Modelman

My Feedback: (7)

The Pilot was Kevin Davis. He did not survive. We were friends.

I met Kevin through my father-in-law - a Navy League Higher-up. Kev was the epitome of naval aviation! Myself, being a former Army Aviator (AH-64), we used to give each other piles of grief! Kev loved life and loved being a 'Blue'. My wife and I are in complete shock! We were awakened this morining by an UGLY phone call Please, please keep them ALL in your prayers! We're trying to sort it all out!

C.

David Gladwin

So why even raise the issue of complacency (never heard of that before in any formation aerobatic team accident) or indeed any other cause because the probability is that no-one yet KNOWS ? Why not just let the Navy investigate the accident and wait for their findings. Speculation by any one who does not have the facts is totally pointless and may just further exacerbate the distress of the relatives and friends of the pilot concerned.

Regards, David Gladwin.

SDCrashmaster

God Speed be with Kevin and his hand upon his family and those who were close to him.
Someone from the recently completed tour will (most likely) be joining them for the rest of the season. I'm sure going to miss them at Miramar this year. Shooting the Blue's is always the hilite of my year.
God Bless 'em!
Paul

Airforce7

My Feedback: (31)

Here's the video of the F-18 going down. [&o]

http://www.cnn.com/video/player/play...gels.crash.cnn

Shaun Evans

It's amazing how uninformed the media is. They love to use words like "shocking" and "exclusive" but don't take the time to figure out what they're talking about.

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Could G-lock have played a role? Seems like the pilot was pulling hard G's to rendevouz with the formation.

This is sad.

Lomcevak Duck

My Feedback: (14)

Always saddens me to see where a fellow aviator flew his last, especially such a skilled pilot.

MOK-

Maybe, the blues don't use G-suits. Utilizing them increases G-LOC tolerance.

Ehab

My Feedback: (44)

That was an incredible hard pull on the stick. Was he trying to avoid the incoming jet or trying to catch up with the formation? Still, really sad to see it!!

Vincent

My Feedback: (61)

Looked like he was behind a bit and trying to catch up pulling some hi G`s. They don`t wear G suits so it could be a black out by the pilot. V..

SPLIT S

I second the obvious lack of any substantial or correct knowledge. The anchor on CNN as well as the reporter in the field didn't even know how many jets make up the squadron. Then it was their first performance of the year, oblivious to the fact that this was the 7th not even counting the 120+ practice shows before heading out for the public. [:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@][:@] Complete disrespect to the entire team regarding all the incredibly hard work and long hours it takes to get the demo ready.

My sincere condolances to LCDR Davis's family and to the entire Angels team.

Dan Davidson

ag4ever

All TV news casters know how to do is talk. They will say whatever comes in their mind just to keep from having dead air. They don't know anything nor do they care to learn. All they care about is that they are talking. That is why I refuse to watch the news especially when they have an urgent report. That usually means they really don't know what is going on, but must make sure you don't know either, and they have to be the first to let you know they don't know what is going on.

My heart goes out the the pilot who lost his life entertaining so many. I saw the Thunderbirds last year in Houston, and was hoping the Blue Angles would be this year, but we will get the Canadian Snow Birds this year.

causeitflies

The CNN reporter didn't say it was the first performance of the year, she said it was the first day of the show.
I agree the media usually gets it wrong though. Debri spread for miles...?? I don't think so.

It's hard to tell from only one angle what happened. It could have been a high speed stall the way he was pulling. It's human nature to speculate but we won't know for some time. I think the team tapes all the performances so they should have high quality video of the performance.

People don't realize that this type fo flying is dangerous even for the best. They also don't realize how many good pilots are lost in non-combat missions and training.
Sad to lose such fine young men

Ehab

My Feedback: (44)

Also, I am almost sure they (the Navy) knows exactly what happened. As I understand it, all flights are recorded in full so assuming the data was retrieved then they know. "WE" may never find out unless the info is released.

I think I saw the F18 fly out of looked like a high speed stall, again, just "respectful" speculation on my part.

SPLIT S

Different anchor. This was a guy - something Sanchez - Saturday night.

Dan

causeitflies

We know a little about aviation so naturally we want to reach in the TV and just slap the $h@t out of the reporters[:@]. I'm sure people in other fields feel the same. It still amazes me how little talk show hosts and reporters appear to know about real life. It's like they're always on the fringes trying to find out and grab on to any info bad or good. Oh well, I don't know too much about their business either

SPLIT S

Yeah I agree I don't know that much about their business, competition with who gets it first and the like. It just seems that facts get lost with the rush to "be first". Searching the web today for more info on the accident and already the " ban the flight demos " bandwagon is rolling. People will react in their own way, and everyone is certainly entitled to a voice, but it doesn't help when the talking head yahoos are the only information that alot of the public get to hear.

Dan

FalconWings

My Feedback: (57)

Hopefully this will not be as absued as the VT shootings. They only make stupid people go out and do some more stupid stuff.
That's why I stopped watching the O'Reilly factor.

Flyjets

My Feedback: (51)

God Speed to Kevin Davis

As Avation enthusiasts lets leave it up to the people that are experts in the investigation field before we jump to conclusions.

Ian

SDCrashmaster

Quite frankly, I'd prefer to find the person with the camera and slap some "steady" into them! This is completly ludicrous that a person that inept could be sold a recording device.
That was so bad that the person should have to pay the news agencies for even airing it.

People...do not give your 90-year old granpa the video camera.

SDCrashmaster

I believe Mr. Sanchez' first name is Dirty.




If you need a Blue's moment, you can watch a couple of shorts from Miramar at the CA Jets web site [link=http://www.ca-jets.com/Theater/theater2/miramar/index.html]CA-Jets Miramar Theater[/link]

Miniflyer

I doubt that the full report or crash cause will be published.

Having watched the video with a full size fighter pilot and military instructor, the cause seems quite obvious: pilot error.
He was late on the joinup, pulled hard on the intercept and was fixed on the formation too much as to look at the flight path of his own aircraft. Apparently quite a commom mistake, but fatal if it happens that low....
I don't think the G's had anything to do with that, these guys are well trained and used to moving the aircraft to it's and their limits....

Best wishes to the families and to those injured.

Best regards
Hank

drdoom

My Feedback: (9)

That plane at that time wasn't even near it's Limits. Prob under 350 MPH. Should be able to do a simlar turn at Mach Speed. However No G suit.
If it stalled One engine, Shouldn't it fly on a Single engine?
My .02....

uncljoe

My Feedback: (8)

Hank
I think your wrong,This information will be published here in the United States, maybe not in Germany. Seems after you & your experts viewed this video you have the all the answers.Just how many hours do you experts have in accident investigation ? Why not let the US naval investigators, do their job & not jump to conclusions.
Semper Fi
Joe

erbroens

Hank, there is so much things that could go wrong on a jet that you can´t simply state this crash as a pilot error... we should restrain ourselves of jumping quickly into conclusions based on a grainy video, and wait for more solid informations if we really want to know what
happened.

Is a lot better to express our condolences to the victim´s friends and family.


Enrique