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Mishaps mark John McCain's record as naval aviator
LA Times ^ | October 6, 2008 | Ralph Vartabedian

Posted on 10/06/2008 1:21:38 PM PDT by jessduntno

Mishaps mark John McCain's record as naval aviator

By Ralph Vartabedian and Richard A. Serrano, Los Angeles Times Staff Writers October 6, 2008

The 23-year-old junior lieutenant wasn't paying attention and erred in using "a power setting too low to maintain level flight in a turn," investigators concluded.

As a presidential candidate, McCain has cited his military service -- particularly his 5 1/2 years as a POW. But he has been less forthcoming about his mistakes in the cockpit.

The Times interviewed men who served with McCain and located once-confidential 1960s-era accident reports and formerly classified evaluations of his squadrons during the Vietnam War. This examination of his record revealed a pilot who early in his career was cocky, occasionally cavalier and prone to testing limits.

In today's military, a lapse in judgment that causes a crash can end a pilot's career. Though standards were looser and crashes more frequent in the 1960s, McCain's record stands out.

"Three mishaps are unusual," said Michael L. Barr, a former Air Force pilot with 137 combat missions in Vietnam and an internationally known aviation safety expert who teaches in USC's Aviation Safety and Security Program. "After the third accident, you would say: Is there a trend here in terms of his flying skills and his judgment?"

Jeremiah Pearson, a Navy officer who flew 400 missions over Vietnam without a mishap and later became the head of human spaceflight at NASA, said: "That's a lot. You don't want any. Maybe he was just unlucky."

Navy veterans who flew with McCain called him a good pilot.

(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...


TOPICS: Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aviator; mccain; mccainrecord; mccaintruthfile; pilots; pow; usnavy; vietnamvets
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To: Philo-Junius

All God asks of any of us is to do our best. McCain did his best, and Obama has done nothing of service to this country.


41 posted on 10/06/2008 1:39:54 PM PDT by tessalu
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To: All

God Bless our Troops and Veterans and screw the jerks who badmouth them! If the left is so brainwashed they don’t see who fought for are freedom and who is trying to give it away, I don’t think there is anything we can do for them short of pray for God to open their hearts and eyes and ears.


42 posted on 10/06/2008 1:39:55 PM PDT by proudtobeanamerican1 (God Bless Sarah Palin and her Family.)
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To: jessduntno

So, let’s take a look at Obama’s service record. Sure would like to know what his classification was. I don’t think it was ever mentioned.


43 posted on 10/06/2008 1:40:24 PM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: magslinger

ping


44 posted on 10/06/2008 1:40:28 PM PDT by Vroomfondel
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To: ArrogantBustard

“Former President George H. W. Bush flew a prop-driven light bomber in combat (jets having then not been invented). The MSM hated him, too.”

John McCain and GHW Bush were combat pilots. Both men have displayed courage and dedication deserving the highest level of respect.

While I respect GW Bush, his record should not be compared with the other 2 men.


45 posted on 10/06/2008 1:40:38 PM PDT by brownsfan (Algore makes P.T. Barnum look like a piker.)
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To: jessduntno
The 23-year-old junior lieutenant wasn't paying attention and erred in using "a power setting too low to maintain level flight in a turn," investigators concluded.

Thirty years later somewhere in Chicago:

The 23-year-old junior community organizer was nodding off and spilled the nasty bong water all over Bill Ayres' first edition copy of Das Kapital.

46 posted on 10/06/2008 1:41:14 PM PDT by Ditto (Global Warming: The 21st Century's Snake Oil)
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To: AFreeBird

I thought they were talking about John Wayne.


47 posted on 10/06/2008 1:42:06 PM PDT by Sacajaweau (I'm planting corn...Have to feed my car...)
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To: marron

Post of the day.


48 posted on 10/06/2008 1:42:32 PM PDT by Excellence (Why do scoundrels like Ayers gravitate to public education when Plan A fails?)
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To: jessduntno
"Three mishaps are unusual," said Michael L. Barr, a former Air Force pilot with 137 combat missions in Vietnam and an internationally known aviation safety expert who teaches in USC's Aviation Safety and Security Program. "After the third accident, you would say: Is there a trend here in terms of his flying skills and his judgment?"

What was the state of jet-era combat training and operations in the 1960s?

Was that reasonable back then because it was a new emerging science, or was jet combat already a mature science?

-PJ

49 posted on 10/06/2008 1:42:39 PM PDT by Political Junkie Too (You can never overestimate the Democrats' ability to overplay their hand.)
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To: jessduntno

Hey LA Times hack- nice try. As an old USAF jet instructor and test-pilot instructor, McCain’s record is - honestly typical. We military types are hard on our folks. We demand and expect perfection.

That’s probably why I never taught any lieutenants that were journalism majors. Most just don’t have the cojones or coordination. You are in that group.


50 posted on 10/06/2008 1:43:08 PM PDT by Da Coyote
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To: jessduntno
McCain as a figher pilot:


Obama trying to ride a bike:

Any questions as to manhood and professional accomplishments?

51 posted on 10/06/2008 1:43:14 PM PDT by CodeToad
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To: jessduntno

My hero was Big Frank Valesh of the 100th bombgroup in WW2.He lost 7 b-17s and continued till he finished his tour.Yes,its true he wrecked one on take off one night from his field with a couple of redcross girls on board.Still a hellofa man in my book.So McCain washed out some birds.Big harry deal.He is still the luckiest man in the Navy surviving the fire on the carrier.Just watch the video.It would seem he used up most of his luck before his trips north.You cant take anything away from him on that.And I still have issues with McCain on certain current events.


52 posted on 10/06/2008 1:43:21 PM PDT by HANG THE EXPENSE (Defeat liberalism, its the right thing to do for America.)
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To: jessduntno

The liberal news media marches on, oblivious to all outside opinions.


53 posted on 10/06/2008 1:43:35 PM PDT by popdonnelly (Does Obama know ANYONE who likes America, capitalism, or white people?)
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To: jessduntno

That’s one of the things that I like MOST about Navy Pilots.


54 posted on 10/06/2008 1:43:38 PM PDT by mpackard (Read my Lip-Stick)
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To: jessduntno

“Mustang, this is Ghostrider, requesting flyby.”


55 posted on 10/06/2008 1:44:40 PM PDT by RichInOC (McCain/Palin '08: You Called Down The Thunder...Well, Now You Got A Cat 5 Hurricane.)
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To: CodeToad

Where is that picture from of Obama riding his bike?


56 posted on 10/06/2008 1:44:40 PM PDT by truthandlife ("Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God." (Ps 20:7))
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To: johniegrad
There is, however, a little less swagger during nighttime carrier ops.

Yeah, something about pucker factor and seat cushions from what I've heard.

57 posted on 10/06/2008 1:45:08 PM PDT by Tennessee_Bob (They're illegal aliens, not immigrants - there is a difference!)
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To: proudtobeanamerican1

Obama’s birth was a mistake from the beginning.


58 posted on 10/06/2008 1:45:09 PM PDT by tessalu
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To: proudtobeanamerican1

Obama’s birth was a mistake from the beginning.


59 posted on 10/06/2008 1:45:21 PM PDT by tessalu
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To: proudtobeanamerican1

Obama’s birth was a mistake from the beginning.


60 posted on 10/06/2008 1:45:29 PM PDT by tessalu
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