Neither of the 2 Pilots Was a Female USNA Grad, This Time

Instead of flying over Georgia Tech's Bobby Dodd Stadium at 1,000 feet above the ground the two jets passed at 1,000 feet above sea level. Atlanta's elevation above sea level ranges from 738 - 1050 feet. Experienced pilots can certainly judge lower elevations in very clear weather.

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YouTubes of the flyovers can be seen here (1:03) and here (0:39).

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The Field Naval Aviator Evaluation Board (FNAEB) concluded the pilots chose to use barometric altitude measurements (feet above sea level) instead of radar altitude measurements (feet above ground level) but failed to adjust their warning systems accordingly.

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If one of these pilots had been a female USNA graduate, would the punishment have been any different? If not, and M.E. certainly hopes not, despite evidence to the contrary, time will clarify whether regulation enforcement is really gender and USNA graduate neutral.

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The Navy evaluation board found the pilots' lapse was neither intentional nor malicious, the Virginian-Pilot newspaper reported. The board recommended putting both pilots on probation. By the time the alarm sounded, it was too late to correct the mistake. Rear Adm. R.J. O'Hanlon, commander of AirLant, was unforgiving in his assessment of the incident and in Fryman and Condon’s future in naval aviation, however. O'Hanlon said, "Continued aviation service involving flying is not in the best interest of Lt. Cmdr. Fryman or the United States Navy."

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Condon ignored low-altitude warnings, O'Hanlon wrote. His report noted it was only Condon's second flyover, his first as pilot of the lead jet, and described both men as motivated and dedicated officers. The Navy is not commenting publicly on the situation.

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According to the StrategyPage.com,

This kind of punishment is increasingly common in the U.S. Navy. The "zero tolerance" attitude has been around since the 1990s, and only gets cut back somewhat during an emergency, or in combat zones.

M.E. says, We shall see. Exceptions for women USNA grads have been extraordinary to date, as an unwritten policy has been enforced.

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About the 2 Pilots

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Lt. Cmdr. Marc Fryman, 36, graduated from Georgia Tech in 1996. He earned the his Navy flight school class's Top Hook award for most consistent landings of an F-14 onto an aircraft carrier. Fryman is a decorated fighter pilot with more than 2,500 hours. He flew combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom, but is now headed to Afghanistan on his third Middle East deployment. Fryman will now serve in ground capacities only.

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Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Condon, is also a Tech grad. Condon has been reassigned to AirLant since Feb. 12th.