US Navy grounds T-45 training jet fleet following Fox News report | Fox News

I'm torn on this story. Fox points out; probably quite correctly, that additional attention has been brought to this issue because 1Lt Michael Pence flies that plane. Don't interpret this incorrectly, I'm 100% in favor of safely operating our airplane fleets. My issue is would this have been done without a high profile student in training? My guess is no -- reference (1) each F-22 mishap where O2 contamination disabled the pilot and the USAF blamed the pilot for the subsequent crash as well as the follow-on treatment of the 2 whistle-blowers who went to their congressmen and the media in the wake of the F-22's O2 problems.

Anybody who thinks we're a classless society is willingly fooling themselves. I don't doubt it's possible to move from class to class, but there are classes none the less.

EDIT:

BTW, in the name of full disclosure I am not intimately familiar with the treatment the whistle blowers received after their media appearance. I knew one of the guys in a previous life and through mutual friends I was told he was involuntarily removed from the F-22. If somebody has more accurate information I would appreciate a correction to my statement.

I'm sure 1Lt Pence being there didn't hurt...but I believe that a majority of the flight instructors refusing to fly anymore had more to do with it than a high profile student. When your instructors refusing to fly due to safety concerns makes national news it kind of backs you into a corner and forces you to do something. Had there been another mishap after instructors refused to fly, the Navy would not have had a leg to stand on.

Another factor that more than likely had a greater impact was the need for pilots in the fleet. Once enough pilots refused to fly, pilot production numbers would start falling and create a choke point in the training pipeline. At a certain point it would be in the best interest of the Navy to stop flying so they can find and fix the problem than it would be to limp along with the few pilots willing to still fly from pilot production standpoint. With up to 100 pilots not flying, odds are they reached that point.

We are totally a society with classes, but I don't think Pence was the driving factor in this case....it didn't hurt that he was there though. I wish I could have been in on the conversations when the COs had to call and say they were cancelling the flight schedule because their instructors were not willing to fly...and it was going to make national news.

I agree. Pence's kid had zero to do with this. It is a big deal to the Navy when orange and white stops flying. Sounds a lot like some instructors went to the press when they (rightfully) felt their concerns were not getting the proper attention from CNATRA and NAVAIR. These guys did the honorable thing and stopped flying in the name of a genuine safety concern.

Integrity with a capital I, Bravo Zulu.

The IPs walking out is the story... Pence being there just gave it some legs.

Hope to see some leadership firings over this starting with CNATRA. Good on those boys.

I agree. Well done gentlemen and ladies if applicable.

Yes. Discussed this with flags privy to the situation. Pence was not even part of the discussion. Icing on the media cake.

Some disturbing incidents.
Not to mention the regularity with which they occur.

To be correct the T45's are not grounded. It's a safety standown for 3 days.

You aren't correct.

Navy's T-45 Fleet Indefinitely Grounded After Pilot Strike | Military.com