)
389 FS | 555 FS | 93 FS
Copyright © 2010 Lieven Dewitte and Stefaan Vanhastel