Tag Archives: Aircraft

Israeli Fighter Pilot Killed in Crash

Various news outlets (including CNN and Fox) reported that Israeli Defense Force Lt. Assaf Ramon died in an F-16 crash on Sunday.  (The Lieutenant was posthumously promoted to Captain.)  The Israel National News reports speculation that sounds much like a G-LOC.  The aircraft was an F-16A, an older version of the American-made fighter; the crash appears to have occurred during his F-16 training, just a few months after he received his wings from basic pilot training.

Ramon was reported as being either 20 or 21 years old, both of which are young by American standards.  Based on entering college Read more

Time: New Fighter for the Air Force

As previously noted here, Time has picked up on the apparent plans of the Navy and Air Force to acquire slower, prop-driven aircraft to aid in the counterinsurgency fight.  Again, as already pointed out here, Time points out the similarity between the Air Force plans and the venerable Skyraider from Vietnam.

Purists will readily admit that despite the coolness of the term, such an aircraft wouldn’t technically be a “fighter.”  It would be an attack aircraft.

Update: Christian Missions Aviation…in Space

On August 26th, NASA published a fairly detailed article on what the astronauts were taking up on Discovery when it finally launched last week, as well as the historical precedent that allowed astronauts to take up personal items (as noted in the previous post).

Two days after that article, American Atheists issued a press release criticizing NASA’s decision to allow Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester to take up a part of Nate Saint’s airplane.  The group said the action was a “violation of the separation of church and state,”  as well as Read more

Yeager Named to California Hall of Fame

World War II fighter ace and Air Force test pilot Brigadier General (Ret) Chuck Yeager will be inducted into the California Hall of Fame in December.

The California Hall of Fame was created in 2006 by the Governor’s wife, Maria Shriver, and the California Museum.  Its purpose is to

recognize legendary Californians who have influenced the state, the nation and the world.

Yeager’s fellow inductees are an eclectic group, including George Lucas, John Madden, and Harvey Milk.  Prior inductees include Walt Disney, Amelia Earhart, and Ronald Reagan.

Christian Missions Aviation…In Space

Updated with NASA’s “What’s Going Up?”

When space shuttle Discovery finally lifts off (after two unsuccessful attempts so far), it will carry a crew of seven and a very unique piece of missionary aviation history.

Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester is taking up a piece of Nate Saint’s missionary aircraft.  Nate Saint was one of five missionaries martyred by the Ecuadoran natives they were evangelizing in 1956.  The incident was international news at the time, and brought attention and interest in the fields of missions and missionary aviation.

Astronaut Patrick Forrester is an Army helicopter pilot and graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School.  This will be his third shuttle flight in his 16 years with NASA.  In taking up a piece of the bush aircraft, Forrester notes the importance of his faith and his hope that he can inspire an interest in missionary aviation:  Read more

Scott O’Grady Potential Texas Senate Candidate

Former Air Force Captain and F-16 fighter pilot Scott O’Grady appears to have begun raising funds to run for the US Senate seat being vacated by Texas Sen Kay Bailey Hutchison.

O’Grady was made famous by his shootdown over Bosnia in 1995.  He subsequently wrote a book, Return with Honor, that described how his faith was integral to his experience.  His book was previously reviewed here.

Besides being a former fighter pilot, O’Grady is also a 2007 graduate of Dallas Theological Seminary.

UAV Pilots to Outnumber Fighter/Bomber Pilots

The Washington Post picks up on the news mentioned a few months ago that the Air Force will train more unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) pilots this year than fighter or bomber pilots.  (The Post gets the headline wrong; the comparison is not to all pilots, as it does not include cargo, transport, or other airframes.)  General Stephen Lorenz, commander of the Air Education and Training Command, repeated the comment last Friday.

In an interesting conclusion to the article, Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR, commented:

Will the unmanned aircraft ever completely replace either bombers or fighters? In delivering weapons on target, Deptula said, “Yes, you bet.” But when it comes to controlling airspace, flying against enemy fighters, the general said, the technology cannot yet achieve 360-degree awareness. A human brain is still superior in the assimilation of information and responding to it.

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