The deputy commander of the 4th Operations Group at Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., has flown his 3,000th hour in an F-15E Strike Eagle. This milestone for Col. Todd Boyd sets him apart in the 4th Fighter Wing—he’s the first current pilot there to achieve it. His commander called him a “true expert” in the Strike Eagle, reports SSgt. Shawn Jones. Boyd is a commander, instructor, and a flight examiner for every Strike Eagle mission. Achieving 3,000 flying hours also makes him one of the most experienced F-15E pilots in the entire Air Force.
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…