url]http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/08/17/breaking-news/search-continues-for-missing-army-copter-and-crew wrote:
...The search continues for a five-member crew of a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter after the helicopter was reported missing off of Kaena Point Tuesday night...

8GCBC wrote:(5) crew not found (except helmet and debris). SAR has been called off. I don't think there will be any conclusion either on the reason. Many unanswered questions regarding the safety of armed services personnel. http://khon2.com/2017/08/21/search-and-rescue-operation-suspended-for-missing-soldiers-in-black-hawk-crash/

The NAVY damaged (4) more ships recently: http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/08/22/breaking-news/4-accidents-2-deadly-raise-questions-about-navy-operations/

Gunny wrote:

8GCBC wrote:(5) crew not found (except helmet and debris). SAR has been called off. I don't think there will be any conclusion either on the reason. Many unanswered questions regarding the safety of armed services personnel. http://khon2.com/2017/08/21/search-and-rescue-operation-suspended-for-missing-soldiers-in-black-hawk-crash/

The NAVY damaged (4) more ships recently: http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/08/22/breaking-news/4-accidents-2-deadly-raise-questions-about-navy-operations/

8GCBC-

I can't speak to the Navy collisions... though there sure seems like something is wrong. I've heard that they cut down the lookouts to one, leaving the rest to radar and automation.

But I can pitch in on the flying aspect (my former life). Military flying is dangerous, period. What makes it worse is being stingy on parts and maintenance.... and the sequestration made all that worse by multiples. The other thing that increases the risk factor is flying time. For some reason folks think that simulators can replace actual stick time. So the airplanes are funded less. Trouble is that a sim can NEVER replicate the environment (Example: I was doing range work on the night JFK Jr died, partially over the ocean a few hundred miles from his crash, I had to struggle to stay oriented.... and I flew a lot at that time). You have to FLY to proficiency, if you want to stay alive and accomplish the mission. We used to think that because the Russians only flew about 100 hours a year that we had an advantage (at the time in the USAF we were flying about 250 hours/ year average). Bare proficiency to keep the airplane upright can be bought at 100 hours a year. Guess what, because of sequestration US pilots now get about 100-150 hours/ year.... and the accident rate goes up. They stand down whole squadrons for days because of parts/money. This is incredible.

So, you should be mad.... at Bohenner and McConnell. Write your congress critter... fix this problem. It's not the airplanes, or even the parts, or the pilots. The problem is primarily that WE don't give them the tools they need to stay alive and accomplish the mission!

I am sad for these crewdogs, but don't forget that military flying is dangerous.

Thats my nickel on the grass.

gunny