[kAcknor]

Flares were not "fired at the plane".

Can't argue with that. But I think it more likely that somebody in the public has mistaken TRACERS for flares.

What could that do? If the F-18 itself isn't enough to get your attention, is a pilot going to fly slow and open and put the target into his own 6 O'clock to drop a flare that can be seen? I don't think so. Tracers across the nose is the universal "Hey! Look over here!" signal.

[ThePythonicCow]

Idle question -- from one totally clueless about flying -- What should a pilot of a Cessna do if he sees he has such an F-18 escort? Follow him? Wiggle your wings? Bail out?

[Atchafalaya]

Over Sydney...and where do the rounds go, think collateral damage? He popped some flares that burn out quickly to get attention; not 20mm cannon rounds that go into tomorrow and wreak havoc.

[archy]

Can't argue with that. But I think it more likely that somebody in the public has mistaken TRACERS for flares.

I hope not. Even with TP-T ammo, I hate to think of how many rounds of 20mm would come a-cranking out of that M61A1 cannon in even a short burst. And what goes up, will come down somewheree, and Murphey gets to decide where.

What could that do? If the F-18 itself isn't enough to get your attention, is a pilot going to fly slow and open and put the target into his own 6 O'clock to drop a flare that can be seen? I don't think so. Tracers across the nose is the universal "Hey! Look over here!" signal.

I'd expect the '18 would have *no problem* making a bounce pass over the target plane, given the relative speeds of the a/c involved. And, keeping enough vertical seperation, it'd probably be more attention-getting to let fly with a string of downward-firing flares than a forward burst from the GAU-4....