Comments on: UPDATE II: Flying in Perfect Propagandist Formation

By: irongalt

irongalt — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:54:55 +0000

Excellent article – nothing is more enjoyable than seeing the nation’s clay idols get smashed to bits in such style.

If it was a private aircraft there would be lawsuits, prison sentences, and regulations aplenty.

By: Derek

Derek — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 21:14:26 +0000

Pilots probably have to practice taking off from densely populated areas if they are in the Singapore Air Force. America has places like Wyoming to practice in. Myron, Singapore must have been thinking the same thing and now has a 20 year agreement to train at Mountain Home AFB in Idaho.

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 18:15:41 +0000

It gets more complicated. I was mistaken when I said, there were persons killed. I misread the original news article. However, a subsequent article, I can’t link because it would take two hundred words to list, stated that the F-18 has a history of crash and burn. Known crashes, 1- in 2006, 1- in 2008, injured four, 17.8 million in damages. 1- in 2011, 3- in 2012 (counting this one). It is clear that this plane should not be flown in densely populated areas. Someone is careless by not testing/training in an isolated area. Within the last two years a commercial plane went down in a metro area- the pilot put the plane in the river. He did not put it in a place where citizens lived. True, his passengers were at risk, but, that goes with the plane ticket. I wasn’t there and am not blaming anyone; but, they were fortunate that no tenants were home.

By: Myron Pauli

Myron Pauli — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 16:44:31 +0000

Ilana, I think you read me wrong. I said we had places such as Wyoming to learn how to fly planes – and that unless one belonged to the Singapore Air Force (which presumably does not have a lot of rural spaces to rehearse in), the military had no business training fighter pilots in populated areas. I believe we are in agreement.

By: Rebel Without a Clause

Rebel Without a Clause — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 02:52:43 +0000

“where else can real men find employers who allow them to be men, and play with the kind of toys men actually enjoy?” RAAHHHT on! From what I’m hearing, the pilot(s) stayed with the plane long enough to dump most of the fuel before crashing – which minimized the initial explosion and fire – so, on the whole, quite well done. Color me impressed.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 00:34:04 +0000

Careless culprits? Was it pilot error? It's one thing to blast the "system" but another thing altogether to automatically indict the troops. Your Updates I and II lay it out pretty well but I draw the line at calling the pilots careless until the facts are known. [Don't forget to provide an email; posting anon is against Posting Policy.]

By: Robert Glisson

Robert Glisson — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 19:57:09 +0000

Diana West had an article and picture about the Afghanistan park bomber of 4-4-12. With pictures of dead or wounded GIs. It dawned on me, I was born in Oct- 1940. Just after my first birthday, we joined WW2. My G-d, we have been at war for seventy years. If it weren’t hot it was cold but, none the less on a war footing. And we’re looking forward to Syria and Iran. Your right the civilians that were killed were collateral damage.

By: George Pal

George Pal — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 14:19:17 +0000

Came across this yesterday, the day of the accident. Why Do Great Powers Decline? "Because their citizens choose to spend money on themselves, not on defense." was the answer. There are some real hoots in the article such as "Rather than a nation [America] whose dominant power and global reach make for a better and more peaceful world" There's no being a dominant global power unless everyone is cannon fodder.

By: Stephen Bernier

Stephen Bernier — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:25:51 +0000

It is possible that they were returning to the air station, when a malfunction occurred. Unfortunately, military bases are located in densely populated areas, making it easier to kill innocents in times of war.

By: My RON-PAUL i

My RON-PAUL i — Sat, 07 Apr 2012 06:06:09 +0000

Pilots probably have to practice taking off from densely populated areas if they are in the Singapore Air Force. America has places like Wyoming to practice in.

But do we know whether this was pilot error or whether the airplane ignited independently of any pilot error??

[See Post Update.]