US Air Force asks if anyone has seen missing F-35 fighter jet after pilot ejects

**ZGXtreme** · 09-18-23, 13:52

Biden boasted of the government having F-15’s… some farmer may now be calling his bluff lol.

**Artos** · 09-18-23, 13:59

Probably on the way to Chynah with this admin...

**Manofmayhem** · 09-18-23, 15:44

Originally Posted by Hank6046

That's interesting because the Maintenance personnel and officers were all relived due to this, but the Pilot went back into another slot, which you probably remember was scrutinized heavily by the San Diego press.

I remember vividly. I was in the ready room and writing the schedule that day. All of the toxic leadership we had were relieved for very good reason. The pilot was cleared after 3 or 4 months (I can't remember how long it took), I lost touch with him after that.

**ABNAK** · 09-18-23, 16:21

Originally Posted by Manofmayhem

I remember vividly. I was in the ready room and writing the schedule that day. All of the toxic leadership we had were relieved for very good reason. The pilot was cleared after 3 or 4 months (I can't remember how long it took), I lost touch with him after that.

From what I've read the higher-ups took a hit for ordering him to divert to Miramar instead of going to North Island where he was originally directed to, which was closer and didn't have any housing on the approach. But I'm sure they didn't want to deal with the hassle of getting one of their aircraft back from there to Miramar, just land the damn thing back here already! [paraphrasing]

**Hank6046** · 09-18-23, 16:35

Originally Posted by Manofmayhem

I remember vividly. I was in the ready room and writing the schedule that day. All of the toxic leadership we had were relieved for very good reason. The pilot was cleared after 3 or 4 months (I can't remember how long it took), I lost touch with him after that.

That was the training squadron, which I heard about the reputation that they had with certain maintainers as it was a non-deployable squadron. I'm sure your version of events are correct, as I was a 22 year LCPL who was on my way to HMH-West in Iraq weeks later. As far as toxic leadership, I feel like there was a good amount of that in the Wing, too many guys who read the Great Santini and thought that was the model for a Squadron commander, the best one's I served with where more grounded, but as the common phrase is with the Marines, " I loved my time in the Corps, I only wish I could change it"

**TommyG** · 09-18-23, 17:55

Two day safety stand down for Marine Aviation:

https://www.defensenews.com/news/you...ion-standdown/

The Marine Corps is pausing its aviation operations for two days as the disappearance of a Marine Corps F-35B jet over South Carolina on Sunday remains unsolved.

The Corps’ Monday statement announcing the standdown cited three recent significant mishaps involving Marine aircraft.

**TommyG** · 09-18-23, 17:55

Double tap

**Manofmayhem** · 09-18-23, 19:58

Originally Posted by ABNAK

From what I've read the higher-ups took a hit for ordering him to divert to Miramar instead of going to North Island where he was originally directed to, which was closer and didn't have any housing on the approach. But I'm sure they didn't want to deal with the hassle of getting one of their aircraft back from there to Miramar, just land the damn thing back here already! [paraphrasing]

That's exactly right. We were always taught not to pass up a good runway in an emergency but that's exactly what he was told to do. Ultimately it was the pilot in command's decision but he had all the leadership telling him to come back to Miramar. I listened to the recordings between him and ATC and approach confirmed several times he didn't want North Island. That was one of several incidents that led to me deciding not to fly for the Corps anymore.