The White Falcon - 12.07.1985, Side 1

Vol . 28 No. 26 NATO Base. Keflavik. Iceland Jul v 12, 1985
F-15S ARRIVE
One of the two F-15s, that arrived July 2, touches
down at the NATO Base.
Story and photo by JOSN Tim Abbott
There was a sense of excitment and anticipation
in the 57TH Fighter Interceptor Squadron (FIS)
July 2, as reporters from Icelandic newspapers
and television, a crew from NBS and NATO base per-
sonnel waited to photograph the two arri ving F-15s.
Major Sam Baptiste and Major John Slayton were
the pliots that flew the F-15s to the base.
A short ceremoney was held at the 57TH FIS to
welcome the aircraft. Between September 1985 and
February 1986, 16 additional F-15s will be per-
manently assigned here. On November 1, 1985 the
F-15s will assume the air defense of Iceland. The
F-15 has a more sophisticated radar system, longer
flying range and an improved armament than the
F-4.
The mission for the F-15 is the same as' the
F-4, according to Lt. Col. Manly Ray, F-15 con-
version officer. Their task is to intercept un-
identified aircraft that enter the Iceland Mil-
itary Air Defense Zone and escort them through
the area. Also, according to Ray, the two F-15s
that are here now are for training purposes and
will be flown infrequently.
The F-15 cost $22.9 million each compared to
the $7.7 million for the F-4. But the F-15 has
a more rapid rate of climb, shorter takeoff and
quieter engines.
Another factor that makes the F-15 an impress-
ive aircraft is its safety record. After one
million flight hours the plane has established
itself as the safest fighter ever. It has a rate
of only 4.0 aircraft losses per 100,000 flight
hours, according to Norm Medland, a spokesman for
the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center at
Norton Air Force Base.
Also, an interesting note about the F-15, is
that it recorded its millionth flight hour in
October 1984. Ironically, the plane that flew
the millionth hour, 057, is one of the planes that
arrived July 2.
The late Gen. Jerome F. O'Malley, then the
commander of Tactical Air Command, flew 057 when
it reached its milestone.
Inside the White Falcon
Military Members of the Quarter.......pg. 2
Military Member of the Quarter
nominees..............................pg. 3
57TH FIS passes 40,000 hour
accident free mark...................pg. 4
Professional bowler stationed in
Iceland...............................pq. 11
Det. 14 rescues man onboard "Thorkatla II"
Story by J02 Chiquita L. Land
While on a routine training
flight July 3, a helicopter crew
from Detachment 14, 76th Aero-
space Rescue and Recovery Squad-
ron, received a message that a
crewmember aboard the Icelandic
fishing vessel "Thorkatla II" had
been injured and was in need of
evacuation.
The hel-i copter returned to
the base to pick up two para-
rescuemen and a doctor. Without
taking time to refuel, they took
off to go look for the fishing boat.
The boat was about 15 miles
from the base, and the helicopter
reached it in minutes. The two
pararescuemen were lowered to the
deck of the boat, where they
readied the injured man, who had
sustained a head injury, for
transport to the City Hospital in
Reykjavik.
The injured man was hoisted
up to the helicopter, where he
was stabilized by the doctor
while in transit to the hospital.
The crew landed at the hospital
about two minutes before they
would have had to use the re-
serve fuel supply.
According to Maj. Larry Mel-
geson, the helicopter's pilot,
this was the first mission for
any of the crew over a fishing
boat. "There was enough down-
wash to push the boat away from
us," he said. "We had to chase
the boat. It was a challenge for
the crew."