South Carolina Air National Guard F-16s Crash in Georgia

[don-o]

South Carolina Air National Guard F-16s Crash in Georgia

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-carolina-air-national-guard-f-16s-crash-georgia-n588046

Two F-16 fighter pilots ejected safely when their jets collided over Georgia late Tuesday, officials said.

The jets had been performing "routine night-flying operations" when the incident occurred at around 9:15 p.m. ET, said the South Carolina Air National Guard.

 I am paying closer attention due to my son being in training. are we experiencing a specially rough patch?

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

South Carolina Air National Guard F-16s Crash in Georgia

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-carolina-air-national-guard-f-16s-crash-georgia-n588046
 I am paying closer attention due to my son being in training. are we experiencing a specially rough patch?

Kinda hard to say. USAF tracks mishaps rates and tries to minimize risk.

That said, of the two recent F-16 crashes, one was a midair crash and one was probably some kind of equipment malfunction.

[don-o]

Fire chief: No one on ground hurt as F-16 jets crash near Louisville, GA

http://wjhl.com/2016/06/08/south-carolina-f-16-jets-involved-in-crash-near-louisville-georgia/?utm_content=buffere076c&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

MCENTIRE JOINT NATIONAL GUARD BASE, S.C. (AP) – The Latest on the crash of two South Carolina Air National Guard fighter jets in Georgia (all times local):

11:00 a.m.

First responders in eastern Georgia say the pilots of two fighter jets from the South Carolina Air National Guard that crashed at a rural bombing range were talking normally when they were found.

Jefferson County Fire Chief Jim Anderson says the pilots of the F-16C jets were taken to a hospital Tuesday night as a precaution. The planes crashed at the Bulldog Military Operations Area while on a training mission.

Anderson said the pilots did not talk about the details of the crash. They’ve returned to South Carolina for debriefing in the investigation.

Anderson says one pilot was found in a pasture and the other at the edge of some woods.

Wreckage of one of the planes was found in some woods. Crews are still looking for the other jet.

[SZonian]

South Carolina Air National Guard F-16s Crash in Georgia

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/south-carolina-air-national-guard-f-16s-crash-georgia-n588046
 I am paying closer attention due to my son being in training. are we experiencing a specially rough patch?

@don-o

Could be, with reduced DoD budgets, training usually suffers as a result.  Less training flight hours can lead to mishaps.

More likely in this scenario is that at night, they may have lost SA (situational awareness) and collided.  Could be a combination of this and the above.

They'll probably be flying desks for a while, but I'll bet they're glad to be able to be doing that.  They walked away from this crash.

[don-o]

@don-o

 

They'll probably be flying desks for a while, but I'll bet they're glad to be able to be doing that.  They walked away from this crash.

But ANG are "weekend warriors, aren't they? Wonder if what you mention is leading to more"rust" accumulating beteen flight times?

[SZonian]

But ANG are "weekend warriors, aren't they? Wonder if what you mention is leading to more"rust" accumulating beteen flight times?

Depends on the base.  Some ANG bases will have folks that work normal 40 work weeks, while others only show up on the weekends.

ARTs, Air Reserve Technicians are normally full time civilian employees during the week and pull one weekend a month "on duty".

The "flying desk" comment was about the fact that while the Accident Investigation Board (AIB) and Safety Investigation Board (SIB) conduct their investigations, they won't be flying.  If they're found culpable of pilot error, they'll probably go through more academic training while performing administrative duties until they're cleared to fly again.  If negligent, they could get canned.  Although the services are not usually in too much of a hurry to get rid of multimillion $ investments that easily.

Getting cleared will normally require a check ride with an Instructor Pilot (IP).

Btw, McEntire flies Block 50 F-16s...

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

But ANG are "weekend warriors, aren't they? Wonder if what you mention is leading to more"rust" accumulating beteen flight times?

@ don-o

I looked quickly for a reference but didn't find one handy...but ANG pilots tend to be the best USAF pilots.  They spend more time flying and less time on BS that active duty guys vying for promotion have to do.

I'll keep looking for a reference...

[Half Vast Conspiracy]

@don-o @SZonian

I didn't find a good reference, but here:  is a list of the F-16 pilots with the most hours.  I toggled through the top 20 and 17 are ANG or AFRES.  Only three are/where active duty.

[SZonian]

@don-o @SZonian

I didn't find a good reference, but here:  is a list of the F-16 pilots with the most hours.  I toggled through the top 20 and 17 are ANG or AFRES.  Only three are/where active duty.

@Half Vast Conspiracy

Thanks, and I agree that they probably spend more time focusing on mission/training related tasks vs. trying to become the next perfumed prince.