Growler Down

The VR-1355 runs through there - Very popular route. I suspect I've flown it more than 100 times. These days it's a 500' AGL route (it was 200' AGL back in the day) and is almost certainly the most scenic route in the lower 48. Parts of it were used for the last Top Gun movie. Training like this forces you to concentrate on Aviate, Navigate, Communicate priorities and a momentary attention lapse at 420 KTS is all it takes. Ejecting, unless it's a mechanical issue and you get the nose pointed up, isn't likely.

Wreckage has been found. There was a temporary flight restriction (TFR) there yesterday for the search. 13:30 minutes into this video starts the area where that TFR is. On the route it's where you start to encounter rapidly rising terrain.

 
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Some of this was probably around 200 agl. Thought I heard a rumor back in the day an A-6 went under a popular bridge along the route.


 
How common are bird strikes for you guys while flying a route like that?
 
topgun260 said:
How common are bird strikes for you guys while flying a route like that?
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My next door neighbor is a retired F-16 pilot. He told me about a bird strike, probably a vulture, at 500+ knots that cracked the structure inside the leading edge extension. A friend of his was killed by a similar bird strike.
 
topgun260 said:
How common are bird strikes for you guys while flying a route like that?
Click to expand...

I haven't had one out there before, but it certainly wouldn't be unheard of. My most recent was dead in the center of the canopy, right above my HUD, and splattered back across the top of the canopy. Happened at about 120 knots on landing rollout, back at whidbey, at night. Was a little bird though.
 
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