Category Archives: Fighter Pilot

Report: F-16 Pilot Flew into Afghan Mountain

The Air Force Times reports on the Air Force investigation that determined Capt James Steel was flying visually when he impacted a mountain during his recovery to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan, in April of this year:

The report released by Air Combat Command officials at Langley Air Force Base, Va., says 29-year-old Capt. James Michael Steel crashed April 3 about 12 miles outside Bagram Air Field…

The report says Steel flew into a mountainous area obscured by poor weather conditions and that he did not attempt to eject before slamming into the mountain. The report says Steel was flying below the minimum safe altitude at the time of the crash.

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Air Force Unable to Fill Unmanned Cockpits

US Air force Col Bradley Hoaglan wrote a report from the Brookings Institution saying the Air Force can’t fill its annual requirements for unmanned remotely piloted aircraft (UAV/RPA) operators. As reported at the Stars and Stripes,

In 2012, the Air Force filled only 82 percent of its remotely piloted aircraft, or RPA, training slots, while virtually all manned aircraft slots were filled. And as of early this year…the Air Force Academy had only 12 volunteers for its 40 RPA training slots.

The Air Force apparently attributes the problem to a lower Read more

Attack Pilots Save Ambushed Soldiers

A Bagram Air Base press release highlights the derring-do of two A-10 pilots who “save[d] 60 Soldiers during [a] convoy ambush.”

The pilots continued to fire 30 mm rounds, but the enemy force refused to fall back. …The convoy’s commander approved the pilots to engage “danger-close.” The term is meant to clearly communicate to the ground and air forces that the need for support is so grave the ground commander is willing to accept the potential risk to the friendly unit Read more

Marines and Challenge Coins

A US Marine article covers the tradition of military “challenge coins.”  The article acknowledges the origin of the tradition has been lost to time, though he repeats one possibility from the World War I fighter pilot story (the same story told here).

As with many traditions, even if they were “fighter pilot traditions,” they tend to cross functional and even Service lines.

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The Humanity of the Chief of Staff

General Mark Welsh, Chief of Staff of the Air Force, has long been respected by many in the Air Force for his down-to-earth approach to life and other people.  That attitude became widely known after his famous inspirational speeches found their way to the internet.

He had this quotable last week, when overseeing the change of command at the US Air Force Academy:

During his speech, Welsh pardoned cadets in trouble for minor infractions and regulatory breaches.

“You major offenders are still screwed,” he said, drawing laughter from the crowd.

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B-1 Crashes in Montana, Crew Ejects

A US Air Force B-1B Lancer (or “Bone”) crashed in Montana yesterday.  The four-man crew ejected.

A crew of two pilots and two weapon systems officers were on board. All four members of the aircrew safely ejected with some injuries…

“Right now all of our thoughts and prayers are with the crews and their families,” [Col Kevin Kennedy, the 28th Bomb Wing commander] said.

The B-1 is sometimes described as the “fighter” of the bomber world.  It is powered by four of the same engines used in the F-15/F-16, is supersonic, is controlled by a stick rather than a yoke, and is (thankfully) equipped with four ejection seats.  It flies essentially like other bombers, though.

As usual, the Air Force will investigate and publish its findings at a later date.

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Navy Info Chief for Michael Weinstein: Cut out Adjectives

Navy Chief of Information RADM John Kirby didn’t write a personal letter to Michael Weinstein, but he might have been thinking about him when he emailed naval officers and told them to stop the “jargon and gibberish,” as well as excessive adjectives.  Criticizing his own service’s communications efforts, RADM Kirby said:

We’ve never met an adjective or adverb we didn’t like.

We don’t “exploit operations in the electromagnetic spectrum.”  We fully exploit them.  We don’t integrate functions; we seamlessly integrate them…

Here’s another example…about the Zumwalt-class Read more

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