Star Wars Canyon in Death Valley

[y_p_w]

This guy spent a week there waiting for different aircraft.



Nice collection. I noticed mostly F/A-18, one Harrier, F-35C, and and F-16 in aggressor paint. Also a C-17, although it's well above the canyon.

This is also where one pilot crashed, and where a several French tourists were injured by debris.

 

[ZeeOSix]

... More:

 

[Ignatius]

How they get those US military aircraft to Tatooine?

 

[Astro14]

I can tell you that low level flying in canyons/mountains is awesome.

It is also very unforgiving.

 

[tom slick]

For the A-10 fans

 

[y_p_w]

The National Park Service now has an interpretive sign there, with a memorial for the pilot who died in the crash.

Military Crash one Year Later - Death Valley National Park (U.S. National Park Service)

www.nps.gov

This was BLM land before it was added to what was then Death Valley National Monument. I heard that allowing military training flights was part of agreement for the addition.

I do find it a little bit crazy that anyone would be watching at the time of the crash, which was July 31. It's not the hottest part of Death Valley National Park, but highs average in the mid to high 90s around this area during June to August.

 

[tom slick]

Cockpit view of a C-17 in Star Wars Canyon.

Volume up for full experience

 

[y_p_w]

Cockpit view of a C-17 in Star Wars Canyon.

Volume up for full experience

The terrain warning alerts are really annoying.

I found this from an F/A-18, although I'm not sure what the details were for how it was captured.