Never allowed to fly gov't planes again

[eagl]

Not knowing why those pilots got in trouble simply means that you are not a military pilot.  If you were, you would understand, you would probably agree, and you might even wonder why the lead pilot did not spend any time in jail.

For the sake of education, I'll try to put it into perspective.

You've seen the little train that runs around inside many indoor malls?  Imagine that the train runs on a course that has a rope barrier so people almost never walk on the train "track".  Now imagine that some guy knows that this track almost never has anyone on it even during busy holiday shopping, so he takes a racing motorcycle down that indoor mall course surrounded by shoppers and children... at 200mph.

Now imagine someone taking 4 vehicles each weighing thousands of pounds carrying 2000+ lbs of jet fuel each, and doing the same thing at 500 mph.

Futher, imagine that the flight lead in this case had either personally read, or been briefed on, dozens of fatal accidents where someone doing the exact same thing crashed, killing at least the aircrew and in some cases killing dozens of people on the ground. 

Now imagine that this pilot not only was trusted to carry weapons that could kill thousands of people, but was also training and setting the standard for entire generations of new military pilots.

What would you reasonably expect to happen?

There was no question that the pilot knew the rules, knew the consequences of breaking them, and knew of the fatal consequences that actually occurred when these exact rules had been broken in the past.

Maybe that will put it into perspective.

[Seanaldinho]

This one is even better..............

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eueh-q-LG6s&feature=related

Hmm Ive been to Jones Beach water was 60 degrees in late July I cant believe people swim in that.

That being said nothing like floating on your back in the gulf and looking up seeing the Blues fly by at Pensacola. Or when they do practices out at NAS pensacola being on top of the Lighthouse when they buzz it. That being said nothing can beat seeing the Blues fly by while sharing the sky with them in a glider. ( Our airfield is less then 10 miles away. And they were flying out to a show saw them probably not even a mile away.)

[Reschke]

I have seen them go over both Bryant-Denny stadium and Jordan-Hare stadium at what appeared to be close to the same altitude. Last year for the Alabama vs Penn State game in Tuscaloosa they had some EA-6B Prowlers that came over Bryant-Denny at what appeared to be a similar altitude as those in the video. I understand safety regulations and all that but I am not familiar with what they are.

[OOZ662]

Crab potting from a 24ft Bellboy off West Beach, Dad decides that the best fishing would obviously be in the restricted zone off the end of the runway of NAS Whidbey Island. Being the curious type, I'd looked at the maps and I warned him, but he wouldn't listen. That is, until a P-3 Orion decided he could do with the taste of salt water blasted up from the prop-wash of a high-nose landing.

(Did you know the language filter turns salt water as one word into "salavacadoer?" ...what?)

[curry1]

Not knowing why those pilots got in trouble simply means that you are not a military pilot.  If you were, you would understand, you would probably agree, and you might even wonder why the lead pilot did not spend any time in jail.

For the sake of education, I'll try to put it into perspective.

You've seen the little train that runs around inside many indoor malls?  Imagine that the train runs on a course that has a rope barrier so people almost never walk on the train "track".  Now imagine that some guy knows that this track almost never has anyone on it even during busy holiday shopping, so he takes a racing motorcycle down that indoor mall course surrounded by shoppers and children... at 200mph.

Now imagine someone taking 4 vehicles each weighing thousands of pounds carrying 2000+ lbs of jet fuel each, and doing the same thing at 500 mph.

Futher, imagine that the flight lead in this case had either personally read, or been briefed on, dozens of fatal accidents where someone doing the exact same thing crashed, killing at least the aircrew and in some cases killing dozens of people on the ground. 

Now imagine that this pilot not only was trusted to carry weapons that could kill thousands of people, but was also training and setting the standard for entire generations of new military pilots.

What would you reasonably expect to happen?

There was no question that the pilot knew the rules, knew the consequences of breaking them, and knew of the fatal consequences that actually occurred when these exact rules had been broken in the past.

Maybe that will put it into perspective.

Oh did they not have permission?

[Golfer]

Their mission would have specified a heading and altitude for the flyby coordinated with an individual or team on the ground to achieve a specific time over target to coincide with the anthem. There is plenty of margin for speed to make up or lose time as necessary.

The lead in question blatantly violated the altitude limits, which doesn't put on a better show, while being videotaped doing it over a public spectacle.

A buddy (retired F-15 Driver) has been both on the ground as well as a lead in flypasts. I've adopted his outlook that an 1870' pass when 2000' is the prescribed minimum isn't any better a display and certainly not worth risking your career. Especially not when you're on tape in front of thousands of people scoffing a procedure. This specific flypast was the catalyst of the discussion and he (and I) believe that this goes in the file of stupid pilot tricks.

[moot]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MN-pX4KtpLA

F yeah

blatantly violated the altitude limits, which doesn't put on a better show

Wrong

[Golfer]

Wrong

Nope. They did. It doesn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wToRKdVaXh0

Those few seconds sum up one individuals career. Hope it was worth it. Picking it up a couple hundred feet, #4 getting back into position and throttles to 11 just before getting to the stadium would have made for a better flypast. 

I seem to remember a somewhat recent Navy flypast that got some water warmed up with a Superhornet I think it was. Similar result for at least the lead. I don't remember the details but they did something weird (read: unbriefed and nonstandard)

[Groth]

 One of life's gems that I'll not forget happened in '73 in Cour D Ilene(spell) Idaho at Boy Scout Jamboree. I was a volunteer photographer Scout and had been given use of Pentex Spotomatic w/5 lenses that was donated for duration by a pro, we had a darkroom set up by Army with nice equipment all for B&W where we could proccess film and print. I remember all the film and paper was donated by Kodak and either expired that month or soon after.
 One days assignment, beyond dailey shots of Scouts at campsites to send to their hometown newspaper, was a show to be put on by Thunderbirds. They had a map in my assignment pack that had a position marked as 'Ground Zero' which it noted was the axis of all routines, and away from the crowds, tents, etc...so I went there. Was THE best seat in the house. All those shots are in neat files in re-used ammo bunker the Scouts store those things in...I'd like to see them again, someday.
 JGroth

[moot]

It doesn't.

It does, says this show goer.  End of story.

[Golfer]

It does, says this show goer.  End of story.

Yawn. Guess I'm not impressed with guys and gals shaving altitude and losing their lives over a few feet.

[moot]

Words mean things.  Maybe next time choose ones that actually mean what you intend to say.  Then I'll take blame for misunderstanding.

[Golfer]

Oh I meant what I said. 1700' isnt a better show than 2000'.  1300 isn't noticeably better than 1500.  Knocking a flag off a stadium doesn't a good flypast make. Especially when those giving you the jet say operate within these parameters and you're going to scoff them on television.

If you can be more impressed by a 1300' pass vs a 1500' one then more power to you.

[moot]

flip, flop

over, and out

[Golfer]

If by flip flop, you mean consistent, I'll agree with you. Bye.