fire4effect

Bolterking, How likely was it that the crew was intentionally dumping fuel versus leaking fuel? With as little time as they apparently had then they were sure on top of things either way. If a part of the engine liberated (I'm referring to something heavy like a disk as opposed to blade(s) which I would suspect would stay contained) then it could easily puncture a tank and maybe account for some witnesses (assuming they're right) saying they saw fire prior to impact.

One of the photographs appears to show the tail section of the F-18 in question with one nozzle open, one constricted

Saw the same article. I'm guessing there's weight penalty incurred for the MOD though it's obviously needed. Interesting to see how and if this plays into the manned vs unmanned argument.

Ask myself that all the time

In 'highly unusual' move, Marines asked to disarm before Leon Panetta speech. http://worldnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/14/10684063-in-highly-unusual-move-marines-asked-to-disarm-before-leon-panetta-speech Sorry Leon but it's a war zone. If you're afraid of getting hurt then stay home and save the taxpayers all the money spent for you Afghan/World tour. On the other hand the lengthy judical process for the lunatic SSG will mean it will be years before justice is served and Locals will just get more and more pissed. In WW2 he would have been tied to a post about a month from now and shot.

America has had a history of our citizens serving in foreign militaries. Lafayette Escadrille in France in WW1 and the Eagle Squadrons in Great Britain in WW2 come to mind. Though I'm sure any "Neutrality Act" issues were easily overlooked given the popular sentiment of the time.

Sorry, poor cut and paste job. See kids don't drink and post

Wow, Wonder what the average blood alcohol content is for posters on Christmas Day? Not that I would EVER drink and post

I'm not looking for a uniform item but I am looking for a black A-2 style with Thinsulate in the lining. I've found jackets with the Thinsulate lining are pretty warm without the bulk which is important in some smaller civilian cockpits. I've owned a fleece lined leather jacket in the past and I found it restricted mobility. I've seen the LL Bean Thinsulate lined Flying Tiger Jacket but I don't like the way the back is sewn in two pieces whereas US Wings and the like seem to have one piece backs and look better in general though I don't have any idea what kind of insulation they use if any. Opinions?

I'm sure Panetta was thinking the same thing when he made his speech. Regardless of what actually comes to pass the echelons above reality have to know that people will bail if they perceive the current system has become essentially use or lose.

Coming up on 2 years this winter but I lost an old H.S. classmate with his 2 teenage daughters on an IFR approach under (at least apparently similar conditions). He was flying a Bonanza and he hit at steep angle. Based on where he was on the approach I would bet he was configuring the A/C for landing and I've wondered if he had iced up and the flaps coming down precipitated a loss of control. Anyone know if a (straight tail)Bonanza has the same issues as the Mooney?

Anybody hear a plan for the Reserve Component? A few years ago they talked about a reduction from age 60 to draw the annuity base on deployed time. Looks like they'll keep leaning on the RC forces all right for now due to cost savings but flat out screw them in the end when it comes time to pay up on retirement.

I heard the pilot was IDed as CPT Johnny Five

Now that's funny......Well they use the drug trade to help fund Al Quaeda/Taliban why not make porn to supplement their income? Dirk Kashmeri former pornstar. Too bad he didn't realize his last role was in a snuff film

Very well said. I love all the cheesy "Active Shooter Powerpoints" out there. Maybe if I print them all out and stuff them down my shirt it'll stop a .22. Most Base Commanders, I'm talking all service's here, care more about their careers. Until someone like the commander of Ft Hood at the time of the shootings is put on the hot seat for leaving the troops defenseless until a DOD civilian cop showed up, then they will continue the politically correct status quo.

Maybe the Intel haul from Bin Laden's (former) crib is starting to bear fruit. Death truly comes from above....

I would rather save Nitrous for the dentist Knew a few guys back in my youth who loved to make cars go fast with the stuff. I'm the first to admit a lot of stuff is good in theory but is it practical in the real world is a whole new question.

