[Pukin Dog]

It happens all the time, sadly.

This is why it is drilled so strongly to just get out. Guys start thinking of their careers, whether they will be blamed, grounded and sacked, all in the course of a few seconds.

There is a stigma. If you crashed an airplane, who the hell wants to fly next to you, next time round? Pilots are human, nobody likes to screw up. From the calls I am getting, it is starting to look like the famous Hornet F404 compressor stall. The blues get the oldest equipment in the fleet, so it would not be surprising. When one of those engines goes, it generally takes the hydraulics with it.

This is still just speculation, but this is what is being looked at.

[George W. Bush]

The blues get the oldest equipment in the fleet...

I recall them in the Eighties. They flew over town and, though the aircraft were kept spotless for the show, I thought they looked outdated way back then too. I suppose the latest stuff is too precious to the Pentagon for civilian events.

[hornetguy]

Yes they get the old stuff. F/A-18A, bunos are 161XXX Lot 5 0r 6 which would make them about 1982 or 1983 builds.