Navy F/A-18E crashes in Inyo County [star wars canyon]

Probably a bunch of deaf varmints in that canyon.

Yes, I can see where this is valuable training for the young lady T-38 driver.

edit: I notice from the Edward's User Brief that the Fresno air defenders have pre-designated entry and exit points for the airspace. I wonder if you ever see their Eagles down there?

I guess this answers the question. Callsign FAT22. No need for look-down, shoot-down here. I guess theoretically there's a requirement to intercept and ID drug-runners.

(There's also a video of a C-17 on 'you tube' making 3 passes. I didn't see in the procedural controls where you could 'pop up' and come back around for another go at it.)

This reminds me of the old LAAT circuits.

Just a reminder of what these chaps do otherwise when not 'canyon flying' or otherwise being LAND LUBBERS.

F/A-18F Carrier Break [25 Oct 2017] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sz7dluAFXb0
“Bringing a section of fighters back to the boat at 500' and 480 Knots.” Wingnut172N

Another non-initiate question:

In Spaz's exciting 'canyon' video on the previous page (not the boat NoPro LAND LUBBER-line video with the weird flying gloves just above).....that black T-38 flying the Jedi appears to be a Beale AFB 9th RW aircraft, a flight time proficiency trainer for U-2 pilots. Now as far as I know, U-2s generally perform their missions above 60,000 feet, except to land. What possible reason does a 9th RW T-38 have for flying the Sidewinder, let alone the photographer packed Jedi?

Any U-2 drivers or knowledgeable others, enlighten me again.

Why? Because some pilot stuff makes you better at everything else you do. Low altitude stuff qualifies in that regard; I doubt they spend much time on it.

You know as a point of continued discussion, I'm not sure that 'stuff' they don't spend much time on is worth the effort or the seemingly consistent obligatory use of AB for the admittedly captivating drama prominently displayed thru the canyon.

In 50 years of professional (for pay) flying (1964-2014, no desk jobs) I was ultimately convinced that if 'stuff' wasn't necessary to be trained to complete proficiency with currency maintained, it wasn't worth the time, money or risk to do it at all.

Admittedly training low level navigation in aircraft with GPS/inertial and moving map is fairly straight forward (to the point of, as you say, the tasking being well adapted to current advanced simulation capability). (BTW Lowat T-38 adversaries for the Raptors are restricted to 500' AGL.)

But teaching U-2 guys low level navigation in the T-38 as 'pilot stuff' seems to me to fall in the same category as teaching F-35 drivers to manual bomb.

(Although all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy, but call it what it is)

“...call it what it is.”

Sour grapes?

To some extent. I sure do miss it.

To some extent. I sure do miss it.

Be happy for the time you have had. I'm not sure what it was but hey - not many people get to do it - and for so long?