Close call: Delta Airlines flight makes ‘aggressive maneuver' mid-air to avoid B-52 bomber; ‘not a fun day at work' says pilot
A Delta regional jet approaching Minot, North Dakota, was forced to make an "aggressive maneuver" to avoid a potential mid-air collision with a B-52 bomber, according to the pilot.
The incident reportedly took place on July 18, as per the airline.
The
Delta Airlines
flight DL3788, operated by SkyWest, was traveling between Minneapolis-Saint Paul (MSP) and Minot International Airport (MOT). Minot hosts an Air Force base that operates B-52 bombers.
"Given his speed ... I don't know how fast they were going, but they were a lot faster than us, I felt it was the safest thing to do to turn behind it," said the pilot once on ground, reports ABC News.
"So sorry about the aggressive maneuver, it caught me by surprise, this is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads up, because the Air Force base does have radar ... long story short, it was not fun, but I do apologize for it and thank you for understanding.
Not a not a fun day at work."
The pilot reported that air traffic controllers directed the flight to alter its course because of insufficient separation from another aircraft ahead on the approach path, as per A2Z Aviation.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Bosnia And Herzegovina: New Container Houses (Prices May Surprise You)
Container House | Search Ads
Search Now
Undo
As the crew carried out the instructed course change, they observed a rapidly approaching military aircraft on a converging path. The pilot later explained over the public address system that turning behind the bomber was the safest option as there was no prior warning about military traffic.
Passengers seated on the right side of the aircraft reportedly saw the large B-52 bomber up close, intensifying concerns onboard.
The pilot stressed that such incidents are extremely rare, particularly considering that Minot Air Force Base is equipped with radar, yet no advisory had been issued about the bomber's presence in the airspace, reports A2Z Aviation.
It is still not clear how close the two jets were to each other and if a cockpit alarm was activated warning the pilots about an upcoming collision.
'SkyWest flight 3788, operating as Delta Connection from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Minot, North Dakota, landed safely in Minot after being cleared for approach by the tower but performed a go-around when another aircraft became visible in their flight path. We are investigating the incident," stated a SkyWest spokesperson.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India.com
2 hours ago
- India.com
Bombers vs fighter jets: Know difference between strategic and tactical bombers, which countries have them, other details
(File) Bomber vs Fighter Jet: The B-2 stealth bomber justified its hype as one of the most feared warplanes in the world as US-made heavy bomber showcased its fearsome destructive power by decimating Iranian nuclear sites using the 30,000lbs (13.6 tonne) GBU-57 Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP) during the recent Israel-Iran war. Following the B-2's fearsome showing, several countries, including India, are now mulling to purchase or build their own bombers even as the majority of aerial warfare is still largely fought using advanced fighter jets. But what is the difference between a fighter jet and a long-range tactical or strategic bomber? Let us find out some interesting facts about these modern weapons of war. What is the difference between a fighter jet and a bomber? In layman's terms, fighter jets and bombers are essentially designed for different purposes. While fighter jets are primarily designed for air supremacy and air-to-air combat, bomber aircraft are built to drop bombs from a high altitude on land and sea targets such as military bases, underground bunkers, and command centers. In contrast, the primary task of a fighter jet to combat enemy fighter aircraft, protect airspace and establish air superiority. Fighter planes are usually a lot faster than bomber jets, and are equipped with missiles, both nuclear and conventional, that can attack enemy targets hundreds of kilometers away. On the other hand, bombers are comparatively, slower, and can fly longer distances than of over 10,000 kilometers in a single flight. How strategic and tactical bombers are different? While there is no key difference in the design or architecture of a strategic or tactical bomber, the actual contrast lies in the weapons carried by these warplanes. A strategic bombers carries conventional weapons like heavy bombs, while a tactical bomber is used to drop nuclear bombs. Interestingly, the same bomber can be used to drop both conventional and tactical nuclear bombs. Why India is planning to make its own bomber aircraft? After the recent India-Pakistan conflict during Operation Sindoor, India has launched several defense projects to bolster its military power in case of another one front-reinforced war with Pakistan backed by China. One such project is the Ultra Long-Range Strike Aircraft (ULRA), which will be designed along the lines of the US' B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, and have a range of over 12,000 kilometers. Which countries have bombers? Currently, only three countries– United States, Russia, and China– have managed to develop bomber jets, primarily due to the gargantuan cost the project requires. The US has the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider, Russia has advanced bombers like TU-160, while China is working on its H-20 bomber.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
North Dakota Authorities Didn't Warn B-52 Bomber About Airliner: Air Force
