Maybe it wasn't such a great plan...

[N2056]

Remember the story about the Navy helicopters checking the water temperature of lake Tahoe a few months ago?

Here's how it turned out...http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/dec/22/no-punishment-navy-pilots-who-dipped-helos-lake-ta/

[TARPSBird]

I think the punishment was justified. It was a stupid stunt.

[stansdds]

It's just stupid to screw around with people's lives and government property. This stunt could have quickly turned deadly. Justice has been served.

[jmig]

*KISS* The sound of their careers going good-bye. It use to be that you could get away with things like that. Not any more.

[wiltzei]

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former".

-Albert Einstein

[Bone]

It use to be that you could get away with things like that. Not any more.


Maybe they got the idea from watching some of your old RF-4 brothers making lake spray in this video, and just forgot to check the date...as in "that was then, this is now".

It's amazing how often pilots have done boderline stuff, and then one day comes along and it's a no-no...a big no-no.

This is a good video, and the majority of the lake spraying is towards the end.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmXvQqEcJZ8

[jmig]

Yes, it used to be you would just a perfunctory chewing out from the old man. I was "boys will be boys." I think the Navy's Tailhook indecent changed all of that. "Non" pilot types got involved. They could not relate.

Of course the fact they did $500,000 in damages could have had some bearing on the punishment.

[Devildog73]

Yes, it used to be you would just a perfunctory chewing out from the old man. I was "boys will be boys." I think the Navy's Tailhook indecent changed all of that. "Non" pilot types got involved. They could not relate.

Of course the fact they did $500,000 in damages could have had some bearing on the punishment.

No, back "then" the military was a different military. In Vietnam we did not have to count rounds and justify pulling the pin on a grenade, or even check the ammo and grenades in when we returned from patrol.

Not so today. Our guys come in from outside the wire in Iraq and Afghanistan and they have to justify all shots fired, unload weapons, and turn in grenades. When they get ready to go outside the wire again, they draw it all out again. It is all strictly accounted for now. They cannot even carry loaded weapons into the dining facilities in theater. They know how many rounds each Soldier has and count them when they come back.

No, the US military is not the same military that beat down Hitler and Hirohito in four years in the ETO and PTO. (I have to stop here or I will be out of bounds).

[TARPSBird]

You'll notice none of the RF-4's in Bone's video actually went into the water. I think even 30-some years ago, actually dunking the helo like that pilot did would've rated more than just a flame-spraying in the CO's office. Having the event recorded on video and made available to the media was the frosting on the cake. What might earn you a DFC during a combat SAR effort or at-sea rescue just gets you sh*t-canned to a non-flying job if you do it for a Facebook photo op.

PS - Bone, great video. Good testosterone check without having to pay lab fees. :d