Posted on 09/13/2009 12:12:02 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
September 13, 2009 (by Asif Shamim) - An F-16A from the IDFAF crashed in the Southern hills near Hebron on Sunday. The pilot who was killed was the son of the late Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, who died in the Space Shuttle Columbia accident in 2003.
The pilot Lt. Assaf Ramon, 20, was on his 47th training flight since completing his pilot training in June 2009. The aircraft crashed during a routine flight as part of the advanced pilot training course.
IAF commander Maj.-Gen. Ido Nehushtan and the head of the IDF Manpower Division Avi Zamir personally delivered the sad news to his mother, Rona Ramon's at there home.
The news of the crash has been taken badly within the Nations defence forces, especially within the airforce who regarded Ilan Ramon as a legend. Ramon senior was a colonel in the airforce and was the first Israeli in space.
Assaf enlisted in the airforce in 2006 to follow in his father footsteps soon after the Columbia tragedy. He graduated in June of this year as the classes valedictorian. Lt. Ramon received a presidential citation and was given his pilot's wings by President Shimon Peres
The cause of the accident was under investigation and is complicated by the large crash scene. Debris is reported to be spread over a large area of land near the settlement of P'nei Chever.
An eye witness account have suggested that Assaf may have tried to eject.
The Commander of the IAF, Maj. Gen. Ido Nehushtan appointed an investigative committee to examine the circumstance of the plane crash. All F-16 training flights have been cancelled until further notice.
RIP ping
Oh that is so sad. His poor mother and family.
That poor family.
Prayers for his eternal rest, and for the comfort and consolation of his loved ones.
Wow, so sad. Heartfelt condolences to Assaf’s family and friends.
Oh, words just can’t express how utterly SAD this is. RIP, Lt. Ramon.
A reminder that no flight in a war plane is routine, especially in the IAF.
I saw an IAF jet about 100 ft off the deck in a 30 degree nose down afterburner run across the desert floor near the Dead Sea kicking up dust in front of the jet in 1985. Stuff we don't do in war time.
RIP Brave Warrior of Zion.
HIGH FLIGHT
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,
I’ve topped the windswept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untresspassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee
No 412 squadron, RCAF
Killed 11 December 1941
A real tragedy for his family especially his Mother. Also a real loss for the Israeli Air Force to lose a fine pilot and a valuable plane.
Oh man.....
Prayers to all.
Oh so sad! Prayers for his family!
A prayer of comfort to Rona Ramon.
Thank you for the ping Ali Veritas.
If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
..................
HaShem’s Mysteries unfold.
I followed Ilan Ramon from when he was a young pilot. The death of his son is a sadness I can’t even begin to express.
He is out of this place now, and sleeps the sleep of the righteous.
I pray them both peace, and for his mother, strength.
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