US Navy F-18 from carrier Carl Vinson crashes off the Philippines

RT News ^ | 04/21/2017

[SeekAndFind]

[Lurkinanloomin]

Routine flight operations that resulted in crashing the airplane was John McCain’s specialty.

[SandRat]

Was the pilot a “John McCain Wanna-BE”?

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

My first thought is “thank God the pilot is okay”, and my second thought is that he just wrecked a 100 million dollar piece of military equipment...Wonder how he’s feeling about his career just now.

[HotKat]

Pray for him or her.

[Yo-Yo]

Its intended replacement, the F-35C, is behind schedule and over budget.

I hate to break it to Russia Today, but the F-35C is not intended to replace the F/A-18E. It is intended to replace the F/A-18C/D. If you don't know the difference, you shouldn't be writing news articles on the subject, RT.

[laplata]

My first thought is “thank God the pilot is okay”, and my second thought is that he just wrecked a 100 million dollar piece of military equipment...Wonder how he’s feeling about his career just now.

---

It shouldn’t affect his career at all.

Why do you assume it was his fault?

[Wyrd bið ful aræd]

I don’t assume it was his fault, but my dad was a lifer Naval officer who was in aviation for the first part of his career, around the mid-70s. A bad/political/a-hole commanding officer could stir up hell for a pilot over this type of thing if he so chose, at least back in the day — my dad had a friend who crashed a trainer; the guy never flew again. Maybe things are different now.

[Salvavida]

The Stars and Stripes did a front page article last year on the F-18s and their lack of airworthiness because they are well past their service life, and maintenance cannot keep up with the punishment they have endured for more than two decades.

As long as it isn't pilot error, he's good.

[laplata]

I see your point. I’d say with today’s situation with our Naval Aviation, there will be an investigation, and if not found negligent, the aviator will return to duty as a highly valued member of the team.

“.. my dad had a friend who crashed a trainer; the guy never flew again. Maybe things are different now”.

A F-18 is not a trainer. This pilot probably flew a trainer many hours ago.

[xone]

As long as it isn't pilot error, he's good.

Since the pilot is alive the accident board won't get to go to its default setting; pilot error.

[pfflier]

Since the pilot is alive the accident board won't get to go to its default setting; pilot error.

Owww, beat me to it.

[Exit148]

One of my sons flew an EA6B — (electronic warfare aircraft) — one of the most expensive carrier jets. He had a problem landing one time, because of a broken $12 bolt. But he landed safely.

[\/\/ayne]

Hey, that’s not my beer, it’s some kind of lever...

[laplata]

Things like that happen. Glad he is okay. He was a good pilot and was probably commended for landing safely under those conditions.

[GreyHoundSailor]

I was stationed with a Navy pilot who ran his Hornet out of fuel during a night training mission. His O-8 told him he’d never fly again, but an O-9 overruled him - that was over a decade ago.

[entropy12]

Why is Juan McCain allowed to fly expensive fighter aircraft?

[SamuraiScot]

Does it say something that the sex of the pilot is nowhere mentioned?

[Tallguy]

Those Fly-by-Wire planes just quit flying when things go wrong. Lose power and can’t re-start it’s time to get out.

[skimbell]

Global Aircraft lists the F/A-18 at $29M per. F/A-18E/F Super Hornet rings in at $57M a copy.