Jaguar v Pylon.....

[November4]

Strange how there hasnt been much comment on....


A pilot based at RAF Coltishall has been fined after flying his aircraft so low during a stunt that his wing clipped a floodlight tower.

The Jaguar flown by Squadron Leader Robert J***** was damaged during the incident at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus in July 2004.

But the 40-year-old pilot managed to keep control of his plane and land it safely.

This week a court martial in Colchester fined J**** £2500.

The court was told that J***** had been flying as low as 60ft when the wing tip smashed into the tower, essentially a large lamppost.

The cost of repairing the damage was said to be £63,000.

Permission had been granted for J**** and two other pilots to "buzz" the airfield, with the intention of thanking ground crew before leaving for the UK.

But Group Capt Geoff H, prosecuting, said staff in air traffic control expected a flypast at 500ft.

J******admitted unlawful low flying and negligently damaging an aircraft.


Amended to put more stars in..... but seeing that names and ranks are all over the original story......

[Paracab]

Plenty Of Comment Here - Strangely Enough (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=137227&highlight=jag)

[6foottanker]

Glad to see the author is taking the time and trouble to leave the guy anonymous..ah, no wait a minute....

Hope you're not as clumsy at work!
:\ :\ :\

[Jackonicko]

blah blah minor lapse in judgement blah blah

But let's not get over-excited.

1) He walked away from it.
2) It showed exactly the same spirit that in time of war gets the most difficult and terrifying jobs done.
3) Douglas Bader did FAR worse than this.
4) Did he really do anything worse than Squadron Leader Matt E******?
5) Had he not clipped the lighting tower, it would just be another "Did you see the great low flypast at *******?" story, like the much photographed Phantom and countless others.

I suppose he had to have a slap on the wrist, but I'll bet he's learned from that sortie. He must have been damned good to have got single-seat FJ, and now he'll doubtless be even better. I'm inclined to suspect that any of us who fly will, at some stage in our flying lives, have done something silly. Those of us lucky enough to walk away learn from the experience. Those of us lucky enough to pull the twigs out of the tailwheel before the CFI saw them can learn the lesson without a major bollocking......:E This Journo gives him a sympathetic nod, and a quiet :ok: I'm even quite pleased that such things still happen in the RAF today.

If only I had a spare £2,500.......

[BEagle]

Having seen another Jaguar driver nearly kill himself at Halifax Nova Scotia doing a stupidly low fly through during a RV 'F' departure on an AAR trail, I don't share your view on this Jacko.

That he walked away from it is down to luck, to say that it shows the same spirit as that needed in war is bolleaux. In war you need tempered aggression and high levels of courage and skill, not indisciplined recklessness.

As for 'ATC expecting a 500 ft flythrough' - oh really? Sure - of course they were....

[FJJP]

40 years old and a Squadron Leader - mmmmmh.

Not destined for high places then.

Spec aircrew, Sqn Exec or what?

I review my post on the initial thread - setting an example and all that...

Still glad, though, no-one hurt.

[Flik Roll]

he was named in the article in the sun. He was due for promotion as well.

[Min Drag]

Sounds like he's got his promotion in the bag to me:ok:

[jindabyne]

BEagle

Do hope you weren't too low at '600 KIAS past the RSO's hut' then -----

[BEagle]

Nope, Jinda' - I was at whatever the briefed min height was (can't recall, but it was in the auth sheets!)

I got my low flying bollocking at a much younger age due to a certain incident at Honington in a Vulcan..... But, although the captain was at the helm, the 'crew' view was that we were all partly to blame - and it was probably that show of solidarity which endeared us to the Boss, for he dealt with things at a local manner as a result. But he left us in no doubt whatever about the wisdom of the manoeuvre.

Sad thing was, that Boss was killed in a flying accident a few years later demonstrating a practice turn-back in a Chipmunk. As was his passenger.

