Posted on 07/11/2005 3:12:09 PM PDT by F14 Pilot
Canadian Forces officials are trying to figure out what caused a fighter jet to lose a piece of its wing during a flyby over Toronto on Sunday.
The CF-18 jet was one of two participating in the kickoff to the Molson Indy auto race, flying over tens of thousands of spectators.
Luckily, the metre-long piece splashed into Lake Ontario. Although the lake was dotted with boaters, no one was hurt.
The part, identified as the nose door to a luggage pod under the wing, was recovered by the Toronto police marine unit.
It appears the incident was caused by a mechanical malfunction, said Captain Julie Roberge of Canadian Forces Base Bagotville in Saguenay, Que., where the fighter is based. A flight safety investigation has been called.
The incident didn't ground the jet, since the piece isn't critical to the aircraft's performance. The pilots flew the jets back to Quebec yesterday afternoon to be examined.
While it may seem strange for a fighter jet to carry luggage, pilots on ceremonial duties like to take along some luggage as there is no room in the single-seat cockpit, Roberge said.
The oblong pod on the underside of the jet's wing would not likely be flown into combat; it can be replaced with bombs or a fuel tank for long missions.
The jet is one of the oldest of Canada's 104 operational CF-18s; it was among the first batch to be delivered in 1982.
It was unclear if any luggage was lost in the incident, which Roberge called "quite unusual."
A year ago, a CF-18 on approach to Yellowknife airport dropped a missile on the driving range of a local golf course. The missile was live, but the safety mechanism was on.
ping!
Re: "The part, identified as the nose door to a luggage pod under the wing..."
Must have had too much Moosehead stuffed in there, eh?
I see a great Samsonite commercial in here somewhere.
The Canadian Military has fighter jets? If so, for how long?
They do have F-18s.
I think they have had these jets for the past 15 years!
F14:
Our fighters have a personal effects pod, don't they? I seem to remember a few year ago a jocky talking about how little stuff he could get into the pod.
If the Canadian Air Force is anything like the USAF, a crewchief and a pilot had a very long day on Sunday.
Our F-4C travel pods were made of unused napalm tanks with home brew dzus fastener doors. Certianly not capable of high speed passes, and certianly never tested or engineered by anyone.
Back when Coors beer wasn't available back east, our pilots would put on an extra travel pod to fill with Coors when going to Fla. You could stuff more in if you got rid of the 6packs and stuffed them in individually. They were nice and cold on landing in Fla after flying at altitude for a few hours.
They often exercise with RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) in Alberta.
Reporters. The "nose door to a luggage pod" is not a part of the wing.
Now, if he'd been flying an F-14.... ;-)
I'm sure Prime Minister Martin's first response was... “Well... they do have two wings... don't they?!”
Somebody didnt close the door properly and it ripped off at speed.
ping
2 things F/A-18(surprised that it wasn't attached to a tanker) and Canadian = No Surprise!
I can vouch for that "This is a no shit*ter" story about Coors beer flights (er, cross-country training runs to Colorado Springs)...."
"Canadian Fighter" is something of an oxymoron.
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