Smyrna, TN. Blue Angel Crash Report Released

[spasm3]

Originally Posted By: spasm3
Originally Posted By: Astro14
I've seen the F-14 do some phenomenal things at air shows, when flown by a real master, like Dale Snodgrass...



How did Dale Snodgrass get such skill and reputation? Was it that many hours?


I mean what would happen to a pilot for pulling this?

How did he get away with/ get permission to do things like this? ( and its very cool!)

 

[spasm3]

A video supposedly of Dales show.

I love how it looks at 2:30

2:15 looks cool too!

 

[Astro14]

Spasm - I missed this set of posts, forgive me!

Dale, known as "Snort", flew in an era when people were forgiven for honest mistakes. What we called "flat-hatting" or showing off was strictly forbidden, and generally not forgiven, but the above photo (of the LSO Platform and the F-14) was during an airshow. It was supposed to be close! Further, you'll notice that the airplane is climbing, and while it was close, the nose was pointed slightly away from the carrier, so even as it surprised everyone, it was clear that the airplane wasn't in danger of either hitting the water or the carrier itself.

So, if the mistake in this case was "you flew too close", then it would be forgiven because the airplane wasn't in danger. I grew up in those days as well. I've made a few mistakes.

Now, those mistakes are not forgiven in our current climate. We live in a "zero defect" climate where any mistake, any perceived transgression, is followed by swift merciless career termination. Fighter pilots do not even come close to "pushing the edge" because their careers are on the line every time they fly. Every mistake is scrutinized and reviewed at higher authority than the squadron level. It's taken the edge off combat aviators. They don't push the airplane. When droning over Afghanistan at 30,000' with no fighter threat, they don't need to. Take off, fly for hours, refuel, hold for hours, refuel, release a JDAM on coordinates, refuel, fly for hours, land. That' it. Only the landing takes skill on that mission profile.

Dale also had an exceptional feel for the airplane. He was known for pushing it closer to the edge than others, again, see that famous picture, and through that kind of flying, repeated over more hours than any other F-14 pilot, he was able to get the big fighter to truly perform miracles.

I've flown on his wing and seen him maneuver the airplane. He's genuinely gifted. But there are lots of other fighter pilots I've seen who were genuinely gifted. I mentioned "Shaggy" in the F-14 thread, and I've been privileged to fly on the wing of "Streak" who was every bit Snort's equal. Streak could beat a superior airplane (F-16N, for example, or F-15C) every single time. And his landings were incredibly smooth and precise.

A gift for flying, a willingness to push the machine, a climate that allowed it, and lots of experience under those conditions. That's the secret...

 

[Jetronic]

Originally Posted By: Astro14

Now, those mistakes are not forgiven in our current climate. We live in a "zero defect" climate where any mistake, any perceived transgression, is followed by swift merciless career termination. Fighter pilots do not even come close to "pushing the edge" because their careers are on the line every time they fly. Every mistake is scrutinized and reviewed at higher authority than the squadron level.


And then you meet a Russian in MiG or Sukhoi and they're not in the same climate, flying "dangerously close" and "behaving unprofessional". Must be frustrating that you don't seem to be playing on a level field...

 

[john_pifer]

Astro,

Have you ever had the opportunity to fly combat jets built by other nations (Dassault, Saab, MiG, Sukhoi, English Electric, etc)?

Don't the Germans, for example, still have some MiG-29s?

 

[spasm3]

Thanks Astro, I actually meant for those posts to be under the f-14 questions thread , not the crash thread. I was looking at both when i posted.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: Jetronic
Originally Posted By: Astro14

Now, those mistakes are not forgiven in our current climate. We live in a "zero defect" climate where any mistake, any perceived transgression, is followed by swift merciless career termination. Fighter pilots do not even come close to "pushing the edge" because their careers are on the line every time they fly. Every mistake is scrutinized and reviewed at higher authority than the squadron level.


And then you meet a Russian in MiG or Sukhoi and they're not in the same climate, flying "dangerously close" and "behaving unprofessional". Must be frustrating that you don't seem to be playing on a level field...


I've seen the video of those jets flying by our ships.

They're doing what Russian pilots have always done. No different than the Cold War.

But we are now constrained. I've flown by lots of ships at that altitude, often faster, to positively identify them for the battle group Commander. Sensors allow us to do that from altitude now, but the simple act of flying by at low altitude, and high speed, has a different efffect on the situation than mere identification.

The playing field isn't level, solely because we chose it to be.

 

[Astro14]

Originally Posted By: john_pifer
Astro,

Have you ever had the opportunity to fly combat jets built by other nations (Dassault, Saab, MiG, Sukhoi, English Electric, etc)?

Don't the Germans, for example, still have some MiG-29s?


No. sadly. I've got great respect for the aircraft, and pilots, of other nations.

I've sat in the cockpit of many of those, and studied the reports of, and talked to, those who have flown other nations' airplanes.

Germany did have MiG-29s after unification. Many Navy pilots got to fly them and fly against them. Would love to have been one of those guys.

 

[CT8]

While I will prove my ignorance. I have steered a Cessna 152 years ago and sat in the Cockpit of a 747 many times . It seems a fighter jet is similar to the 1000 cc crotch rocket motorcycles, the yee haw factor must be beyond belief but still dangerous when enjoying them.