Latest news with #104thFighterWing
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Passenger on F-15 ride-along ejected on runway, video shows
An F-15D Eagle flight that was apparently intended to be a reward for hard work ended up not getting off the ground, when its passenger was ejected while the fighter was still on the flight line. The video, posted Wednesday on the unofficial Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page, shows the immediate aftermath of the unusual on-the-ground ejection, as an F-15 from the 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts slowly rolls down the flight line, away from a plume of smoke that was left behind by the ejection. The unfortunate airman who seconds before was its passenger, who the video's caption identifies as a recruiting officer for the wing, can be seen next to the flight line, seemingly struggling to his feet. Smoke left over from the ejection also trails out of the F-15's rear seat. According to a report by The War Zone, the 104th said the ground mishap occurred Tuesday afternoon and prompted a 36-hour safety standdown of all flight operations, which has now ended. There were apparently no injuries caused by the unexpected ejection, although one service member was sent to the hospital for an evaluation, the 104th said. The incident is now being investigated, the 104th said. Incentive flights like Tuesday's are regular occurrences, typically offered as a reward for service members who excelled at their job. On-the-ground ejections, however, are rare — but not unheard of. In 2019, a civilian going on a fly-along with the French Air Force was ejected from a Rafale B fighter jet during takeoff, injuring his back but not causing more serious harm. And in December 2022, an F-35B pilot conducting a quality check on a new jet was forced to punch out of the jet at ground level when its engine failed in a dramatic and alarming way. Video of that crash showed the fighter hovering close to the ground and descending, then bouncing, tipping forward and spinning around with its nose and wing touching the ground before the ejection. That incident led to a months-long delivery halt of new F-35s as engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney looked for a way to fix the engine vibration problem that led to that crash. Tuesday's mishap at the 104th, however, seems to have primarily prompted jokes and memes on web pages such as amn/nco/snco. One video, captioned 'The Simpsons predicted the future once again' and shared by the Facebook page Thursday shows the character Milhouse sitting in the cockpit of an F-15 at an air show, angrily pretending to conduct strafing runs and stabbing at the jet's controls — until he hits the wrong button and sends his ejection seat flying through the air. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
F-15 Ride-Along Passenger Accidentally Ejects From The Jet While On The Ground
A backseat passenger in an F-15D Eagle belonging to the 104th Fighter Wing appears to have accidentally ejected from the aircraft while it was on the ground at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Massachusetts. An undated video posted on social media shows the aftermath of the incident. A puff of smoke is seen wafting from the backseat as the F-15 is still taxiing. The canopy, having been blown off during the ejection sequence, is laying on the Eagle's left wing. The passenger appears to be crawling next to the runway near what looks like a parachute as the F-15 continues to roll by. An F-15 backseater from Barnes Ops tested its zero/zero ejection seat today (zero elevation and airspeed). It appears successful, but someone has some explaining to do. — Dale Stark (@DaleStarkA10) August 13, 2025 A near zero-zero (no speed or altitude) ejection has its own added dangers, but it's not the first time someone on a ride-along has inadvertently punched out of a tactical jet, although it is certainly a very rare occasion. 'Incentive flight ejected on the flight line before even taking off, member was apparently a recruiting officer from the 104FW at Barnes ANGB,' the Air Force amn/nco/snco Facebook page stated under their post of the video. We cannot confirm who the rear seat occupant was at this time. We reached out to the 104th Fighter Wing for details and will update this story with any pertinent information provided. This is a developing story. Contact the author: howard@ Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Southwick Regional School's valedictorian Alyssa Jacob is shooting for the stars
