ORIGINAL: cactusflyer
Specifically, NEVER JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS. We...that is, none of us have any idea what happened...so just blame the pilot...Tell me doug were you with L.A. Center before or after the strike?
John
John,
I was there after the strike. You're right about not jumping to conclusions, and I never said it was absolutely pilot error, but that IS what it looks like to me from 1st glance. Reread what I wrote. I never said "He screwed up.. end of story" or anything similar. I was giving my opinion.
ORIGINAL: Tom Antlfinger
And why wasn't he full burner on the way down? Power problem still has to be an issue...
Simple. Leaving the aircraft in full burner on the way down causes the aircraft to accelerate rapidly, thereby increasing the radius of the 5/8th loop requiring more altitude to complete the maneuver.
ORIGINAL: PJFaller
but not having strapped your ass in the seat once, and to make blanket statements to which the pilot is at fault is ridiculous. Do you know how many computers are attached to every one of those flight controls?
Pete.. while I haven't been in a jet aircraft such as this, I DO have a lot of time in aerobatic airplanes, somewhere close to 1300 hours overall with at least 700 of that aerobatic time. If I remember correctly the F-16C has a quadruple redundant FBW FCS.
Just as I cannot say it was pilot error for sure, none of you can say it was engine failure for sure. I'm not brow beating you over your opinions, I'd request you do the same. I am entitled to my opinion, and have a fair amount of experience backing it up. I would like nothing more than to be wrong, and ultimately it doesn't matter much either way. The pilot got out, nobody was hurt, and the Thunderbirds will fly another day.