Iraqi F-16 down in Arizona

The pilot was confirmed as Brig Gen Rafid Muhammed Hassan. He had been in the US four years training. He's still officially listed as missing.

Prayers he ejected.

a reply to: Blackfinger

I'm hearing from unofficial sources that he didn't, but they aren't going to officially confirm it until all the notifications are done.

Cockpits a good place to start...if they can ID it..

He was apparently training on night in flight refueling and something went wrong, possibly a collision with the boom.

I don't get why probe and drogue isn't derigeur for all A2A refuelling with perhaps a better flow rate.

Got to be easier on all involved, a 100ft fuel pipe has much more tolerace tan a fixed boom.

a reply to: Forensick

Better flow rate. You can't push 6,000 pounds a minute through a drogue. And a drogue is just as dangerous.



He disconnected from the tanker and the drogue ripped off with him. The hose repeatedly hit the canopy until it shattered. Just one of many many hose and drogue incidents.

a reply to: Zaphod58

yikes!!

Is that flow rate required for the big aircraft in US inventory and the U.S. strategic lift?

Just for fighters the new Airbus flows at 1200kg per min (2600lbs) but can refuel 3 at once which in terms of overall timing on aircraft is 7800lbs per minute and possibly more because you don't have to move off and reattach 3 fighters?

This was our old tanker, don't know the flow rate:



Of course we don't refuel B2, Air Force One etc? So just wondering if that's why the U.S. needs that flow rate?

Thanks.

a reply to: Forensick

One C-5 can require two KC-135R model tankers to offload their entire load of fuel into it.

An offload rate of 2600 lbs a minute is fine for fighters. We used to use one full truck to refuel two and a half fighters or so, including externals. When you're talking about 100,000 lbs or more offloaded, 2600 pounds a minute starts to suck a little.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Wow, that is some fuel! I understand those flow rate requirements now!

Thanks

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Forensick


He disconnected from the tanker and the drogue ripped off with him. The hose repeatedly hit the canopy until it shattered. Just one of many many hose and drogue incidents.

Jesus that sucks. There are probably only a handful of worse ways to die than in an aircraft in an event like that where you know for a split second before there is little you can do to prevent it. Well actually there are probably more but still that is terrible.

a reply to: sputniksteve

Actually that pilot survived. They confirmed that the General didn't today though.

I am willing to bet that he closed with the boom too fast, and it came through the canopy disabling him, and the aircraft dove into the ground. Someone said they saw a 45,000 fpm descent rate.

a reply to: Zaphod58

So there is a pilot and navigator (not sure what second is called specifically in this case) and only 1 occupant died?

a reply to: sputniksteve

No, the D model is used for pilot training. With two pilots, one is an instructor, the other a student. They can also be flown with just one pilot, as this one was. The General had graduated from basic flight training in the F-16, and was undergoing instructor training to become an instructor pilot. But you have to have so many hours, including night and night refueling, to qualify as an instructor.

In aircraft like the F-15E, where the second crew member fires the weapons, their official title is Weapons System Officer. They're also called the Wizzo, or GiB (Guy in Back). In the Navy they are called RIO for Radar Intercept Officer.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Ohhhhhhhhhh, I get it now. I didn't pay close enough attention to the picture and realize that is what you were talking about, thinking you were explaining how the Iraqi just crashed.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: sputniksteve

Actually that pilot survived. They confirmed that the General didn't today though.

I am willing to bet that he closed with the boom too fast, and it came through the canopy disabling him, and the aircraft dove into the ground. Someone said they saw a 45,000 fpm descent rate.

Skewered by the boom, ouch!

a reply to: Forensick

Not necessarily skewered, but at least knocked unconscious by the impact. If you've ever watched a Viper hooking up the boom skims the top of the canopy and plugs in just behind the cockpit.

a reply to: sputniksteve

No worries. When it comes to aviation I can jump around a lot, and quickly. It can be hard to keep up.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: Forensick

Not necessarily skewered, but at least knocked unconscious by the impact. If you've ever watched a Viper hooking up the boom skims the top of the canopy and plugs in just behind the cockpit.

You know that second pick shows how big that Boom is and the first shows it doesnt look that big from that angle.

I never realised how big it is and I hope my hole isnt the boomers goal!

a reply to: Forensick

The second one is the KC-30 which uses a boom slightly larger than the -135. It is bigger than you think though.