[Dr. Franklin]

Nope. He’s a very well-educated and smart guy, just like most American fighter pilots. Probably an engineer.
Been a while since I saw data, but I think average IQ of American combat pilots is 130. The only group with a higher average are electronic countermeasure officers, who are generally insanely brilliant.

Was this guy smart enough to read the instruction manual for this jet which warns not to fly it in electrical storms?

[wardaddy]

I could be wrong but not since my dads f100 and f104 days sixty years ago have fighter pilots had freedom to eff around flying their birds much

Now my dad could almost do what he wanted outta sight

When he flew out of Greenville Miss he’d tree top my grandpas cabin at lake bruin louisuana sending my grandpa to the deck at mossy cypress tree top level or harass barges on the Mississippi right across the levee

I don’t think it’s easy to play around now

They can always “see you”

Yeager flew quite old btw

[Jewbacca]

That known thunderstorm issue has to do with a system that injects nitrogen into the fuel tank as it empties. A spark from lightening can cause a tank with oxygen to explode. That system was poorly designed and can be damaged in maintenance.

The plane obviously did not explode, so that concern has zero to do with whatever happened.

It also was never an issue on the B models.

In short, that argument was floated by an idiot who doesn’t understand cause and effect.