The investigation into the June 22 crash of a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle flying a training mission at Creech AFB, Nev., indicated that the UAV suffered rapid loss of engine oil because of a loose oil filter. A statement from Air Combat Command said the accident board believes a technician improperly aligned the oil filter, but it also noted that the design of the filter itself contributed to the accident.
The Air Force is on track to reach its annual goal of graduating 1,500 new pilots that had proved elusive to this point, one year after the service launched a sweeping overhaul of its undergraduate pilot training program, Air Education and Training Command said Sept. 14.


