Tag Archives: Fighter Pilot

Iraq Makes First Payment on New F-16 Fleet

According to various (and official) sources, the Iraqi government has begun the process of purchasing F-16s to stand up a new capability in its fledgling Air Force.

Iraq has signed an estimated $3 billion deal to buy 18 fighter jets from the United States, officials said Tuesday, in a measure aimed at protecting its air space alone after years of relying on help from American pilots.

Though the planes won’t arrive in country for some time, Iraqi pilots are reportedly already being trained in the US:  Read more

A-10 Crashes in Georgia

An A-10C Warthog crashed in Georgia Monday afternoon.  The pilot ejected and was being evaluated at Moody Air Force Base’s medical facilities.

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. — An Air Force A-10C pilot assigned to the 23rd Wing ejected from an aircraft during a routine mission at approximately 2:45 p.m. today in a non-residential area northeast of Berlin, Ga., in Cook County.

Update: The pilot was released with minor injuries.  Public Affairs has posted pictures of the crash site.

Missionary Aviation: A Day in the Life

The Mission Aviation Fellowship blog has an impressive blow-by-blow day in the life of an MAF pilot in the Amazon.  With a 0635 show at the airport and an 1805 last landing (2 minutes prior to sunset), the day is filled not only with a variety of sorties, but also with challenges from the weather, diversion, passengers, and emergencies.

Though abbreviated, it makes for an extremely educational peek into the work of mission aviation.

US Declines to Sell New F-16s to Taiwan, Will Upgrade

According to the New York Times, the Obama administration has decided against allowing Taiwan to purchase new F-16C/Ds, but it will allow them to purchase the material to upgrade their existing fleet of F-16A/Bs.  Some have called this “buckling to pressure from China,” which generally criticizes military support for what it considers a breakaway state.

“If the reports are true,” Senator John Cornyn, Republican of Texas, said in a written statement on Friday, “today’s capitulation to Communist Read more

General: UAV Pilots will Outnumber All Others

General Edward Rice, commander of the Air Force Air Education and Training Command, has made (the foreseeable) statement that UAV pilots will someday outnumber all other pilots in the Air Force.

Of course, the birth of the nuclear age foretold the end of the fighter pilot era, and the demise of the dedicated close air support aircraft has been predicted (and proven false) repeatedly.  The future is anything but entirely certain.

Man Jailed for Trying to Sell Jet to Iran

Marc Knapp was sentenced to 46 months in prison for trying to sell an F-5 and various F-14 parts to Iran.

Prosecutors said Knapp…was motivated by both greed and a hatred of the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Hall said Knapp told an undercover agent that he was starting to hate America and wanted to “level the playing field” with Iran.

Defense attorney Christopher Koyste said the statements Knapp made were “puffery.”  Read more

1 … 45 46 47 48 49 … 63