Originally Posted by resolater

Were I a lawyer, which I am not, what possible objections would you have if a lawyer made a case for wrongful or negligence or manslaughter if the facts upheld such things in the cases of your colleagues and friends?

I started the discussion by asking if anyone knew for sure if this fleet of Hawker Hunters actually flew with live, reliable, properly functioning ejection seats, because of this fleet’s accident history. While all of you posting above were immediately defensive, distracting or accusatory, I didn’t understand why and this site is a method to chat about aviation. Pilots like you have died in a series of accidents in a specific fleet that have an unusual common element. Yet, every question is met with an attitude of “everything is fine, don’t talk about this, just go away”. Additionally, the NTSB witness summaries above point to a lot of inappropriate, unprofessional and pertinent actions, but even that doesn’t disturb anyone. I wonder why?

Of course I have been curiously digging around this subject and there is of course a reason for speaking out and posting information and questions here. This forum titled Airborne Tactical Advantage Company is visited by at least a couple of their former Hawker Hunter pilots who commented here, but they don’t seem to be too concerned about their colleagues who perished in disturbing circumstances surrounded by suspicious facts: Three highly-qualified and honorable Americans, highly-experienced, military-trained, combat-experienced pilots were each killed in the same ejection-seat-equipped Hawker Hunter fleet in 2003, 2012 and 2014, in a statistically astounding manner in very nonthreatening (not tactical type) flying circumstances in very good weather conditions. I was recently convinced by an unrelated Hunter pilot that the deadly 2014 Thomas Bennett death, chiefly due to a fuel system installation blunder, also happened in 2008 within the same fleet run by the same owner (as in 2003 at Pittston, incorrect vital maintenance work by improperly qualified and improperly supervised staff who got it wrong – then the dead pilot was blamed). The 2008 crashed Hunter was written off but a very fortunate pilot (former French Navy carrier qualified) also did not or could not eject, but somehow lived to tell about it (named as Pierre Yves Mejean). All of this indicates to me that something with this fleet is amiss, been covered up or is being ignored. It now sounds like all three in spades, especially the “ignore”, with just the reaction seen on this small forum. That too is statistically suspicious. Why so little to , with no concern at all for the pilots still flying this fleet today. So why all the dodging about this?

From the 2003 case alone, the NTSB report mentions: Undocumented maintenance. Undocumented engine. Undocumented aircraft. Unlicensed maintainers. Seeming lie or story about the aircraft logbook that would have been found with other paper documents if indeed it had been in the aircraft (see NTSB photos). Aircraft owner Andre Lortie swiftly sneaking out of the country from the scene right after the crash, flying away with the relevant unlicensed maintainers Tim Story and John Taylor. Same owner, maintainers and operation continued through 2 more crashes (plus France, reg. C-GZIC) and continues today with same fleet and same ejection seat – but nobody here acknowledges there is a point, a problem, or a possible cover up, while everyone here refused to engage with the facts? Same with 2008, 2014 and 2016….why?

What if each time they were needed, your airliner’s fire extinguishers failed to work? “Nothing to see here.”

Or what if all of Delta’s or Southwest’s or your airline’s alternate gear lowering systems failed each time it was needed? “What’s your point?”

What if a bunch of F-22 pilots were sickened or killed by their oxygen system, and some spoke out against the chain of command and risked court martial rather than fly again? “Move along, this subject is for mature pilots.”

What if the leader of the Blue Angels lost the trust of his team pilots and they wanted a replacement? “Sounds like you have an agenda.”

What if your fellow fighter pilots thought their ejection seat could save them when needed, but it couldn’t, and didn’t? And when it didn’t each time it could and should have, all the maintenance records disappeared from the scene, along with all the maintainers and the aircraft owner, in a real jiffy, and everyone said everything is just fine the way it is and let’s not talk about it? “I wish I was still flying with them.”

Isn’t it is fair to say that this is destined to happen again to another undeserving brother-in-arms soon, avoidably? Shall we mark my words now? This is simply alarming to me. Why to none of you?