Tag Archives: Aircraft

F-35B Hovers for First Time

Update: The F-35B has now accomplished the significant milestone of a vertical landing. Video from some of the testing can be seen here.

A news article at the Marine Times notes that the F-35B, the Marine Corps variant intended to replace the STOVL Harrier, has hovered in flight for the first time.  Flight test programs are built on gradual advances, and as a result the JSF did not land from a hover, though it did a slow speed landing at 70 knots (probably about half the speed of a normal landing).

Like many large military acquisition programs, the F-35 test program has come under increasing criticism for delays and potential cost increases.

Air Traffic Control: Even a Child Could Do It

By now most have likely heard about the air traffic controller, Glenn Duffy, who reportedly brought his 9 year old twin children to work and allowed them to make several radio transmission to airliners on the tower frequency.  The FAA and ATC union were quick to respond, with the FAA suspending not only the controller, but also his supervisor, Rose Kelly.  The union said the behavior was “not indicative of the highest professional standards” of controller operations.

Pilots and controllers sometimes have an adversarial relationship.  Pilots get annoyed at being told what they think is the wrong thing to do, and controllers often get annoyed at pilots who always think they know better.  (In that regard, ATC controllers and fighter pilots may have much in common.)  Rightly or wrongly, some pilots also blame controllers for some fatal mishaps.  Gallows humor asks  Read more

Adversaries Use American Virtues as Weapons

As noted in earlier discussions about accusations of religious impropriety, American adversaries have begun to wage effective combat operations by using American virtues against US forces.  In the most recent example, a somewhat overly pessimistic Op-Ed in the New York Times says the Taliban have “beaten American airpower”–a dramatic claim, given that the Taliban has no Air Force or even an anti-air capability.  But, according to the author, the Taliban have found a “non-military” way to “beat” American airpower:  Read more

02 March 2010: 100 Years of Military Aviation

According to an Air Force press release, a reenactment of the first flight of a US military airplane will occur at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, commemorating the flight 100 years ago today.

The celebration is reportedly being held by both the Army and the Air Force.  Obviously, the first military flight was conducted in a US Army aircraft.

Update: Read the post-celebration article, which includes pictures of the unique flyby of the Wright B Flyer.

F-16 Pilot Ejects at Osan Air Base

An F-16 pilot at Osan Air Base, Korea, has reportedly ejected just prior to landing.  The pilot is described as “safe,” while the plane, which “had nearly touched down” at the time of ejection, “did not catch fire and remained structurally intact.”

It will likely be at least a month before the initial reports are completed on the mishap.

The F-16, like most advanced fighters, is equipped with a “zero/zero” ejection seat (the ACES II, in most American ejection seat aircraft). This means at zero feet above ground and zero knots (that is, parked on the ground), the pilot can safely eject.  Generally he gets “one swing in the chute” before hitting the ground, an impact that is Read more

Air Force Daytona 500 Flyby Draws Complaint

Like its recent support of the Super Bowl, the US Air Force also performed a flyby of the “super bowl of NASCAR,” the Daytona 500.  As with many similar events, the flyby is timed to coincide with the end of the singing of the national anthem.  The roar of jet fighters passing by as the anthem ends is a moving experience for many.  As cool as it is, it is poor form to start cheering for the fighters before the anthem is complete, as many in the crowds tend to do.

Interestingly, a comment left on the official Air Force article on this story took issue with the altitude of the flyby.  While the writer displays a bit of the fighter vs heavy antagonism (she said a tanker crew had gotten in trouble for doing “the exact same thing” and therefore the fighters should also), her complaint may have some validity.  The YouTube videos of the flyby (there are two decent ones here and here) do seem to show the fighters Read more

Air Force Shelving Fighters, Increasing UAVs

As noted in a variety of sources, the Air Force is instituting the previously declared drawdown in frontline fighters.  It is “retiring” 250 fighters across several platforms, including nearly 100 F-16s.

By contrast, it was already common knowledge that the Air Force’s most recent budget had emphasized UAVs over manned fighters.  The Air Force Times concludes that “by the end of the year” USAF UAV pilots will outnumber F-16 pilots.  Presumably, these UAV operators will primarily control Reapers, Predators, and Global Hawks.  F-16s were previously the largest manned major fighter weapon system in the Air Force.

A Chilling Call: Aircraft Down

The Supervisor of Flying, a pilot stationed in the control tower to oversee flight operations on the airfield, received a call from local emergency responders relaying reports of a loud boom and possible fireball.  A roll call of all airborne aircraft revealed one aircraft missing.  Officers around the base opened their Mishap Response Checklists.  An aircraft was down.

The controllers stopped all further launches and began the task of recovering other aircraft that were airborne; the assets of the base as well as the local community were now focused on the rescue and recovery of the downed aircraft and crew.  An air traffic controller guided an experienced pilot to the last known location of the aircraft, and the crash location was fixed.  Helicopters flown by local law enforcement and the US Marines were dispatched to the crash site.  Simultaneously, officers throughout the base began the procedures of securing all equipment associated with the flight–from the maintenance records of the aircraft to the pilot’s gradebook and records.  Ultimately, a commander would don his service dress uniform and request the accompaniment of a Chaplain.

Regrettably, the fighter pilot career field is a dangerous one.  In this case, Read more

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