Yeah, Fairchild immediately occurred to me as well.
What’s with these cowboys-in-the-cockpit pretending to be fighter aces.
The C-17 is an EXTREMELY capable aircraft. Combine a pilot’s natural bravado with someone who gets a little carried away and you get accidents like this and Fairchild AFB. It’s very easy to overestimate your and your aircraft’s capabilities.
It’s true.
When I was stationed in Frankfurt with The Army, I used to hang out at the Rhein Main AFB officer’s club on occasion. Transports only, not a fighter within 200 miles or more.
So, I notice these ‘aces’ standing at the bar, still in their flight suits at 10:30 on a Saturday (WTF?), and they’re all doing the aerial-combat hands thingy. You know what I mean, the left hand is maneuvering from lag to pure pursuit in order to get a gun kill on their right hands.
So, my roommate goes up and stands next to them, and holds both hands out in front of him like he’s driving a bus. While they’re waving their hands around, he’s leaning back making fun of them until they finally notice, stop their bullshit, and turn back to the bar.
And the Navy guys are even worse.