That's a big ND!

[Tag]

"fly by" shooting on school grounds

Notice how no one will blame the weapon, they will blame the man (as it should be)

To be fair, someone better introduce a bill banning Vulcan Cannons on military aircraft...

Seriously though, I'm happy no one was hurt.

The 2,400-acre Warren Grove range, about 30 miles north of Atlantic City, has been used by the military since the end of World War II, long before the surrounding area was developed.

It sounds like the same thing all these environmentalist fellows have been preaching, only civilization is not only encroaching on Pandas or Tigers, now it's getting too close to military firing ranges. :banghead:

 

[Wayne D]

I do imagine its harder to be sure of your target when you're at 7000' going 400MPH; all the more reason to be super-cautious with live ammo when training near inhabited areas.

It was also at night. According to the article it was just after 11:00pm

 

[Fly320s]

Update:

Today I was flying with a pilot who is also a member of an Air National Guard unit. He flies A10s, but gave me the inside information on how the F16s engage the targets.

The F16 was flying in a box pattern around the live fire range. When the incident occured, the plane was flying 90 degrees from the direction of the target. The target was to the plane's left side.

The F16 uses a laser designator to illuminate the target that is to be engaged. The laser is turned on (fired) by the trigger on the flight control stick (sidestick). According to the pilot I was flying with, the trigger may also be used to fire the onboard gun depending on how the pilot sets-up the system.

Apparently, on the night of the incident, the pilot had the trigger set to engage the laser, or so he thought. The pilot pulled the trigger to light-up the target, but the trigger was set-up to fire the gun instead. As soon as the pilot realized that he was firing the gun, he released the trigger.

Due to the fact that the plane's flight path was perpendicular to the target, and that the plane was flying somewhat high [IIRC 10,000ft], the fired bullets traveled far off course. In fact, the bullets left the range and some of them hit the school.

Certainly the pilot made a big mistake. Luckily, no one was injured. The range where the incident occured is closed through the end of the year at least while an investigation is conducted.

 

[enfield]

Let's see here, 6,000 rounds a minute, 100 per second, that's a .25 second burst. Some mighty fine trigger control. I didn't think a burst that size was possible.

It's possible with an M16 - I used to regularly squeeze off .2 second bursts - 2 rounds on full auto.

 

[Fly320s]

Let's see here, 6,000 rounds a minute, 100 per second, that's a .25 second burst. Some mighty fine trigger control. I didn't think a burst that size was possible.

I doubt that is what happened. More likely the burst was quite a bit longer, maybe as much as two seconds. Only six rounds hit the school, but that does not mean that only six rounds were fired.

That area near the range is mostly wooded. I'd bet most of the rounds just went into the trees where no one noticed them.

 

[Gifted]

I doubt that is what happened. More likely the burst was quite a bit longer, maybe as much as two seconds. Only six rounds hit the school, but that does not mean that only six rounds were fired.

They said only 25 rounds were fired. Most likely counted when they downloaded the ammunition. And I'd say, with the gun system right behind the cockpit, and the muzzle less than ten feet away from the cockpit in the left strake, I'd say it would take considerably less than two seconds to realize the gun is firing.

 

[pittspilot]

When that gun fired, I bet it was of those moments when one knows real fear in a cockpit.

A long, long, ( and short) quiet (and loud, at least in your head) horrible flight back to base.