Retired NAS Pensacola Captain: Training Saved Lives in Idaho Air Show Collision

Pensacola, FL (Newsradio 92.3) -- All four aviators who survived Sunday's dramatic EA-18G Growler midair collision at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho have roots at Naval Air Station Pensacola — and a retired Navy captain who spent years training those aviators here says the outcome is no surprise.

Retired Captain Scott Janick — who served as commodore of Training Air Wing Six and later as the first commanding officer of the Naval School of Aviation Safety at NAS Pensacola — joined Pensacola Morning News Monday to break down what happened and what it means.

Janick says all four crew members — two pilots and two electronic warfare officers from VAQ-129 at NAS Whidbey Island — would have started their careers at NAS Pensacola. The electronic warfare officers in particular would have earned their wings at Training Air Wing Six right here in the city.

He says the survival of all four after ejecting from two interlocked aircraft at low altitude during a live air show is a testament to both the depth of their training and the engineering of the Martin-Baker ejection seats aboard the Growler — which are rated to function at zero airspeed and zero altitude.

A Navy investigation is now underway to determine the cause of the collision and drive changes to prevent a repeat.