F/A-18 Super Hornet Shot Down by Friendly Fire

Good morning! I had an article about winterizing your aircraft ready to go for today’s newsletter, but right before I scheduled it to be published, I learned that a Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet was shot down by its own Strike Group just before landing aboard the USS Harry S. Truman—my old aircraft carrier. So naturally, that took precedence as today’s main story.

Oh, and Merry Christmas! Be sure to keep an eye out for Santa’s sleigh tonight (insert joke about NORAD not shooting down Santa here…) 🫠
-Rob Roy

In today’s email:

• Friendly Fire and the Art of Saying, “My Bad”

• Around the Skies: NORAD’s Santa Tracker, Mystery drones spark airspace restrictions, Preserving aviation’s rich legacy, Collins Aerospace leads flight deck innovation, Air show safety gaps exposed

• PilotTube: Alaska Aviation – The Road Less Traveled

THE BUSINESS OF AVIATION

Friendly Fire Gets a Little Too Friendly

In the “it could have been worse” department, an F/A-18F Super Hornet was mistakenly shot down by the USS Gettysburg over the Red Sea during a tense series of events last weekend. Fortunately, the two aviators onboard are safe, with one walking away with just minor injuries—nothing a little flight deck coffee can’t fix. Still, this incident serves as a reminder that even in the high-tech world of modern military aviation, mistakes happen.

Here’s the scene: The USS Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group was already busy fending off Houthi drone and missile attacks. Amid this chaos, the USS Gettysburg—a Ticonderoga-class cruiser bristling with advanced air defense systems—mistook a returning F/A-18 for, well, something else. The result? A Super Hornet assigned to the VFA-11 “Red Rippers” being shot down over the Red Sea. While the Gettysburg’s air defense suite is state-of-the-art, it seems there’s no software update for “oops.”

The Navy is conducting a full investigation to figure out how this friendly fire incident happened, but the fact remains: the aviators are safe, the carrier group continues its mission and the Gettysburg may want to review its “friend or foe” settings. For now, we’re just thankful this story ends with minor injuries and two very lucky aviators, who undoubtedly have a wild tale to share at the next squadron party.

Don’t Keep Flybuyer a Secret!

Help me grow the newsletter by sending this link to your pilot friends!

AROUND THE SKIES

🛩️ NORAD’s Santa Tracker is back, helping kids (and probably some overly excited adults) follow Santa’s sleigh across the globe. Thanks to a quirky misdial in 1955, this tradition has grown into a multilingual, radar-powered extravaganza, with interpreters making sure kids can track St. Nick in any language. So whether you’re checking on Rudolph’s ETA in English, Spanish or Korean, it’s the perfect excuse to smile—just be sure to get those kids to bed before Santa skips your house!

🛩️ The FAA has restricted airspace over 22 New Jersey cities following reports of mysterious drone sightings. Officials assure there’s no safety threat, attributing most sightings to stars and legal aircraft, but caution that drones posing risks could face “deadly force.” Despite 5,000 tips, only a few are being investigated, leaving New Jersey’s skies under tight scrutiny.

🛩️ The Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame (WAHF) is digitizing 34,000 images from the Leo J. Kohn Photography Collection, preserving a rich history of aviation. Partnering with The Crowley Company, WAHF plans to make this treasure trove accessible through a future searchable archive. This milestone brings Kohn’s vivid aviation legacy closer to the public, celebrating the evolution of flight.

🛩️ Collins Aerospace is upgrading King Air and Hawker jets with features like touchscreen Pro Line Fusion, MultiScan radar and advanced communications capabilities. With options for full or incremental upgrades, Collins Aerospace delivers safer, smarter and more connected flight decks—without the cost of a new aircraft.

🛩️ The NTSB has attributed the 2022 Texas air show mid-air collision of two WWII warbirds to poor planning, inadequate oversight and missing risk controls. A lack of clear separation plans and confusing instructions left pilots on a collision course. The findings call for stricter safety measures, proving air shows need more than impressive stunts to stay safe.

PilotTube

The Road Less Traveled follows Joe McAneney and Andrew Esola as they soar over Alaska’s rugged peaks, retracing the aerial paths of pioneers Don Sheldon and Brad Washburn. Flying their single-engine Cessna, they capture Denali’s breathtaking beauty while celebrating Alaska’s spirit of independence and grit. The film seamlessly blends past and present, paying tribute to the fearless aviators who mapped the untamed wilderness.

Have an Aircraft I Can Film?
I’m on the lookout for airplanes to review for the Flybuyer YouTube channel (coming soon). If you own, fly or have access to a piston, turbine, business jet, helicopter, seaplane, bush plane, warbird or blimp I can film, please fill out this form!

Follow @flybuyer on Instagram!