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

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PlayF-16 fighter jets collide; both pilots eject safely Facebook Twitter Google Plus Embed F-16 fighter jets collide; both pilots eject safely 0:19 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. Image: A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the South Carolina Air National Guard's 169th Fighter Wing, prepares for landing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., April 11, 2015. Ashleigh S. Pavelek / U.S. Air National Guard, file The pilots — assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing out of McEntire Joint National Guard Base in South Carolina — were flying over a military-operating area in Jefferson County, about 150 miles southwest of the base. The aircraft was destroyed, but the pilots were found, treated at a hospital and released, said Col. Nicholas Gentile of the 169th Fighter Wing Commander. The training "was very regular for us," Gentile said at a news conference early Wednesday.

Pilots were OK. Both ejected, but planes were lost.

Get used to it.

a reply to: Zaphod58

It's just strange how the world works. Celebrities dies in threes, fighter jets crash in different incidents, unrelated, but within a few days of each other when no incidents occurred for quite a while. Obviously not a conspiracy, but strange none the less. Just glad both Pilots were able to go home.

originally posted by: Zaphod58
Get used to it.

Oh no why? Is it aging fleet and lack of funding or the new recruits?

Or something even juicier.

a reply to: luthier

Dropping readiness levels, increasing age, dropping flight time, increased commitments....

a reply to: Zaphod58

So the cold war let down, spread to thin, and old planes.

Maybe they need elon musk to design a better autopilot.

a reply to: luthier

They announced after Desert Storm they would buy no more non-stealth fighters. That meant much longer development, and much higher costs leading to lower numbers bought. That means the ones we have are going to have to fly many more years. In 2008, over 90% of the F-15 fleet was within 10% of the end of their life cycle, and something like 3-5% were past it. So they did fatigue testing and increased the life cycle.

a reply to: Zaphod58

As an aviation guy what do you think about the strategy? Are more drones and stealth a better advantage? Should it be slightly more balanced or is this just the nature of technology advancement?

Not setting up gotcha questions I just am asking because you have a lot of aviation knowledge and I...just don't.

a reply to: luthier

If I said what I think about the Air Force Chief of Staff that announced it, or their plan, I'd have to remove it for being a major T&C violation.

a reply to: Zaphod58

He he.

Not being rude but is that an assement based on yearning for the good old days or global strategy. Again I just don't know and am looking to better understand these issues when budgets come up.

a reply to: luthier

On him? First hand experience. He was the Wing Commander at a base we were at. Let's just say all the buildings were freshly painted and the yards were pretty.

On the strategy? The stupidity of putting all your eggs in one basket and wanting the shiniest toys and letting your trusty bike rust away in the yard.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thats how I feel but I just have no experience.

How do these idiots always rise higher than the cream?

a reply to: Zaphod58

I could reflect your sentiments based on conversations I've had with a close family member who works in the bowels of the Pentagon and from a former supervisor who used to be an Air Force KO (Contracting Officer) under his command...

a reply to: luthier

All but two Ait Force Chief of Staff position holders came up through fighters. And one of the two that didn't, was a temporary and had the position something like 2 months.

When that happens, fighters become the priority, and everything else gets dealt with when it absolutely needs to be.