On a fight over the Middle East some time back (July or Aug 1985), I looked out the window to see the flashing lights of a fighter plane, flying alongside (very close). To add to the awe (I was only 19), I saw lots of flashes on the ground in the distance, which I was told were explosions, associated with fighting on the Iran / Iraq border. Note that it was dark, but I could clearly make see the outline of the fighter plan as it was immuminated by the flashes from the plane I was on.
I am writing this question as I thought it was normal to have a fighter escort in such situations, as I only flew one such flight, and it was with an escort (i.e. a very small sample for me to draw any valid statistical conclusions from) - but when speaking with a Qantas pilot of over 30 years, earlier this week, he said in all his time of flying he had never experienced such a situation.
Has anybody else looked out the window to see a fighter plane flying along-side?
Cheers,
Paul.
I am writing this question as I thought it was normal to have a fighter escort in such situations, as I only flew one such flight, and it was with an escort (i.e. a very small sample for me to draw any valid statistical conclusions from) - but when speaking with a Qantas pilot of over 30 years, earlier this week, he said in all his time of flying he had never experienced such a situation.
Has anybody else looked out the window to see a fighter plane flying along-side?
Cheers,
Paul.