Emergency landing of polish F-16

[VMFA117_Poko]

Today 3 polish F-16C were flying a task over south-eastern part of Poland when one of the pilots reported engine failure and had to land on nearest airfield which was the Okecie Airport in Warsaw. He landed safely. Man! Brand new Falcons... :doh:

[Breakshot]

Bring back the migs, comrades! :P

 

hmmm sounds like the pilot did a good job recovering the plane, wouldnt be a great story if they lost one brand new F-16 so early...

[Groove]

Wouldnt be Rzeszow the nearest in south-eastern Poland ?

 

( Not far from where im from ).

[mvsgas]

I think the problem is that you guys bought F-16 with Pratt & Whitney engine on them instead of real engine like General Electric. I don't know the stats on the PW engines and I have never work on the 229 engines that it seems Poland has. The PW engines that I have work, where hard to maintain and just had a lot of Issues I did not like. Blk 30, 40, 50, 60 is the way to go in terms of F-16 IMOP.

[VMFA117_Poko]

I think the problem is that you guys bought F-16 with Pratt & Whitney engine on them instead of real engine like General Electric. I don't know the stats on the PW engines and I have never work on the 229 engines that it seems Poland has. The PW engines that I have work, where hard to maintain and just had a lot of Issues I did not like. Blk 30, 40, 50, 60 is the way to go in terms of F-16 IMOP.

I heard similar opinions once. You probably know what You're saying - You are close to it so I believe it's right.

 

From last news: The pilot heard strange sound behind, some kind of knocking and then airspeed started to drop. He immiedately decided to land.

[RvETito]

Boooooo, faulty plane! Quick, follow the algerian example:P:P:P

[Boberro]

We have problems with these F16 from beginning. More and more I think USA sold Poland faulty planes. F16 are good but that what happens in Poland is very strange.

[VMFA117_Poko]

Change it for Grippen!

[Boberro]

Grippen was not checked in combat I think, also dunno about costs of production, modernisations, perspectives of future upgrades, ect. ;)

[GGTharos]

I think you're looking at something that isn't unusual with modern jet fighters - it's just more publicized in this case. They're complex machines, and stuff happens - that's how it always has been and that's how it always will be. If you think MiGs did better you're likely wrong. ;) The difference here is course that, as twin-engined aircraft, a single engine failure isn't the catastrophe it is on an F-16.

 

We have problems with these F16 from beginning. More and more I think USA sold Poland faulty planes. F16 are good but that what happens in Poland is very strange.

[Pilotasso]

Bring back the migs, comrades! :P

 

hmmm sounds like the pilot did a good job recovering the plane, wouldnt be a great story if they lost one brand new F-16 so early...

 

 

Were flying old F-16's and we have never had an engine failiure (they are old PW220's too). Maybe something else was in cause.

[Pilotasso]

Grippen was not checked in combat I think, also dunno about costs of production, modernisations, perspectives of future upgrades, ect. ;)

 

To be honest, Im not surprised there are problems (I would if there were none). Poland is just not experienced with western techology or NATO standards.

[Teknetinium]

I hope Polish don't think that they can maintain the f-16s like they did whit MiGs :)

[mvsgas]

I heard similar opinions once. You probably know what You're saying - You are close to it so I believe it's right.

 

From last news: The pilot heard strange sound behind, some kind of knocking and then airspeed started to drop. He immiedately decided to land.

 

Man, that could be cause by so many things. I seen it before that the tail hook was not stowed properly and it created a knocking sound. It may not have nothing wrong with the engine. It was wise for the pilot to land immediately but it may be nothing wrong with the aircraft. Hell, it could have been a bird strike, I never knew how much damage a bird could cause until I seen it first hand. I seen a bird , not sure how big, hit a engine on take off and bend like three engine blades. Those things I think are made out of steel or titanium.

[CYGAN apa.sq]

I hope Polish don't think that they can maintain the f-16s like they did whit MiGs

Lot of them are high quality specialist and they know what they are doing ....believe me.But i agree it could be human mistake ......

[GGTharos]

Yeah, but they're working with new hardware.

[Vekkinho]

I guess USAF cleaned it's junkyard.

 

Just kiddin'.

[Pilotasso]

I hope Polish don't think that they can maintain the f-16s like they did whit MiGs :)

 

 

Dunno if thats a humorous coment, but all Migs Poland had were built at a time the soviet union didnt believe their designs should be made to last. As a result export custumers who have owned them for 20+ years take alot of hours of maintenance between flights and their sortie rate is very low. The F-16 they got now butchers the Mig in mission avaiablilty and combat capability.

 

If you compare second hand F-16's from AMARC with all export Mig-29's (yes Mig hasnt exported any real new airframes for quite a while) youll see the unfortunate mig owners are all complaining and/or returning their planes, as for the falcon users there havent been much of a fuss.

[VMFA117_Poko]

Yeah, but they're working with new hardware.

New hardware wich came to us already broken, remember?

 

Last (today) news: It was probably fault of software which drives the engine. The effect was - how pilots call it - "pumping of engine" (airflow in unit was disturbed when flying on afterburner).

[mvsgas]

Like I said I have never work those engines but, It sound as if maybe the engine got damage some how. Maybe a bird or maybe debris in the taxiway or runway could have do it. If it would have been the software the pilot could have gone to the back up control. It's a mechanical control.

[Teknetinium]

Maby they are complaining and returning the plains but I can ensure u that its easier and cheaper to maintain 20 years old mig-29 then 20 years old F-16. we should t even talk about Migs here, there u have some complains on brand new F-16ґs same story as whit migs, But obviously u are not taking that in, For u F-16 is never bad never expensive and always the winner and I respect that pilotasso.

 

Its funny thou that The maintainers personal get the blame not those who made it :)

[Fjordmonkey]

If it would have been the software the pilot could have gone to the back up control. It's a mechanical control.

 

Like the old SEC/BUC-system? No idea if the PolAF Vipers have them or what engines they use, though, but on the RNoAF Vipers checking SEC-mode is one of the items on the checklist pretty much immediately after startup.

[Bimbac]

Guys,

 

I guess that a lot of you are missing one important thing here. More sophisticated airplane = more bugs in the system.

 

There is no totally reliable aircraft around the world. Anyway, from what I know the F-16 is one of the most dependable aircraft, if properly maintained. On the other hand, even the best handling and maintenance cannot save you from problems. It's just a piece of technology and as such it's susceptible to malfunctions.

 

From my experience, current jet engines are one of the most reliable machineries made by humans.

 

I also don't agree with some people around here, especially those from Western Europe, who still think that people from East just left their caves and trees recently. Trust me, there are many highly educated and trained people here and they know what to do with their equipment. We are equally smart, cultured, even prone to errors as you are. (Sorry, I just had to say this :cry:)

 

I am glad that the pilot made it to a safe landing. Respect! :thumbup:

[Groove]

Last year i was on the Kleine Brogel Spotters Day. One danish F-16 had to land after takeoff because of some technical issues. A Eurofighter had same problems.

 

Im with Bimbac on this one, jets are really sophisticated and there are surely more problems with them than you can read on normal newspaper about it.

[Nordic]

Exactly. During my german airforce time i worked as a service guy on the Tornados... broken things were normal! Those birds need a lot of attention.