RIP USMC Captain Jeff Kuss (Blue Angel #6)

[firerescuefin]

Got a chance to meet him a few weeks back at a pre-show safety brief. As expected, very professional.

Spoke this AM to a former colleague who is an Assistance Chief at NAS Pensacola (Home of the Blue Angels). Early reports are that he rode the plane into the ground after a mechanical issue that occurred immediately after take off...ensuring that the plane was away from occupied buildings. Pulled my 7 year old aside (who wants to be a military pilot) and told him this story a few minutes ago. Inspiring and sobering.

Respect. Genuine condolences to his friends and family.


http://www.pnj.com/story/news/local/davidson%20/2016/06/02/blue-angels-tributes-pour-captain-jeff-kuss/85318590/

[Tickdoc]

Very sad.

The acrobatic f18s are old, are they not?

[firerescuefin]

Very sad.

The acrobatic f18s are old, are they not?


They are literally are on their last legs...they go from The BA's to the boneyard (Davis Monthan AFB, AZ)

[Tickdoc]

They are literally are on their last legs...they go from The BA's to the boneyard (Davis Monthan AFB, AZ)

Well then by all means let's let some of our finest pilots put them through their paces.

I know these accidents happen, but so sad.

[firerescuefin]

Well then by all means let's let some of our finest pilots put them through their paces.

I know these accidents happen, but so sad.

The crew chiefs of these aircraft take a lot of pride in them...I would call them old and tired...but not inherently unsafe.

When the solos take off (in the show this year) they pull a very low speed bank where the plane looks like the tail is stepping/sliding out (pilots like OP would recognize it)...I know enough to recognize that physics aren't on your side if you lose power or hydraulic controls.

[William]

Our daughter got to talk with him last year and we took a photo of them together. Very sad and sobering when we pulled that photo out last night. What they do is dangerous and they do it with the utmost skill and professionalism. Sometimes things just happen.

RIP.


William

[oldpotatoe]

Very sad.

The acrobatic f18s are old, are they not?

They are, 'C' models but maintained meticulously and don't get the beating CV ops give it(altho hi G shows)...plus the airframe is old, hardly on 'last legs'. Engines, etc, low time. Plus they receive inspections constantly, by days past(7, 14 day) and per hour flown.

I saw almost new F-14 and F-18 go to D-M, that is no measure. One of the first F-14 produced, hand massaged and flown by test crew got thrown into the trees close to Grumman factory, accidents happen.

RIP to the young Captain, USMC

[bigbill]

Well then by all means let's let some of our finest pilots put them through their paces.

I know these accidents happen, but so sad.

Hornets have been incredibly reliable aircraft. The Blue Angels fly C and D models which are older but very airworthy. I did four carrier deployments, two as Officer of the Deck so I got to see how tough these aircraft were. Something mechanical and tragic happened to #6, but we're talking complex aircraft maintained and flown by humans, systems can fail without warning regardless of how good the maintainers or pilots are.

[txcid05]

Very Sad. Several military related incidents yesterday...it's a dangerous profession. Been there, done that, and I sincerely appreciate those who take the oath. Sometimes training can be as dangerous as combat.

[jchasse]

Jeff was a Durango native - Durango High and Ft Lewis grad. Lots of people frowning around here today.

[bobdenver1961]

Very sad. Strange there was a Air Force Thunderbirds crash in Colorado Springs the same day.

[firerescuefin]

They are, 'C' models but maintained meticulously and don't get the beating CV ops give it(altho hi G shows)...plus the airframe is old, hardly on 'last legs'. Engines, etc, low time. Plus they receive inspections constantly, by days past(7, 14 day) and per hour flown.

I saw almost new F-14 and F-18 go to D-M, that is no measure. One of the first F-14 produced, hand massaged and flown by test crew got thrown into the trees close to Grumman factory, accidents happen.

RIP to the young Captain, USMC

Not going to argue "well maintained", but I actually had the conversation with BA#7 about the state of the aircraft (when we were doing egress training) and she stated that they were aircraft brought in from the fleet that were "on their last legs" and "aircraft at the end of their service life"...she stated that they had recently asked the FAA for a one time waiver to fly a jet back to DM, but the FAA refused and told them to "put it on a flatbed".

[GregL]

I'm doubly saddened by this loss. First and most importantly for the young aviator, his family, and friends. Second that I will not be able to watch the Blue Angels from my front porch next weekend, as they just scrubbed from the SYR airshow:

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2016/06/03/blue-angels-suspend-flying-after-fatal-crash/32640367/

- Greg

[oldpotatoe]

Not going to argue "well maintained", but I actually had the conversation with BA#7 about the state of the aircraft (when we were doing egress training) and she stated that they were aircraft brought in from the fleet that were "on their last legs" and "aircraft at the end of their service life"...she stated that they had recently asked the FAA for a one time waiver to fly a jet back to DM, but the FAA refused and told them to "put it on a flatbed".

'She' needs to get the dirty laundry lecture....not surprised. Even when I flew the F-14, which was an incredible POS, to a 'civilian', 'best jet on earth, when flying it, I walked on water, talked to birds. Always up!'

I think I'll mention that to the CO, who I know...see what he says. Her little story is BA/USN business. BUT wonder what's up with the jet that they had to ask the FAA about. FAA doesn't get involved in airworthiness of military jets. Sounds like BS to me, again, not surprised, thinking her brand new blue flight suit is wearing a little heavy. This stuff you are mentioning, now that a jet crashed, is why she needs to keep her 'opinions' to 'her'self. BA7, brand new to the squadron. Her big mouth is the stuff lawsuits are made of.

Again, RIP the young Captain.

PS, looked up the team bios, Capt Corrie Mays(female)..actually an NFO(not pilot), 'events coordinator', not BA7, LT Typer Davis, who is also the narrator.

[1happygirl]

God Bless this real Angel now for all he did.
My thoughts and prayers to his family.

Just finished reading the book Boyd.
I am very naive but I was never so naive about the government, even before reading the book.

RIP.

[bigbill]

'She' needs to get the dirty laundry lecture....not surprised. Even when I flew the F-14, which was an incredible POS, to a 'civilian', 'best jet on earth, when flying it, I walked on water, talked to birds. Always up!'

I think I'll mention that to the CO, who I know...see what he says. Her little story is BA/USN business. BUT wonder what's up with the jet that they had to ask the FAA about. FAA doesn't get involved in airworthiness of military jets. Sounds like BS to me, again, not surprised, thinking her brand new blue flight suit is wearing a little heavy. This stuff you are mentioning, now that a jet crashed, is why she needs to keep her 'opinions' to 'her'self. BA7, brand new to the squadron. Her big mouth is the stuff lawsuits are made of.

Again, RIP the young Captain.

In my old profession, I saw jets go in the water, well maintained and well piloted jets. I saw a T-45 Goshawk pass overhead, break off to land and just continue to roll into the water while piloted by a Navy instructor and an Air Force test pilot. Both pilots were lost. I watched a Tomcat pass overhead and then break right with the crew ejecting at 1000 feet due to a total hydraulic failure. The crew survived. It's a dangerous profession, bad things can happen quickly in high performance aircraft, especially at low altitude.

The BA7 needs to shut her mouth, let the PA guys make the statements.

I am incredibly saddened by the loss of the Captain, USMC pilots are trained in ground support, they want to be the guy swooping in low to support Marines on the ground, they take the most dangerous missions because that is who they are. Every CVN deployment I did had at least one Marine Hornet squadron.