F-16 Intercepts Jet & Turboprop Legally Flying Through MOA

When two GA pilots, one flying a Pilatus PC-12 and the other in a Beechcraft Premier jet, encountered an F-16 in a Military Operations Area used by Luke Air Force Base in Arizona last March, they had to take abrupt, evasive maneuvers to avoid the military jet. The incident, after it was http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/F16EncounterAngersPilots_197487-1.html first reported in AVwebFlash, set off a lively debate among pilots on AVweb's http://www.avweb.com/blogs/insider/AVwebInsiderBlog_IfYouCantHandleMigs_F16s_... blog about the wisdom of flying in MOAs, and prompted an in-depth report in our sister publication, Aviation Safety. This week, AOPA obtained a http://www.aopa.org/flightplanning/articles/2008/080707f-16.html video clip from the FAA showing the radar screen during the encounter, and also the voice tape from Air Traffic Control. The F-16 pilot has been reprimanded, and Luke officials told AOPA they will alter their training program to encourage their pilots to avoid similar encounters in the future. In a http://www.avweb.com/podcast/podcast/197492-1.html?kw=RelatedStory podcast interview with AVweb, PC-12 pilot Patrick McCall said his TCAS activated about 10 a.m. that day while he was cruising at 16,500 feet (VFR with flight following) and he had to dive his aircraft as the target kept closing on him. The target followed him in the dive and when McCall leveled at about 14,000 feet, he was amazed by the view from his side window. "I then looked to my left side of the aircraft and saw an F16 aircraft off of my left wing," he said in a written report sent to the FAA. "The F16 was no more than 20 feet off of my left wing."

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• airplane
• f-16
• pilatus
• pc12
• Beechcraft
• Premier
• Jet
• MOA
• military
• AOPA
• AVweb
• Luke
• AFB
• radar
• air
• force
• glenn
• pew

[skipplet]

@pumpiniron74 Yep, you're right. Feel free to truck through a hot MOA risking your life and the life of the other crew and making all aircraft in within a 15 mile radius knock off all maneuvering so you can save a few bucks on gas.

[pumpiniron74]

@skipplet The point is, this airspace does not belong to the military whether it's hot or cold. You share it with civilians, like it or not.

[Climbontrack]

Both a blessing and a curse! Thank goodness a desaster had been avoided by executive GA VIP Pilot's ;-))

[skipplet]

@RogueKnight12866

Flying through a MOA maybe legal, but it sure as hell isn't safe. Most GA operate somewhere between 100-200 kts. Most military aircraft operate between 200-600 kts and faster.

Besides that, if any unscheduled aircraft enters the practice area, we have to cease maneuvering until they leave. Most sorties are between 1-1.5 hours long. So every minute you spend trucking through our areas, that's a minute we don't have to practice what we need to practice.

[skipplet]

The pilots flying through the MOA are idiots and sound like douchebags on the radio. "Let me get the airplane under control" HAHA! He's in a 3k/min climb and he considers that out of control.

[RogueKnight12866]

@9GViperDriver That isn't YOUR airspace, asswipe. You forget the military is under CIVILIAN control, therefore CIVILIAN aircraft ALWAYS shall have priority OVER military aircraft EVERY TIME!! That F-16 pilot should have gotten worse than a reprimand, he should've been COURT-MARTIALED AND THROWN OUT OF THE SERVICE!! I would've shot his ass dead for threatening civilian lives. Rule one, civilian lives are sacrosanct.

[AirplaneRider]

@jaybird42o You seem to have no clue about what you're talking about. Air Force regulations, or any organization (such as airline SOP's) are superceded by the FAR's. So anyone can make up their own little rules as long as they don't contradict the FAA's rules. It even states in the Air Force regulations that any deviation from the federal rules must receive an exception from the FAA. You should learn more about the subject on which you speak before you publicly make a fool out of yourself.

[AirplaneRider]

@jaybird42o Ah sorry, no, you're wrong.

[torch39]

Ok, I've read all the comments.  But, the civ pilots whined like a bitch on the radio never the less. Roll the tape and lets hear him shit his pants again :) Yes, I've had a face full of F-18 in R-2508. Just keep chugging along and everything will be fine.