Plane Crash/Explosion at RDU International (Raleigh/Durham,NC)

friend

[El Gato]

There is an Air National Guard unit at RDU that have Apache's that are currently deployed in Afghanistan.

Air National Guard doesn't fly Apaches. If they fly Apache's they must be Army National Guard.

[El Gato]

The news keeps saying that the pilot ejected. Is not the F-18 a two seater?

The F/A-18B, F/A-18D and F/A-18F are two seaters, used for operational conversion training. They give up some fuel capacity and/or some bombload because of the second cockpit, but otherwise have the same capabilities as the single seaters. IIRC, the Marines use some of the two seaters for regular missions where, somewhat in the fashion of the Air Force F-15E, the extra set of eyes and the extra brain are needed. Otherwise the two seaters can just fly regular missions with the second seat empty.

F-15 and F-16 also have two seat varients, -B and -D models. The F-15E is a somewhat different bird, optimized for long range strike rather than air to air combat. (This in spite of the motto of the Air Force developement and fighter communities during it's design "Not a Pound for Air To Ground".)

[El Gato]

with the Super Hornet E/F models, I figured they'd follow suit with the E a single and the F a two-seater ... however I saw an two-seater they said was an E so maybe they've gone two seats full ... anyone confirm? PD?

According to the FAS site, the F/A-18E is a single seater, the -F is a two seater, which may be configured with the second seat having a stick and throttle, or not, depending on the mission.

[El Gato]

So who "radioed for an emergency landing at the nearest airport" since this F-18 never left the ground before crashing and certainly knew where he was?

Maybe the other F/A-18 radioed for a quick return to the airport, when he noticed his wingman wasn't there. </sarcasm (Actuallly I'm sure they were in radio contact during Taxis and takeoff and the other pilot knew his wingman was in trouble right away.)

[El Gato]

Gaurantee the "explosion" the fellow on the ground saw was the explosive bolts on the canopy letting go during the ejection sequence. Here's what one looks like from head on:

Or it could have been when the gear collapsed, and started the fireball, just before the ejection.

[jamz]

Your probably right...but this unit is based at RDU...and there is an ANG sign.

That was all.

[blackbag]

I called a friend who was watching the jets before all this happened. "One of the engines went out first, the jet started fishtailing , then the pilot ejected... in that order."

The friend .. an "FAA" employee was watching the jets before all this occured"..

[Mat_Helm]

He punched out after @2000 feet of roll and was probably near 100 knots ground speed. After he ejected the hornet continued down the runway several thousand feet before vering off through a taxiway and toward the gate before stopping.