sent by a reader in Sewage City [Wellington]
Was the pilot killed because he preferred helicopters to fixed-wing aircraft, or tipsy while flying? [Incompetence can never be ruled out, of course.]
A New Zealand Air Farce pilot was killed when he lost control of his CT4 Airtrainer and crashed near Ohakea this morning.
One headline read: “The Air Force is ‘flummoxed’ as to how one of its [allegedly] most highly-skilled pilots crashed near Ohakea Air Base this morning. ”
Try false claim, baseless allegation, hype, too much hot air … ace was a lemon. On the other hand, if he was New Zealand’s “most highly-skilled pilot,” god help his students, and the passengers they’ll fly to mount Erebus or even across the Hudson river.
He was named Squadron Leader Nicholas Haydn Cree, 32, a flight commander at the central training school.
Red Checkers , Dead Checkers
The dead pilot was one of the five members of the New Zealand Air Farce’s Red Checkers aerobatic team while maneuvering, when he crashed west of Bulls in Manawatu [not far from the spot where the German cyclist was crushed to her death last week.]
The Air Farce has not commented on whether the dead pilot was tipsy during the manoeuvres,
Enter Chief of Air Farce Air Vice Marshal Graham B. Lintott ONZM, FRAES
Chief of Air Farce Air Vice Marshal Graham Lintott (CAFAViMaGrLi) refused to give any explanation for the crash.
CAFAViMaGrLi and other Air Farce top brass who attended a press conference today seemed visibly shaken and in need of a change of underwear.
Never mind the cost of replacing the aircraft, it costs several million dollars of taxpayer money to train the pilots and ready them for the flying circus act.
“He loved flying and he was one of our most talented and experienced flying instructors,” CAFAViMaGrLi said.
“Sqn Ldr Cree was a flight commander at the Central Flying School Ohakea and an A category instructor.” A report said.
Apparently the daed pilot instructed students on helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, but was more comfortable flying helicopters himself.
AVM Lintott and other officers who attended a press conference today were visibly shaken.
“We pride ourselves on safety this is just devastating,” CAFAViMaGrLi said.
Prime Minister John Key said:
“It is particularly saddening to learn a pilot died while practising aerial display manoeuvres – a spectacle which entertains thousands of New Zealanders over the summer months. The Red Checkers are our air force’s only aerobatic team and their reputation and skills are first-class.
“The [New Zealand Air Farce’s] safety record is excellent — but there are always dangers when flying [ask Air New Zealand] and, regrettably, they can claim the lives of even the very best of our pilots.” [God help the other ones if he was …]
[Come on, Mr Key, close down this military farce and spend the wasted billions on the poor and needy. TEAA]
Flight Sergeant Andrew Forster, 46, was killed November 19, 2009 by an artillery shell which exploded at Waiouru Military Camp as he tried to defuse it. A colleague standing next to him survived the injuries.
Highly skilled pilots land their planes safely regardless of the circumstance!
The good thing about the military personnel getting killed on the “home” turf is that they don’t get a chance to kill innocent civilians in faraway countries.
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