Raptors grounded at Nellis for a while

[michaels601]

http://www.aviationnow.com/avnow/news/channel_aerospacedaily_story.jsp?id=news/F22A12224.xml

Most F/A-22s Grounded After Crash At Nellis AFB
By Marc Selinger
12/22/2004 08:31:50 AM


An F/A-22 Raptor crashed on takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., late Dec. 20, prompting the U.S. Air Force to ground most of its other F/A-22s.

The pilot ejected safely from the Lockheed Martin-built jet, which smashed into the runway it was trying to leave at about 3:45 p.m. local time.

"It was literally on takeoff," an Air Force spokesman said. "He hadn't gone anywhere yet."

The Air Force plans to convene panels of experts to investigate the accident. Joseph Quimby, Lockheed Martin's F/A-22 spokesman, said the company is "fully prepared to support the Air Force and its investigation."

The plane, one of 29 F/A-22s delivered to the Air Force, had been designated Raptor 4014 because it was the 14th F/A-22 built. Assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis, it was involved in tactics development and had flown more than 150 hours since the Air Force received it in May 2003.

Loren Thompson, chief operating officer at the Lexington Institute, told The DAILY that the program's long flight history suggests the crash was more likely caused by a mechanical problem than a design flaw. The F/A-22 fleet has logged more than 7,000 flight hours, according to the Air Force.

"Given how extensive the test program for the Raptor has been, it seems like this is more an unfortunate incident than any sort of larger issue," said Thompson, an F/A-22 advocate.

As a precaution, the Air Force grounded the seven other Raptors at Nellis, as well as 13 F/A-22s being used for training at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.

"We are in stand down until further notice," said Capt. Susan A. Romano, a spokeswoman for the 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall.

No decision had been made on whether the eight F/A-22s involved in testing at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., would be grounded.

Production of the jet continues, Quimby said. At Lockheed Martin's Marietta, Ga., plant, 23 F/A-22s are in final assembly. The Air Force plans to buy a total of 277 Raptors.

The F/A-22 has been nearing completion of a test phase that is supposed to lead to a March review of the Raptor's readiness to shift from low-rate to full-rate production. The Air Force has been planning to begin fielding the F/A-22 in December 2005 at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Langley is scheduled to get its first F/A-22 on Feb. 11.

yikes. at least the guy got out alright.

 

[Fly Navy]

Dupe.

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9282

 

[michaels601]

Dupe.

http://www.airwarriors.com/forum/showthread.php?t=9282

my bad.
tried a search to see if it was up already and somehow missed it.
if i do it again, i owe everyone a quarter.

 

[Fly Navy]

my bad.
tried a search to see if it was up already and somehow missed it.
if i do it again, i owe everyone a quarter.

No worries, just letting you know.

Can you owe me a quarter anyway?....

 

[TurnandBurn55]

The Chair Force's nomenclature is so amusing.

The "F"-117 and "F"-111 are/were basically dedicated air-to-ground birds...

But the Raptor is an "F/A"-22? 2 JDAMs does not a strike-fighter make.

If any Chair Force bird deserves to be an "F/A" anything it would be the F-15E Strike Eagle.

 

[michaels601]

different outfits use different nomenclature?
i'm still pretty green as far as the military world is concerned, so i'm ignorant o' this type of stuff.
so if the USAF and the navy theoretically had the same model 'plane, and used it for the same objective, they could have different designators?

 

[michaels601]

and as far as the quarters go, i'm up to my neck in student loands and stuff, so i'm going to hold off on handing out quarters until i have to.
worth a try, though.