North Dakota: Air traffic controllers at a small North Dakota airport didn't inform an Air Force bomber's crew that a commercial airliner was flying in the same area, the military said, shedding light on the nation's latest air safety scare. A SkyWest pilot performed a sharp turn, startling passengers, to avoid colliding with the B-52 bomber he said was in his flight path as he prepared to land Friday at Minot International Airport. The bomber had been conducting a flyover at the North Dakota State Fair in Minot, approved in consultation with the Federal Aviation Administration, the Minot International Airport air traffic control, and the Minot Air Force Base's air traffic control team, the Air Force said in a statement Monday. As the bomber headed to the fairgrounds shortly before 8 pm, the base's air traffic control advised its crew to contact the Minot airport's air traffic control. 'The B-52 crew contacted Minot International Airport tower and the tower provided instructions to continue 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) westbound after the flyover,' the Air Force said. 'The tower did not advise of the inbound commercial aircraft.' Video taken by a passenger on Delta Flight 3788 — which departed from Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport — captured audio of the SkyWest pilot explaining over the plane's intercom that he made the hard bank after spotting the bomber in the flight path that Minot air traffic control had directed him to take for landing. 'Sorry about the aggressive maneuver. It caught me by surprise,' the pilot can be heard saying on the video posted on social media. 'This is not normal at all. I don't know why they didn't give us a heads-up.' The FAA, Air Force, and SkyWest are investigating. The airliner had 76 passengers and four crew members onboard, SkyWest Airlines said. It's just the latest flight scare in recent months. In February, a Southwest Airlines flight about to land at Chicago's Midway Airport was forced to climb back into the sky to avoid another aircraft crossing the runway. That followed the tragic midair collision of a passenger jet and an Army helicopter over Washington, DC, in January that killed all 67 people aboard the two aircraft. Those and other recent incidents have raised questions about the FAA's oversight. And this incident renews questions raised after the Washington DC crash about how well the military communicates with civilian air traffic controllers when their flights share the same airspace. The FAA said Monday that a private company services the Minot air traffic control tower, and that the controllers there aren't FAA employees. It is one of 265 airport towers nationwide that are operated by companies, but the roughly 1,400 air traffic controllers at these smaller airports meet the same qualification and training requirements as FAA controllers at larger airports, the agency said. The city of Minot, which owns and operates the airport, didn't comment Tuesday on the Air Force's statement, but said the airport is relying on the different agencies to conduct their investigations. Phone and email messages left Tuesday for Midwest Air Traffic Control Inc, which provides air traffic control service for the Minot airport, were not immediately returned. The contract tower program has been in place since 1982, and it has been repeatedly praised in reports from the Transportation Department's Inspector General. Some small airports like Minot's also don't have their own radar systems on site. In fact, the vast majority of the nation's airports don't even have towers, mainly because most small airports don't have passenger air service. But regional FAA radar facilities do oversee traffic all across the country, and an approach control radar center in Minneapolis helps direct planes in and out of Minot before controllers at the airport take over once they see the planes. The Minot airport typically handles between 18 and 24 flights a day. Former NTSB and FAA crash investigator Jeff Guzzetti said it is common for small airports like Minot to operate without their own radars. He said radars are cost-prohibitive to install at every airport, and it generally works fine for airport controllers to direct planes into landing visually. If the weather is bad, a regional FAA radar facility may be able to help, but ultimately, planes simply won't be cleared to land if the weather is too bad. Guzzetti, who oversaw one of the Inspector General reports, said the contract tower program has been hugely successful and improves safety at small airports because if they didn't have a contract tower, small airports would be uncontrolled. And he said the safety record of contract towers is similar — if not better — than federal towers. 'We still have to see what happened here. But even if it was a controller screwup, I don't think that should indict or raise questions about the contract tower program. It's been a stalwart,' Guzzetti said.
NDTV
2 days ago
- NDTV
The Legacy Of MiG-21, In Indian Air Force Service Since 1963
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to retire the remaining squadrons of the Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jets in September. They are being replaced with the single-engine Mk-1A. Top Points On MiG-21 Jets: MiG-21s, known as the workhorse of the Air Force for several decades, entered service in 1963 on a trial basis, a year after India bought them from the Soviet Union. The supersonic fighter jets were India's first combat aircraft of non-Western origin. They went on to become the asset of the IAF from 1970 to the mid-2000s, till the Su-30MKIs were pressed into action. MiG-21s could operate in all weather and carry a wide variety of air-to-ground munitions in an attack role. They also played a major role during the 1971 war with Pakistan, dropping about 500 kg bombs on the Pakistani air bases. The war, which started on December 3 and ended with the Pakistani armed forces surrendering 13 days later, leading to the creation of Bangladesh, also saw the first-ever encounter between the MiG-21 and Pakistan's F-104A, with India dominating the skies. MiG-21s remained an "immense asset" for over a quarter century, the Indian Air Force has written on its website. "The quantity vs quality dilemma inevitably faced by most of the world's air forces as a consequence of spiralling costs was mitigated for the IAF by the large-scale availability of the MiG-21, which type will surely go down as one of aviation history's all-time classics," it has said. The legacy of MiG-21, however, has been marred by several accidents in the recent past. India, which produced more than 600 MiG-21s, will replace them with single-engine Tejas Mk-1A jets.
