request for fighter pilot statistic

RomeoMike wrote:
Do any of these fly out of Nellis? I was on the ground in the
northwestern Arizona boonies a few years ago when one flew over my
position very loud and low. I wouldn't want to guess how low, but I was
in awe.

BUFFs routinely fly out of Nellis for Red Flag and for their Weapons
School deployments. Unfortunately I think the only two units that still
regularly practice low level are Weapons School and us out at Edwards.
So, its a cool thing to be able to say I've flown low level in the BUFF!
There are quite a few of the younger aircrew out there who haven't.

Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester

"Michael Kelly" wrote

So, its a cool thing to be able to say I've flown low level in the BUFF!
There are quite a few of the younger aircrew out there who haven't.

So how low is low, and how high is still low? g
--
Jim in NC

About 20 (maybe 25?)years ago I was out cultivating corn just northwest
of Waterloo, IA and I swear a B52 rumbled right over my head.
Incredibly low and slow. Looked dangerous.

In about 1979, I was searching in the mountains west of Fort
Collins, Colorado for a downed aircraft. I was flying in a Birddog
500' below the ridge line, and heard the most incredible rumbling.
It just kept getting louder and louder. We were jinking left and
right, trying to figure out what it was. Then, we saw a BUFF, 500'
below us and 300' AGL, flying UP the canyon. It climbed over the
canyon wall at the head of the canyon. We immediately climbed and
went over the ridge we were searching to that we would be WELL away
from the wing vortex(es), which would hit the canyon floor or the
canyon wall and CLIMB up the wall due to their rotation. We made
it, but the snow swirl as the wing vortex came over the canyon wall
made an impressive "horizontal snow tornado".

This was one of the BEST ways of turning taxpayer dollars into noise
that I have ever seen/heard! I am proud to be an American!

Best regards,

Jer/ "Flight instruction/mountain flying are my vocation!" Eberhard

--
Jer/ (Slash) Eberhard, Mountain Flying Aviation, LTD, Ft Collins, CO
CELL 970 231-6325 EMAIL jeratfrii.com http://users.frii.com/jer/
C-206 N9513G, CFII Airplane&Glider FAA-DEN Aviation Safety Counselor
CAP-CO Mission&Aircraft CheckPilot BM218 HAM N0FZD 235 Young Eagles!

Morgans wrote:

"Michael Kelly" wrote


So, its a cool thing to be able to say I've flown low level in the BUFF!
There are quite a few of the younger aircrew out there who haven't.


So how low is low, and how high is still low? g

Low is as low as the pilot wants to go... . Really the lower limit is
dictated by the Radar Nav and Nav's down firing ejection seats or by
having folks in the various jump seats wearing plain parachutes. If the
latter then you must be at least 500 ft AGL to give folks a chance to
bail out. If everyone is in a seat you can go lower.

How high is still low? If you go low in mountains you can crest some
ridges at 500 ft AGL and still be 12,000 ft MSL. Been there done that.

Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester

Basically, the pilot involved didn't think the rules applied to him and was well know for his unsafe flying.

How can a guy w/ questionable ethics or is considered 'unsafe' be
qualified or allowed to fly or even be on the demo team?

The Monk

Flyingmonk wrote:
Basically, the pilot involved didn't think the rules applied to him and was well know for his unsafe flying.


How can a guy w/ questionable ethics or is considered 'unsafe' be
qualified or allowed to fly or even be on the demo team?

The Monk

That's the whole point about the book written on this incident. I'm
only informed around the edges of the story and from the deceased's
reputation within the BUFF community. There was a very bad break down
in leadership that allowed that pilot to continue flying. Again, I
haven't read the book, but every BUFF aircrew member I know supports the
point of view I originally posted.


Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 03:35:41 GMT, Michael Kelly
wrote:

Flyingmonk wrote:
Basically, the pilot involved didn't think the rules applied to him and was well know for his unsafe flying.


How can a guy w/ questionable ethics or is considered 'unsafe' be
qualified or allowed to fly or even be on the demo team?

The Monk

That's the whole point about the book written on this incident. I'm
only informed around the edges of the story and from the deceased's
reputation within the BUFF community. There was a very bad break down
in leadership that allowed that pilot to continue flying. Again, I
haven't read the book, but every BUFF aircrew member I know supports the
point of view I originally posted.


Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester


Are you talking about this article?

http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-D...e/darkblue.htm
or is there also a book written about this case?

Greetz Mu

Mu wrote:

Are you talking about this article?

http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-D...e/darkblue.htm
or is there also a book written about this case?

Greetz Mu

I beleive this is it. My fellow crew members called it a book, but I
think this paper is what they're referring to.

Reread it, its a well documented and damning indictment of the wing
leadership.

Thanks for finding the URL.

Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester

On Tue, 20 Dec 2005 05:49:08 GMT, Michael Kelly
wrote:

Mu wrote:

Are you talking about this article?

http://s92270093.onlinehome.us/CRM-D...e/darkblue.htm
or is there also a book written about this case?

Greetz Mu

I beleive this is it. My fellow crew members called it a book, but I
think this paper is what they're referring to.

Reread it, its a well documented and damning indictment of the wing
leadership.

Thanks for finding the URL.

Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Tester


Indeed quite an indictment to the leadership. Especially the part
about him keeping his job as Chief Stan Eval.
I've never been a pilot myself (damn my eyes), but I think it would
give me a very weird/awkward feeling to have a guy as my Stan Eval who
shows ..well.. how NOT to adhere to standards. Teaching/evaluating
people how to the job but not doing it yourself is not the way to get
your students listening to you.

Greetz Mu

Morgans wrote:
"Michael Kelly" wrote


I beleive


i before e, except after c..... g

It is good to know that test piliots can't spell sometimes, too. ;-)

Damn, I was typing fast and hit send before spell checking... But it
could be worse, when I got to engineering school I couldn't spell the
word engineer, now I are one .

Michael Kelly
BUFF Flight Testers (Who's now turned on the auto spell check)