Pace - Are you speaking with any kind of knowledge of this topic whatsoever? Or are you just making it up, like the newspapers and the so-called experts supplying them with information? As someone reasonably close to the incident I find your comments pretty damn offensive to be frank. Accidents do happen, something our modern culture of blame could well do with remembering, and while someone MAY have "messed up" there is no way anyone can say that for sure at this stage.
Arranging a mid-air rendezvous safely is something every military pilot would be capable of doing, but I'm not for a moment saying that is the cause of this accident. Formation flying is NOT a routine part of AEF flying, and I very much doubt if anyone in their right mind would ever give someone on their first trip ever control in close formation.
I can think of several possible causes for this very unfortunate incident, but can we all please refrain from (predominantly) uninformed speculation and wait for the various investigations to run their course.
Last edited by Knight Paladin; 16th Feb 2009 at 19:03.