Pilot ejects OK after F-16 crash in Nev.

[Rose Siding]

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- An Air Force pilot ejected safely moments before his F-16 crashed Friday just short of the runway at Nellis Air Force Base.

The pilot, who was not identified, was taken to Mike O'Callaghan Federal Hospital, where he was being evaluated and treated for minor scratches.

Military officials said the pilot has been an instructor since December 2004 at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis. The pilot had logged 1,500 hours in the F-16, of which 30 hours came during combat, Capt. Steve Rolenc said.

The roughly $20 million aircraft was assigned to the 16th Weapons Squadron at the weapons school. A safety board will investigate, officials said.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/03/18/pilot_ejects_ok_after_f_16_crash_in_nev/

[ewagner]

1. Glad the pilot is okay

Didn't the F-16s have a bad reputation for a while?

Isn't that why they got the nickname "Lawn darts"?

[Retired AF Dem]

2. Wrong plane

it was an older one, I think the F-105.

[Silverhair]

4. Yes, It was the F-16.

http://www.slangsearch.com/airforce.html

lawn dart n: A nickname for the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

[Retired AF Dem]

5. The F-16 has the nickname for only having one engine

but it has a good safety record compared to others that have been called lawn darts.

[Silverhair]

7. Sometimes good planes get some bad press.

When the F-111 came out it got a bad rep due to some high profile accidents, yet the actual safety record was one of the best of any new aircraft.

[Catch22Dem]

8. I worked on F-15s

Two engines are better than one. HEHEHE.

[Retired AF Dem]

9. I will agree with that

you ever read any of those old "And there I was" stories concerning airplanes?

[Catch22Dem]

10. Yeah

My grandpa has a great one involving an F-86D from Denver to Tulsa over Kansas. Looked down, then back up and his mind confused the ground lights with the stars. Needless to say, it got bad from there. He lived though.

[jody]

3. I believe you meant pilot ejects OK "BEFORE" F-16 crash.

:hi:

[Hand]

6. I was thinking the same thing.

But that is indeed what the headline says.

Which leads me to say (re the headline writer): "GET A BRAIN! MORAN"

:hi: