After winning raves for bringing in the C-5 that crashed at Dover AFB, Del., April 3 in such a way that the crew and passengers walked away, the aircrew now stands condemned by an Air Force accident investigation board. According to the board, the pilots and flight engineers failed to follow standard emergency procedures for the situation the crew faced. A statement from Air Mobility Command says, among several indictments, that pilots and flight engineers left a fully functional No. 3 engine in idle while using the throttle for the No. 2 engine they had shut down, and no one briefed, considered, or used a proper flap setting.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.