Category Archives: Fighter Pilot

Air Force Publishes Profane Euphemism But Doesn’t Know It

There’s a long fighter pilot tradition of “names” and “namings,” in which fighter pilots have a callsign bestowed upon them that will likely follow them for the remainder of their careers. As noted in the longer discussions on the tradition, callsigns are sometimes the result of a notable action, a physical trait, or a play on the pilot’s name.

For example, the current Chief of Staff of the Air Force is Gen David “Fingers” Goldfein, playing off his name and the James Bond reference.

Luke Air Force Base recently issued a press release about an award recognition that Read more

Air Force Solos First Enlisted Pilots in 60 Years

enlistedpilotsUpdate: The Air Force just released the results of the most recent selection board, indicating more than 300 enlisted troops had been chosen to begin the process to become RPA pilots.

Two Air Force Master Sergeants recently became the first enlisted Airmen in decades to solo during Air Force flight training:

Both soloed in a DA-20 Katana at Pueblo Memorial Airport as part of the Air Force’s IFT program, which is mandatory for all manned aircraft pilots, combat systems officers and remotely piloted aircraft pilots.

The Air Force announced Read more

One Survivor after Two Pilots Eject from U-2

The US Air Force announced that a U-2 Dragon Lady crashed yesterday after its crew of two ejected. One pilot did not survive:

The aircraft was assigned to 1st Reconnaissance Squadron at Beale Air Force Base, and was on a training mission. Two pilots were onboard and ejected the aircraft.  One pilot is confirmed deceased, while the other sustained injuries.

The U-2 is technically a single-place airplane.  There were 5 aircraft Read more

Navy T-45 Crashes in Texas, Pilots Eject

The US Navy reported that one of its trainers, a T-45C Goshawk, crashed on a training mission Sunday night:

The training aircraft, assigned to Training Squadron (VT) 21, crashed during a routine training mission over Brooks County. County first responders were immediately dispatched to the scene.

A Stars and Stripes report indicated the aircrew were actually Marine officers. The two ejected and were transported to the local hospital.

The crash Read more

US Marines Ground all F/A-18s Following Crashes

The US Marine Corps ordered a safety stand down for all units of its (non-deployed) F/A-18s following a spate of Hornet crashes over the past few weeks:

The stand-down will provide “an operational pause for all [Marine Air Wings] not including deployed units,” said Capt. Sarah Burns, a spokesman for the Marines.

The pause will last one day and will be taken in the next seven days, Burns said. It will allow units to “discuss best practices and to look at ways to continue to improve,” she said.

Perhaps morbidly, the crashes appear to be creating Read more

Second F/A-18C Crashes in Nevada in as Many Weeks

Another F/A-18C, this one flown by the Navy (though on loan from the Marines), has crashed. The pilot ejected safely:

An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to Strike Fighter Wing Pacific, Detachment Fallon, crashed into an open field near Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, at approximately 10:50 a.m. PDT. The Navy pilot, who is assigned to Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center, ejected safely from the aircraft…

This follows the crash last week of a Marine F/A-18 that Read more

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