lukexcom
08-08-2004, 04:05
Hi, Haole. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions here. I have a few, if you are able to/allowed to answer these, that would be awesome...
1. While in the Continental US, do you guys have to deal with/participate in FAA noise abatement procedures and opeartions while around civilian airports and such places?
2. When you guys do VFR flights, are you limited to below 18,000 ft. like us civvies, or lower, or do you not have that restriction?
3. What is your opinion of civilian VFR pilots flying into your MOA (military operating area) airspaces? I mean, sure, we civilians can legally fly in there VFR without telling anyone about it, but it's not exactly the safest thing to do. But do you see civilian VFR pilots shortcutting through the MOAs as an annoying factor to you whenever you're on flight training in those areas, considering you have to be extra careful and vigilant while flying fast and low in case a VFR pilot unwittingly decides to cross your path? And have you ever had any "close ones" in these situations?
4. How's the experience of flying hard-ball IFR in the F-16, especially through rainclouds and near thunderstorms? Turbulent and shaky? Also, does the USAF usually set limits on operating in IFR conditions, i.e. can you do zero-zero visibility, CAT IIIc ILS landings at approved airports, or are there certain minimums prescribed?
5. Icing. I don't suppose the F-16s come with de-icing equipment (I'm sure you've got some anti-icing like pitot heat)? Can it "take the heat" (pun) of flying through known icing conditions?
Again, thank you for taking the time of answering my questions. I'm finding that the topic of how military pilots deal with the non-combat parts of flying, weather, legal airspace rules of a given country, and things of that nature that we civilian pilots deal with exclusively (i.e. don't have to worry about SAMs on top of all of this) to be very, very fascinating.
1. While in the Continental US, do you guys have to deal with/participate in FAA noise abatement procedures and opeartions while around civilian airports and such places?
2. When you guys do VFR flights, are you limited to below 18,000 ft. like us civvies, or lower, or do you not have that restriction?
3. What is your opinion of civilian VFR pilots flying into your MOA (military operating area) airspaces? I mean, sure, we civilians can legally fly in there VFR without telling anyone about it, but it's not exactly the safest thing to do. But do you see civilian VFR pilots shortcutting through the MOAs as an annoying factor to you whenever you're on flight training in those areas, considering you have to be extra careful and vigilant while flying fast and low in case a VFR pilot unwittingly decides to cross your path? And have you ever had any "close ones" in these situations?
4. How's the experience of flying hard-ball IFR in the F-16, especially through rainclouds and near thunderstorms? Turbulent and shaky? Also, does the USAF usually set limits on operating in IFR conditions, i.e. can you do zero-zero visibility, CAT IIIc ILS landings at approved airports, or are there certain minimums prescribed?
5. Icing. I don't suppose the F-16s come with de-icing equipment (I'm sure you've got some anti-icing like pitot heat)? Can it "take the heat" (pun) of flying through known icing conditions?
Again, thank you for taking the time of answering my questions. I'm finding that the topic of how military pilots deal with the non-combat parts of flying, weather, legal airspace rules of a given country, and things of that nature that we civilian pilots deal with exclusively (i.e. don't have to worry about SAMs on top of all of this) to be very, very fascinating.