Air Combat Command boss Gen. John Corley last week sent a
letter to ACC airmen, specifically the pilots and maintainers of the F-15s now under a grounding order, and to the F-15 community in general to outline the current predicament with the F-15 fleet. As we
reported earlier, the extended stand-down will play havoc with the proficiency of F-15 pilots. Corley urges them to "trust that your leadership is keeping a watchful eye and will be poised to execute a plan that will put all of you back in the air as fast as safely possible." Corley also writes that the actions of the F-15 maintenance force "over the years to maintain these F-15s are second to none." He urges each maintainer "to keep [his or her] eye on the task at hand" and to work through the "long and methodical" inspections needed for each aircraft.