Aviation
Military /
Europe
accident avoided
American F-15 fighters nearly collide with glider during evasive action in UK
F-15
Timothy Newman/Unsplash
Gabriela Ramos
8/27/2021
Four US F-15 fighter jets were approaching Suffolk air base in England when air traffic control alerted them to the presence of a Nimbus glider, which they were very close to colliding, and directed them to initiate evasive actions.
In a report by the UK Airprox Board, which aims to improve air safety in the UK, the four fighters were flying in formation at 540 km/h and had to reduce speed to avoid colliding with the glider, the BBC reported.
Also according to the report, the American fighter formation was flying 1,127 meters over Downham Market and the pilots spotted the glider when it was just eight kilometers away from the aircraft.
The lead fighter swerved over the glider, while the other three swerved left and right. The glider pilot also tried to swerve, passing under the fighters, accelerating to 160 km/h to avoid the accident, and passed about 150 meters below the fighter.
The episode was probably due to the absence of a compatible communication system between the F-15 and the glider.
F-15
U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Samuel Rogers, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
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Gabriela Ramos
Gabriela is the latest addition to the editorial team of our website, having provided us with her solid background in editing, publishing and photography, and her interest and training in aviation history and historiography. His good taste and common sense and great cleverness and sagacity in the selection of themes and materials greatly enriched our vocabulary and narrative style. Gabriela brought unusual predicates and came to stay, helping to point the way of success of our portal.
   
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