SOUTHWICK — For Alyssa Jacob, the Southwick Regional School's Class of 2025 valedictorian, it was never about the honor, but the journey to the top of class. 'I wasn't ever really trying. I just worked as hard I could, not leaving anything on the table … if I get it, great, if not, I did my best,' she said Thursday, two days before she'll address her fellow students during their graduation ceremony with her valedictory address. But she was surprised. 'It's crazy. I didn't think the day would get here,' said the 18-year-old about ending one chapter of her life and getting started on the next one. It was a recurring theme in her valedictory address. 'Some days, this moment didn't feel like it would ever get here but let me take this time to remind you all that even if you don't think it's real: we made it, it's here, and we all can finally take a deep breath,' she spoke about with her classmates. To get there, she credited her parents, retired Lt. Col. Andrew Jacob, who served as a wing commander for the 104th Fighter Wing at the Barnes Air National Guard Base and now flies commercial airliners for Delta Air Lines, and her mother Mindi Jacob, who one taught at Powder Mill Elementary School. 'My parents are incredibly driven,' she said about the example they set for her and her brother, Drew, who will be a junior at SRS next year. That drive will serve her well as she heads off to the University of Tennessee in the fall to study aerospace engineering with the ultimate goal of working on spacecraft, which figures since her favorite movie is 'Interstellar.' And it makes sense since her favorite is math while giving a shout out to her math teachers Anna Hitchcock and Amy Pomeroy for taking to the next level. She also thanked her history teacher Desiree Moriarty. While preparing for the next chapter with work in the classroom, she held a job at Big Y, and played for the Rams field hockey team. Playing since the fifth grade, Jacob's hoping to continue to play it in college at the intramural level. 'And to make friends,' she said. About her friends, she said they have been a vital part of her years in school. 'It's going to be hard going away,' she said. Outside of school, work, and sports, Jacob said that she's a voracious reader. 'I really like fiction and fantasy, like the Harry Potter books and Percy Jackson,' she said. Percy Jackson is a fictional character in Rick Riordan's 'Percy Jackson & the Olympians' series. She, like all her classmates, had to endure the isolation during the pandemic and considers it now as a part of her past. But, she had to inner strength to persevere. 'I was always OK with being by myself,' she said acknowledging that some of her classmates had difficulty during those two years. In her parting words to her classmates, she summed up their next chapter. 'None of us knows exactly where we are headed next. But I hope that whatever path we take, we remember this: success isn't about being the loudest or the smartest or the most polished. Sometimes, it's just about showing up when it's hard. Listening more than you speak. Choosing to be kind when it's easier not to be.' Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Night training flights set for 104th Fighter Wing in Westfield
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – A heads up for anyone who lives near the Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, the 104th Fighter Wing is scheduled to conduct night training flights through Thursday. The night training helps pilots stay current with Air Force regulations as part of their training. During the night training maneuvers, pilots will be trained on both critical homeland defense and overseas wartime aviation skills. Westfield hosts annual Memorial Day Parade The 104th Fighter Wing has highly trained personnel that is ready to provide Air Superiority on demand anywhere with 21 assigned F-15C Eagle Aircraft. They are trained to provide 24/7 Aerospace Control Alert, providing armed F-15 fighters ready to scramble at a moment's notice to protect the northeast United States from any airborne threat, security for one-quarter of the nation's population, and over one-third of the Gross Domestic Product. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Night training flights set for 104th Fighter Wing at Barnes Air National Guard Base
WESTFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The 104th Fighter Wing, based out of Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, is scheduled to conduct night training flights every night through Friday. Jupiter Power lithium battery project in Westfield canceled over eco concerns The night training helps pilots stay current with Air Force regulations as part of their training. During the night training maneuvers, pilots will be trained on both critical homeland defense and overseas wartime aviation skills. The 104th Fighter Wing has highly trained personnel that is ready to provide Air Superiority on-demand anywhere with 21 assigned F-15C Eagle Aircraft. They are trained to provide 24/7 Aerospace Control Alert, providing armed F-15 fighters ready to scramble at a moment's notice to protect the northeast United States from any airborne threat, security for one-quarter of the nation's population, and over one-third of the Gross Domestic Product. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
