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Posted on 07/20/2025 7:22:48 PM PDT by Macho MAGA Man
A Delta Connection Embraer E175 regional jet, operated by SkyWest Airlines as Flight 3788 from Minneapolis–Saint Paul to Minot International Airport, executed a sudden “aggressive maneuver” during its final approach to avoid a near-fatal mid‑air collision with a U.S. Air Force B‑52 bomber from nearby Minot Air Force Base.
While on final approach from Minneapolis–Saint Paul, the Delta Connection crew received a last-second instruction from air traffic control to turn due to “inadequate separation.”
During the turn, the pilot spotted the B‑52 rapidly converging and hauled the jet sharply behind it for safety.
Once landed safely, the pilot addressed passengers calmly:
“For those of you on the right-hand side, you probably saw the airplane coming at us. Nobody told us about it. We continued air traffic. There’s no radar here. The tower is controlled—excuse me, the tower does everything visually. And so they said, “Report about six miles from the airport.” So we did that.
I think he realized that the spacing wasn’t going to work, and he said, “Turn right.” I looked over, and there was an airplane, which—for those of you on the right-hand side—I thought was a small airplane, like the one you see at the airport right now doing touch-and-go’s. And he said, “Turn right.” I said, “There’s an airplane over there.” And he says, “Turn left.”
Then, by the time we read back the clearance, I looked over and saw the airplane that was coming on a converging course with us. Given his speed—it was a military plane—I don’t know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us. I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it.
(Excerpt) Read more at thegatewaypundit.com ...
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Another training maneuver involving an underqualified military pilot?
A cool,competent pilot prevented a tragedy. Celebrate the meritocracy.
“ There’s no radar here. ”
Wow.
Surprised an airliner flys into a no radar airport
The air force fairies were probably taking their afternoon penis break...
I bet they got Dr. Doppler.
That’s the first thing I thought.
I was stationed at MAFB from 1974 to 1975. I repaired B52 avionics equipment.
At the time the civilian airport was like, 13 miles away.
They didn’t even have a tower it was all visual, radio, and telephone.
Hard to see how civilians and a B52 would ever be in the same airspace given the strict restrictions that exist near MAFB airspace.
It may have changed but MAFB had Nuclear armed aircraft on “ground alert” at all times and could be in the air at anytime.
I thought MAFB is where B-1 Bombers were based out of for years. I might be wrong though.
I lived about 10 miles off the end of a SAC wing USAFB. Nixon was President? Ford? (Not Jimmy Carter.)
Occasionally over the years, there would be a launch of 2 or 3 B-52s, but one non-winter day, SAC launched everything.
By the time that a B-52 was overhead, it was about 2,500 - 2,800 ft and fat. Much lower altitude than usual: Not a drill.
Each B-52 was about 3 - 4 minutes apart. 10 B-52s total.
Usually, I would run outside, watch a B-52 fly by, go back inside . . . but by the time 5 B-52s went by, I was really beginning to wonder . . . and turned ON the shortwave radio.
Thank GOD for skilled pilots!!!!!
That man saved MANY lives, his own not the least.
Nope
Herewith an ambiguous hadline.
“Another training maneuver involving an underqualified military pilot?”
“There’s no radar here. The tower is controlled—excuse me, the tower does everything visually. And so they said, “Report about six miles from the airport.” So we did that.”
It may not be the military pilot’s fault. For years the airlines have been reporting distance from the airport that were not true. They do this to cover heavy traffic time or weather problems so they can arrive on time by getting to the destination faster than needed and “getting in line” on the stack earlier making the arrival time correct.
There are a number of “tricks” pilots use when getting into range of an airport. A good example I have used is when going into San Francisco International from the west I break cloud clearance coming over the mountains and they will ask me to re-report over Dumbarton bridge. When I re-report, I request a straight in to either 28 left or 28 right and normally they will slip me in between larger aircraft as long as I can get off the main right away. The vortex from the previous aircraft is a little rough but it beats burning fuel in line.
wy69
About 30 years ago, I was flying my Piper Comanche 250 to Casper. I was over western Nebraska at probably 2,000 feet AGL and traveling at 175 mph. I saw what appeared to be a forest fire way off to the north. But as I looked, the fire became two fires and then became two F-4 Phantoms. They were crossing ahead and below me. There was no risk of collision but I kept watching them AND THEN, I saw this big shadow zooming across the ground.
It was a B-52 doing low-level training. It was on the deck. But for the smokey Phantoms escorting it, I would never have seen it. It wasn’t smoking - just traveling low and fast.
It happens all the time. Wait until you hear about overseas flights.
Ages ago, I was driving through the Mojave Desert when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I was briefly pacing a B52 flying on the deck. It was one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever seen.
Minot never had B-1s. Grand Forks did for a while.
“Ages ago, I was driving through the Mojave Desert when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. I was briefly pacing a B52 flying on the deck. It was one of the most awe inspiring things I have ever seen.”
I’ve had that treat. Working on the side of a mountain and he went by UNDER me, saw the top of the plane. His buddy went by too, a little farther out.
Try this - B1, fifty feet (maybe), directly overhead, wings back, burners lit. Shakes the ground when it goes by. Great entertainment. Makes your eyeballs a little fuzzy though....
Airliners pack their own.
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