F-16 Fly over at Red Sox Game

Post by **Panther** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 6:11 pm

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/video/1 ... index.html

Oops.

The pilot was grounded after landing...

F-16 Pilot grounded after maneuver over Fenway Park

The Associated Press
Published on: 04/10/08

Montpelier, Vt. — A Vermont Air National Guard pilot who took part in a flyover of Fenway Park during opening day ceremonies has been grounded for making an improper maneuver near the park, a Guard spokesman said Thursday.

The F-16 pilot flew under and over the other three F-16s in the formation at about 1,200 feet over Boston on Tuesday afternoon because he was going too fast and was late joining the formation, Guard spokesman Lt. Col. Lloyd Goodrow said.

"It is a legitimate maneuver. It is normally done at 5,000 feet or above," Goodrow said. "The crowd loved it, but it was not a planned maneuver."

Goodrow would not release the name of the pilot.

People at Fenway Park or watching the Boston Red Sox's opening day ceremonies on television saw three planes flying wing tip to wing tip when the fourth plane approached from behind and then appeared to curve around the other aircraft.

Goodrow said it was not an acrobatic stunt.

"At no time was the public in danger," Goodrow said. "Our pilot is a very skilled pilot. He maintained full control of the airplane."

Red Sox spokesman John Blake said Thursday the team hadn't heard any complaints about the maneuver.

"I think we were made aware of it today by the Green Mountain Boys," Blake said Thursday. "Nobody here has had a lot of time to find out what happened."

Goodrow said Guard officials saw the maneuver on television.

"We all said, 'Wow, that's not right.' All the aviators knew what was going on," Goodrow said. "They said, 'That was a bit unusual.'"

The pilot was suspended after he landed back at the Burlington International Airport in South Burlington.

"The pilot has been grounded, not as a punishment but so we can provide remedial training in tactics and procedures so this situation does not happen again," Goodrow said. "He might have made other choices to rejoin the formation."

There was no word on how long the pilot would remain grounded.

Source: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sport ... ml]Vermont F-16 Pilot grounded after maneuver over Fenway Park

Post by **Lawndart** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 8:05 pm

That looks awfully familiar from somewhere. Hmmm, can't say how many times I've seen some jock pull that stunt in LockOn, trying to prevent an overshoot...

franc01sss · Post by **franc01sss** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:02 pm

That ruined the flyby I think.

In no moment in this video, we see a ''formation''.

Both wingmen make a weird move, and so the slot!

Post by **Lawndart** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 10:41 pm

I'm pretty sure the fly over was supposed to be a standard 4-ship fingertip formation. (There is no "Slot" in the normal Air Force or Guard). Looks like the Leader spread his two wingmen out to a wedge just before the straggler came in too hot and performed his impromptu move. You can also see the speed brakes down until moments before the formation passes, which probably means the Leader tried to give his wingman more time to join up - but in the end it may have hurt his endgame rejoin more...

Post by **Gunner** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:12 pm

I didn't notice the brakes down first time I watched it...reminds me of a couple times I've needed to rejoin the diamond just prior to the High-low hit - somehow my brakes didn't have the same results when the diamond was slowing at the same time!

I hope they give the poor guy a break.

...I just caught that pun - not intended

franc01sss · Post by **franc01sss** » Fri Apr 11, 2008 11:40 pm

We are far from the Thunderbirds flyby there.

As said in the video comments, it looked very unusual for a fan!

Rhino · Post by **Rhino** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 2:36 am

The "2 and 3" also seemed at the beginning of where the tv station focused on the airplanes, to start moving past the lead with the boards out.

Either way, I don't think the guy should have been grounded. Its gotta be just pure instinct to do that type of maneuver.

Metro · Post by **Metro** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 11:36 pm

Definitley came in too hot. Looks like he performed a impromtu "BFM displacement roll" to try and create some room so as to not be ahead of the formation prior to the stadium. Unfortunately, it was caught on film.

I hate to armchair quarterback, but he probably should of broke it off and separated from the formation and called it quits and let the remainder of the formation fly the profile. Most formation flights I have been envolved with have "escape" procedures preventing possible midairs.

With that, grounding is probably a good choice until they find out exactly what happened and why he did what he did.

Metro