Update: An Associated Press article adds additional information, indicating the F-16 was single-ship, operating under ATC control practicing instrument approaches:
At the time of the collision, Maj. Johnson was flying solo, practicing instrument approaches to a military base and was communicating with Charleston air traffic controllers, according to Col. Stephen Jost, commander of the 20th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base.
Jost said he thought it was overcast at the time of the collision, but he was not aware of any weather-related problems.
A Shaw AFB-based F-16 collided with a civilian Cessna in South Carolina, resulting in the ejection of the F-16 pilot and the deaths of the two people on board the General Aviation aircraft. Using their Facebook page, the base announced: Read more
Last week the ACLJ proclaimed a “major victory” for religious freedom in the US military, citing a belated response finally received from the US Air Force JAG office. More than a month after the National Prayer Breakfast, in which General Craig Olson cited his reliance upon God and Michael “Mikey” Weinstein called for his crucifixion, the Air Force JAG finally responded with a terse, one-paragraph response [emphasis added]:
We have thoroughly reviewed the facts and circumstances involving Maj Gen Olson’s participation in the National Day of Prayer Observance held on May 7, 2015, at the Cannon House Office Building, Washington DC. Maj Gen Olson did not violate Air Force policy by participating in this Congressionally-supported event. His remarks were his own personal opinions and did not represent the views of the United States Air Force.
The letter, dated June 24th, is Read more
David Axe at the blog War is Boring reportedly obtained an Official Use Only report from an Edwards AFB Test Pilot decrying the inability of his F-35 to best the older F-16 it is supposedly intended to replace:
“The evaluation focused on the overall effectiveness of the aircraft in performing various specified maneuvers in a dynamic environment,” the F-35 tester wrote. “This consisted of traditional Basic Fighter Maneuvers in offensive, defensive and neutral setups at altitudes ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 feet…”
“Even with the limited F-16 target configuration, the F-35A remained at a distinct energy disadvantage for every engagement,” the pilot reported.
One potentially saving grace not explicitly described in the blog is the precise type of BFM the two were flying. The blog reported: Read more
An Iraqi fighter pilot was killed in Arizona while flying with an Air National Guard F-16 unit last week:
An F-16 Fighting Falcon flying with the 162nd Wing, Arizona Air National Guard, crashed at about 8 p.m. June 24, five miles east of Douglas Municipal Airport, Arizona.
A single F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft that crashed Wednesday night in southern Arizona was being flown by an Iraqi pilot who has been training in the U.S. for four years, an official said Thursday.
The pilot was apparently Brig. Gen. Rafid Mohammed Hassan.
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The Montgomery Advertiser documented a recent event at the Alabama capital sponsored by the Sanctity of Marriage group, which was organized to support traditional marriage.
The paper recorded approximately 1,000 attendees, which included protesters who were there to support same-sex marriage. Notably, one of the protesters was an Air Force Tech Sgt:
Air Force Tech Sgt. Adria Winlock is also a mother, but she proudly wore a T-shirt that read, “I love my wife.”
“My wife is also in the Air Force stationed in North Carolina … she has two children, I have one, together we have three, we’ve been married for a little under a year,” Winlock said.
Winlock shared her view of those that support marriage as God created it: Read more
The Air Force recently pubished an official article written by military spouse Aja Trotter, writing from Osan Air Base, South Korea, on homosexual pride, describing the “reality” of sexuality [emphasis added]:
Often, societal norms and expectations cloud our ideas of what gender, gender expression and sexuality should be, diminishing our ability to see what actually is and often leading to rude assumptions and insolence.
For example, some people want or expect all men to be masculine. Some want women to be sweet and submissive. Some want the spouse of a married person to be of the opposite sex. And some want young boys to only play with trucks and actions figures. In reality, there are so many variations between gender expression and sexual orientation that it is impossible to box these identities into our own narrow limitations of what someone is supposed to do, or should be. Some women are more tough than sweet. Some young boys prefer the color pink and flowers. And some men Read more
First of all, the Navy calls their “pilots” aviators. (This is because in nautical terms the “pilot” is the guy who drives the boat.) It is also worth noting that the majority of “naval aviators” fly helicopters or heavies.
Still, it depends.
The choice of schooling is truly a personal one. Both of the academies have good academic reputations. The “other” issues of the life of a cadet / midshipman (military, physical, etc.) can be daunting. That said, it is likely that you will increase your chances of getting a pilot slot if you attend the Academy, but it is by no means guaranteed. Over the past several years, the number of Air Force Academy pilot slots has been equal to or greater than the number of physically qualified cadets who wanted to become pilots. Most years there have been more slots to fill than cadets willing to fill them.
Statistically speaking, you have a better chance of flying in the Air Force, given that there are more aircraft in the Air Force and thus more opportunities to fly. Still, that does not guarantee that you will become a fighter pilot.
Ultimately, the choice of higher education should be based on more than just your ability to get a pilot slot. If you are indifferent as to your college choice, the service academies may present more opportunities. If you dislike the idea of the military academies or you are leaning towards a particular civilian school, it is probably better for you to attend the school you would enjoy rather than “suffer” through years at the academy for the remote possibility it will give you a better chance at flying.