Naval pilots PERMANENTLY grounded for flyover

If you get a chance, there's a show on HDTV about a year in the life of the Blue Angels. It does an outstanding job of showing the huge amount of planning and scheduling and such going into prepping for air shows. A whole different world than what these two did. I can't remember the entire ramp up time for getting ready, but its at least a week, usually more, I believe. They look for everything from outside points of reference to possible problem areas, residential areas, everything. The two pilots for this had none of that. Plus, Tech is also in about the most populated part of Atlanta, I daresay.

The other thing that really hurt them is this was an HONOR to allow them to do this flyover. They requested it. They weren't just assigned it. So to do something this stupid for something the Navy probably normally wouldn't have done is just insult to injury.

As far as "what ifs", one of the worst is something could have gone wrong and planted them right in the middle of the stadium. And I'll have to check the video again, but I'm almost positive I remember seeing they were running "dirty", that is, their landing gear down, cutting response time if something happens to their planes by already running closer to stall speed.

The amount of stupid that happened here was very bad from the onset. Was it cool? Sure. But they paid for being extremely stupid in a very high profile situation. Bad move.

BTW, Turbo, I wasn't directing that whole post at you. Thought it might look like I was. Just didn't feel like splitting it up after I addressed the planning part.

 

1000 feet over densely populated areas.

500 feet over sparsely populated areas.

I'd think that a football game would fit the first description

 

It is about a mile or so due north of downtown Atlanta. The pilots were flying south.

For reference.

Anyone know what happened to the guy who did the TCU at Navy flyover that was referenced earlier?

 

Oh, I'm not saying that all. But, it also has limits. Especially when someone else career is on the line or when money is involved. Then it's screw everyone else and protect your back.

 

Nope, being an Academy grad lays a pretty damn golden road when treated correctly. Easily on par or better than the line afforded for Ivy League grads.

 

Very true. Some thing are just too far over the line for anything to help. I was joking about this incident being helped with a USNA ring. Had this happened over Veterans Stadium during an Army-Navy game the result might even be worse.

I actually added an edit just as you posted this.

 

My boss and another one of our VPs(also USNA grad) let this cloud their judgement a few years ago. The other VP blew me off when I told him not to do something that was against the OSHA regs(excavation work). When I found out it happened I knew my boss would try to protect his USNA brother. I was right. When the bullshit reared its ugly head I started keeping the President informed of everything. I raised all kinds of hell over it. The Pres just told me to relax that it was being taken care of. Sure enough about a week later the VP that ignored me tendered his resignation.

I don't trust my boss as far as I can throw him when it comes to stuff like that.

 

1,000 feet above the highest obsticle. If the lights for the stadium are 200 feet above the ground, then their minimum would be 1,200 feet above the ground. However, if there was a building, crane, antenna, etc higher within 2,000ft of the aircraft at any point their mins would have been 1,000ft above that.

Point of reference here. We used MOSA, Minimum Operational Safe Altitude. MOSA is defined as 1,000ft above the highest obsticle within 20nm of the aircraft at all times. We fly below that, but we have to have a safe heading and altitude. The Nav and radar operator would maintain MOSA positioning and call out decreasing increaments at 10 and 5nm. Less then 5nm it was at every mile with safe headings and altitudes. We would fly at 200' AGL in the middle of the Adriatic islands off of Bosnia which would be 1,000-2,000 feet tall in the middle of the night, in fog with zero visibility. We would skirt them as close as possible while flying missions. If Low RAWS (Radar Altitude Warning System) went off, it usually caused a bit of a pucker factor for a second or two.

 

wow. wow. wow.

 

At :16 of the video, you can see a tall radio/cell tower. The white and red stripes are usually 50ft increments. If that is the case, it is 500-600ft tall (hard to see the bottom exactly), and they appear to be below it actually (although that could be a point of reference error.

 

Its funny how everyone is freeking out over this flyover.Every year during the neptune festival tomcats would buzz the boardwalk. Flying back and forth near the shore line.They would start by flying right over the hotels.Less than 1,000 ft.Things might be different now.The last couple shows I went to wasn't that good so I have not been back.I know they don't do the boardwalk thing so much because who really gives a damn about a superhornet as far burners go.

 

Sounds like these guys simply got caught... Arbitrary enforcement... not illegal in the Military.

Ed

 

Its not necessarily freaking out over the flyover. Its all the other factors involved, including either the blatant lying or extreme stupidity of the Lt Cmdr. Primarily over saying "he didn't realize he had the altitude wrong". Very bad move. Like others said, I'd be willing to bet if he had at least fessed up, things might have gone differently.

 

"i want some butts!!!"

 

Fixed it for you. :up:

You think?

 

Hahaha typical navy quote..

 

Road America has been using Fly-overs for some of the major races, like the ALMS and Champ Car events, usually Warthogs. They come in down the front straight and then come across the track for a second fly through. They are literally at tree top level, no 1000 or even 500 feet above.


It. ROCKS.

 

The fly-over itself would have been a slap on the wrist honestly. It's incredibly irresponsible, but that would have been it if they'd been honest about it.

As for the situation itself, they're VERY low, SLOW, and in a high-drag configuration (gear, flaps down). If they lose an engine for any reason, they're in a world of hurt and WAY behind the power curve. Being those are Superbugs, they stand a better chance of getting away with it, but that doesn't change the fact that they're breaking all kinds of FARs.

As a pilot myself, the one thing you're ALWAYS supposed to be cognizant of is the 'what if' situation.

 

I agree. Honesty would have gone far toward saving their wings.

My guess is there was some extra unnecessary arrogance involved too.

 

From a fighter pilot AND a Georgia Tech grad? Naaahhhhh...