Hawker Hunter crash in CA... very sad :( | FerrariChat

Hawker Hunter crash in CA... very sad :(

Discussion in 'Aviation Chat' started by FarmerDave, Oct 30, 2014.

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  1. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #1 FarmerDave, Oct 30, 2014
    Military plane crashes near California base; 1 dead

    The pilot was a high school friend of a couple of very dear friends of mine.

    On my friend's 40th birthday, the pilot was still active duty and was able to arrange the timing of a training exercise, such that he could do a low pass fly over of the birthday party in an F-16 at a prearranged time.

    When my friend told me that story 6 months ago, she teared up with happiness and said that it was the coolest thing anyone had ever done for her. Again, that was before this accident she was telling me this story.

    They are understandably devastated. I am saddened by their loss, they were constantly telling me stories about their friend the F16 pilot.
     
  2. FERRARI-TECH

    FERRARI-TECH Formula 3

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    #2 FERRARI-TECH, Oct 30, 2014
    Sorry about your friend.

    Bad couple of days for crashes all around.
     
  3. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #3 FarmerDave, Oct 30, 2014
    Thank you, but to be clear, I didn't know him. My friends have been telling me all about this pilot friend of theirs, what a great guy he was, and how they hoped to see him more since he recently retired from active duty.
     
  4. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #4 tazandjan, Oct 31, 2014
    Sad to lose the pilot and the Hunter. Wonder why he did not eject? I assume the seats have been upgraded to something more modern. As rare as the Hunter is, he may have felt pressure to bring her home.
     
  5. lear60man

    lear60man Formula 3

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    #5 lear60man, Oct 31, 2014
    Was this a civilian plane? If so IIRC ex military planes need to have the ejection portion of the seat removed. Thats what I understand.
     
  6. Flash G

    Flash G Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #6 Flash G, Oct 31, 2014
    Our L.A. station covered this crash yesterday. Apparently he did eject but was too close the ground and died shortly after the crash.

    A very similar crash happened there a few years ago. Very sad.
     
  7. kylec

    kylec F1 Rookie
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    #7 kylec, Oct 31, 2014
    Not correct. But there are regulations, of course.
     
  8. GuyIncognito

    GuyIncognito Nine Time F1 World Champ
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    #8 GuyIncognito, Oct 31, 2014
    If I understand correctly, this plane was owned by a contractor to the DoD, used for training military pilots?

    I was aware of ATAC but didn't realize they did this level of training..I thought they were just a military version of Flight Safety Intl (which I guess they are, in a sense ;))
     
  9. tazandjan

    tazandjan Three Time F1 World Champ
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    #9 tazandjan, Oct 31, 2014
    Chas- In the current budget climate, many of the aggressor squadrons are shutting down (USAF just closed its F-15C aggressor squadron emulating Su-27 tactics) and there is a need for dissimilar air combat training. These aircraft can also be used to emulate cruise missiles and other threats. Cheaper to hire somone to do some of these missions than maintain your own squadron of aircraft, pilots, maintainers and infrastructure.
     
  10. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #10 FarmerDave, Oct 31, 2014
    I heard same - ejected but too low - but didnt know it had been reported in media yet.
     
  11. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #11 FarmerDave, Oct 31, 2014
    Putting the puzzle pieces together, I assume that since he recently retired from active duty as a fighter pilot, that he would make the perfect candidate to find work like this with a private contractor.
     
  12. Gran Drewismo

    Gran Drewismo F1 Rookie

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    #12 Gran Drewismo, Oct 31, 2014
    How many of those Hunters are around? A CEO where I live owned two of them. He died in a Lancair crash a couple years ago.
     
  13. FarmerDave

    FarmerDave F1 World Champ
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    #13 FarmerDave, Apr 8, 2015
    Last edited by a moderator: Sep 7, 2017

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