Two F-15s in mid-air over Gulf

Look at some charts of the Gulf sometime, nothing but MOA's and Warning Areas. Plus 2 F-15 bases and 1 AFSOC base that all use the area. Oh, yeah, one of those F-15 bases is where the schoolhouse is. Lots of traffic. Seems like a lot of accidents, but not terrible compared to how many sorties are flown in those areas on a daily and nightly baises. Just to put it in perspective, go feet we around P-cola and ask for direct Tampa. Then listen carefully. You can hear the controllers laughing without them even keying the mike. Crazy busy out there.
 
Its almost strange this doesn't happen more often but with civil airplanes. Tyndall AFB is a main training base down there for the F-15 guys. PFN to the northwest also has two FBOs with training aircraft. So their paths cross often. The training areas are very close if not on top of one another. My first cross countries as a new student pilot (one to Dothan, another to Tallahassee) went right through at least two MOAs. They encouraged flight following. I imagine by the time you see an F-15, no matter what you're flying, it could be too late.

Then of course you have Eglin less than 30 minutes west by Cessna along with their training aircraft and Pensacola not too far west of that where the Blue Angels practice. It's quite an active area!
 
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Fired off an email to an Eagle pilot friend of mine based down there. Relieved to get a response saying he was okay, but he knew the pilots involved... :(
 
Tristar said:
Its almost strange this doesn't happen more often but with civil airplanes. Tyndall AFB is a main training base down there for the F-15 guys. PFN to the northwest also has two FBOs with training aircraft. So their paths cross often. The training areas are very close if not on top of one another. My first cross countries as a new student pilot (one to Dothan, another to Tallahassee) went right through at least two MOAs. They encouraged flight following. I imagine by the time you see an F-15, no matter what you're flying, it could be too late.

Then of course you have Eglin less than 30 minutes west by Cessna along with their training aircraft and Pensacola not too far west of that where the Blue Angels practice. It's quite an active area!
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P-cola is also where Navy and Coast Guard start learning to fly. Also over in Mobile is Helo school for the rotor-coasties. You then also have Biloxi and Keesler AFB. There is active flying from there as well.
 
Like I said, busy area. Amazing this sort of thing doesn't happen more often.
 
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