Dang, it's been a bad month for aviation.

Snowbird
F-22
F-35
PIA Flight 8303
Now this.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Dang, it's been a bad month for aviation.

Snowbird
F-22
F-35
PIA Flight 8303
Now this.

This was last year

Oh, well still a bad month.

Been a rough few weeks for fighters.

There is absolutely nothing routine about training in that area. RIP, LT Walker.

RIP Lt.

here is a 4k version if you have the gear for it.

Thanks for the video.
Definitely not much time to correct errors.

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
The investigator wrote that Walker was not current in low altitude training because he had not flown a minimum of 10 minutes in a low altitude environment in the past 30 days, so he was instructed to keep his jet at least 500 feet above ground level during that day’s training.

When they talk about ten minutes in the last 30 days for currency, that says something about the level of focus required.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

quote:

Originally posted by corsair:
The investigator wrote that Walker was not current in low altitude training because he had not flown a minimum of 10 minutes in a low altitude environment in the past 30 days, so he was instructed to keep his jet at least 500 feet above ground level during that day’s training.

When they talk about ten minutes in the last 30 days for currency, that says something about the level of focus required.

Yet, he was considered highly experienced and the command's most experienced low-level pilot.

What's more concerning to me is, the CO didn't seem aware the pilot was doing a low-level flight of this sort. Makes me wonder if the Ops-O was aware when the flight schedule was written.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: LS1 GTO,

Too low, too fast, exceeding his skill level that day, basically.

Low level flight is FUN but also extremely unforgiving, especially in terrain like that. At those speed, below 500 feet and it takes up nearly all of your attention, especially when turning / clearing terrain.

All it takes is a second of inattention to kill yourself. Think about that. Stare at a wall and count - "One thousand One". In that time it goes from everything is fine to dead or in a position you are about to be dead and can't do anything to stop it. Even with the automation, the safety systems, you can't defeat the laws of physics and aerodynamics.

Now you might wonder "why train flying low altitude when all the wars we fight these days are from medium to high altitude"? Aviation combat veterans, especially ones from contested airspace (Vietnam, Desert Storm, Kosovo) say that flying and training low altitude is very similar to the feeling you get when being seriously shot at. It lets your mind know what it feels like to be at the verge of being overwhelmed and learn how to keep going and keep fighting through it, safely.

Sad that this pilot died. But he's not the first, nor will he be the last. The price of freedom is paid day and night, peacetime and war. Mechanical failures, pilot error, inattention, or just a shitty day. It happens.

RIP, Warrior.

Pilot breaks down the mishap report.

quote:

Originally posted by Skull Leader:
Pilot breaks down the mishap

That is CW Lemoine. Flew F16 in Air Force, F18 in Navy and now does T38 aggressor out of Tyndall. Interesting channel to follow, he is sharp and also does not speculate - sticks to the report. Basically - a mistake like Rhinwso posted. Pay attention to the section on timing response. At 200’ ft it is 3 seconds straight and level if on course.