Totally different slant for the science nerds.. Anybody try to use a similar system to up the peformance/mileage of an internal combustion engine? Just thinking out loud

Not sure if this is related From Reuters 22APRIL PESHAWAR, Pakistan | Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:43am EDT PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) - Two U.S. pilotless aircraft fired four missiles into a house in Pakistan's North Waziristan region on the Afghan border on Friday killing 25 militants, Pakistani intelligence officials said. The strike came two days after a visit to Islamabad by Admiral Mike Mullen, the top U.S. military official, in which he expressed concern over links between Pakistani security agents and militants attacking U.S.-led forces across the border in Afghanistan. The drone strike happened in Mir Ali town, about 35 km (20 miles) east of the region's main town of Miranshah. A Pakistani intelligence official in the region who declined to be identified said the house was being used as a militant hideout. "They have surrounded the area and are not allowing anybody to go there," the intelligence official said, referring to militants. Twenty-five bodies had been recovered from the rubble and three women were among those killed, he said. Another official said some foreign militants were among the dead but their numbers and nationalities could not confirmed. North Waziristan is a known sanctuary for al Qaeda and Taliban militants. The United States has been using drone attacks to target militants over the past few years in Pakistan's lawless ethnic Pashtun border areas. The attacks are a source of concern for the Pakistani government, which says civilian casualties stoke public anger and bolster support for militancy. During Mullen's visit, a U.S. official said the United States would not stop the drone attacks in Pakistan, despite Pakistani objections. Earlier, militants attacked a security post in the northwestern town of Dir killing 10 soldiers, security officials in the region said. About 30 soldiers were manning the post when militants attacked on Thursday, they said. Fighting went on for several hours. Security forces have been battling Pakistani Taliban militants in several parts of the northwest over recent years. The militants want to destabilize the U.S. ally and impose harsh Islamic rule. In 2009, the military cleared militants from Dir and the neighboring Swat Valley in a successful offensive. (Additional reporting by Junaid Khan in Mingora; Writing by Kamran Haider; Editing by Chris Allbritton and Robert Birsel)

1)DLA = DELAY 2)PMA (reverse engineered by other than the OEM) parts forced upon us. Way more trouble than they are worth. 3)LEAN/Just In Time concepts are fine for a manufacturing operation but totally jacked for a maintenance operation. 4)DLA = DELAY Video was spot on

Been a while since I've been on. Very busy...Who knew, what knew? all questions after the fact. We all do things in the air AND ground that CAN get us killed. Usually we get away with it. Is it worth the risk. Not usually in an Airshow. Learn the lesson and try to remember ALL the kids lost in A-stan on a day to day basis. Most of them weren't practicing for an airshow at the time. Thanks

Didn't get all relevant quotes above but I think you'll get the idea. As my signature block states " This is a serious misallocation of valuable military resources" Frequently true in the military as we're all aware. However the purpose of the military is to deter war if possible, win if necessary. Anything that we as members of the military as far as job satisfaction get above that is gravy. I've gotten a lot of taskings and duty stations (we all have I'm sure) that were not desirable and I've been in New Mexico and Arizona in my military career so I can see the downside to those postings but I'll definitely say they are better than Iraq (where I've been) or Afghanistan (where I'll probably end up). Nobody said we had to like it. Whether we like it or not we adapt to fight the war at hand with the best tools we have available (and no I'm not trying to sound like Rumsfeld) That right now means UAVs. Many many years ago General Billy Mitchell tried to tell the establishment that Air Power would become the dominant military force over Sea Power. At the time no one wanted to hear it. Reality is reality. As far as technological advancements, UAV capabilities along with their command and control will evolve beyond what we can imagine in 10 or 20 years after most if not all of us reading this have retired. But it won't happen quickly. I do hope you UPT grads eventually return to the cockpit either in the military or civilian world. Right now we have a war to fight.

As someone who could hear the buzz of the UAV high above late at night while manning a checkpoint, I do remember the bad guys made themselves scarce and fewer things were left to go boom the next day. I've even talked to "associates" of some less than savory characters who were well aware of the the death that can come from above and they spent as least as much time avoiding being spotted by the UAVs as going out and making trouble. I do fly on the civ side and love the air as much as anyone but I assure you seeing a Dad able to come home and hug his son after a year in the desert because a UAV kept the bad guy's from putting out an IED to kill him makes it all worthwhile. I think the UAV will be to the GWOT what the helicopter was to Vietnam. Thanks for watching over them.

I bet cancelling the Constellation program gets a second look when someone in the current administration remembers how many electoral votes are in Florida and Texas combined. IMHO