[jindabyne]

BEagle

C'mon old chap - a beat-up is a beat-up. At the moment-critique, it's somewhat irresistable. The thing is (was), do it well, do it with panache, but don't do harm. Briefed min height? You have a long tongue my friend ----

[BEagle]

So the girls tell me......;)

[Bof]

Beagle

In your travels did you ever hear of the Vulcan driver that decided to turn off the briefed low level route and do a low fly by of Coniston Water as a salute to the memory of Donald Cambell during the rememembrance service(?) that was being held there?
I don't think it cost him £2500!

[Mach the Knife]

Then I don't suppose he flew his wingtip through a pylon at 60' either did he?

[Bof]

Many thanks Mike, I already knew who the pilot was, but did not know the full official story. By the way I am constantly amazed at the speed with which you come up with the most obscure facts of aviation. See you at the next UKFSC.

[Runaway Gun]

40 years old and a Squadron Leader - mmmmmh.
FJJP, RJ is an extremely talented pilot, who has earned respect by many around him, including myself. A mistake was made, and he lived. Does it really matter as to his rank? It does not reflect his true bearing and potential.

[Jackonicko]

I don't know RJ, but over the years I have met a number of Jaguar Force Squadron Leaders over the years, and I've been extremely impressed. The Jag Force has often seemed to be a 'centre of excellence' within what is a very high calibre organisation, and I'd be surprised if RJ fell far below those standards.

Let he who is without sin, as they say.....

[Brit55]

ok,

what gives Sqn Ldr J the right to fly an a/c that IS NOT HIS at such a dangerous height? He could have killed people on the ground along with himself.

The belief that he should be commended for his actions (or at least not punished Jacko) is nothing short of ludicrous. A CM was the least he deserved and quite frankly, he should never be allowed to fly fast jets again.

Aircrew mentality like that gets people killed.

Matt Elliot's situation does not bear any resemblence to this idiots stunt Jacko, get a grip!

Stop defending him. He F**ked up and should pay the price.

[petitfromage]

That might be a very small glass house Brit55.

I assume that in your illustrious career you never flew lower than you were auth'd. (assuming youre a pilot?)

Im not defending Jug at all. He screwed up and he bally well knows it. As a former colleague though, Im glad he is alive for a beer and perhaps, through his infamy, let others know the lessons learnt.

Personally, I know that the skill of flying especially low saved my arse on a few occassions when the bad guys were shooting.......

Although he flew lower than auth'd AND showed extremely poor judgement, he did not fly lower than he was trained to fly.

Like many things in life.....its all about time and place

[Fox3snapshot]

If we were in the States, wouldn't we be sueing the construction company that put the light pole there in the first place!
:E

[Gainesy]

He F**ked up and should pay the price.

He did and he has. What more do you want, a public flogging?

[LuckyBreak]

On a slight tangent, but still related, does anyone know more about the Jag mate at Conningsby last month who performed a 'spirited' RIAB on his last ever trip and then hat his first hats-on shortly afterwards? Rumor has it he pulled a 1/2 cuban with gear and flaps as he's pulling back onto the runway?......

[Onan the Clumsy]

What more do you want, a public flogging? Wouldn't that be the Navy?

[Brit55]

Hmm,

having surfaced from my beer induced haze, I hav re read my previous post and think I may have been a tad harsh (damn Talisker!).

Yeah, he does deserve to be punished and yes, I'm sure he regrets the incident. An airfield was not the best place to do it!! I thought that was what 20T was for!!!

Sorry folks, didn't mean to offend...

[partz]

Jacki-watsit

The difference with ME is that he was authorised !!

Partz

ULAS - you can never shake it off !!!

[Jackonicko]

Nicely written paper, btw, Partz. You're clearly a product of the best UAS!

[SASless]

As long as pilots take to the air....for all the reasons we do...things like this will happen....the trick is to see the light!

That way one leaves a fond memory and not earn a coffee free listening session with the BossWallah.:ok:

[partz]

Jack-io

Nice to see you scan the important sites, snm ! See you there in the press gallery (?), Neil Arm****** is giving a ditty - could be priceless.

Partz