Porpoise, you're comparing apples and oranges. I don't think the Canuk aircraft in question had both its radome and pitot tube missing and two of its engines shut down. Neiither do I think its crew were declaring a mayday at the time.
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As for the person who opened this thread with, among other ridiculous comments, the following: "No mention though of the panic that caused a perfectly flyable aircraft to be flung onto the nearest available airfield."
Hmmmm... So, after suffering a midair collision of unknown severity, where his aircraft:
- fell, uncontrolled, some 8000 feet
- suffered who knows what degree of overstress in the radical recovery he was forced to make,
- lost two engines, or 50% of his power plants,
- suffered a depressurisation, implying to the most inexperienced pilot that the aircraft might have suffered God only knows what degree of structural damage,
- lost its radome, (To the uninitiated, this alone, with none of the other problems, would have had a massive effect on the aircraft's handling, performance and specific air range.)
- lost its pitot system, (Again, for those not familiar with the term, this would have left the pilot without an airspeed indicator, [a minor matter to an ace like KIFIS].) I know, I know, he probably had a still serviceable INS...
- suffered damage to the flap system, (making a landing with no IAS even more interesting, to say nothing of a potential ditching, which is what he risked in turning for more 'friendly' territory).
I understand you call yourself a retired airline pilot, KIFIS. I'd love to see a potted history of your airline/fighter pilot ummm... career. I also understand you're an Australian. Rubbish the Yanks as mush as you like, but if you are an Australian, be very, very glad they're there "meddling" in the affairs of countries like China. Such "meddling" might keep you and your children speaking English into their old age.
[This message has been edited by Wiley (edited 19 April 2001).]