The Missing Man Salute !

[Bilal Khan (Quwa)]

Yup, PAF should do everything by peoples Wishlist and should have made a statement that , PAF is please to announce that today it's opening the flypast by executing a missing man salute.....hell as far as i remember no such announcement was made when it was done for ACM Mushaf Ali Mir.

Firstly, the 'people' are only asking the event planners to explain the details of the event they're seeing

Secondly, the 'people' are -- at the end of the day -- the taxpayers responsible for buying those aircraft, so they do have a say in as far as common sense things, like explaining a formation.

The event planners in past years had all the time in the world for poetry, gloating and other stuff, but not to explain the symbolism and importance of a particular maneuver? That doesn't line up.

Thirdly, they could make a respectful statement, not "PAF is pleased to announce..."

"Attendees, with a heavy heart, I would now like to draw your attention to the upcoming formation. You'll see that it's very different from previous flypasts. This is what we call a "Missing Man" formation -- it is used to commemorate a fallen service member. Today, we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed...." ​

​

Finally, this isn't about PDF nitpicking, but common sense if one's trying to educate the public on the traditions of the armed forces. This attitude of yours is going to do more damage to the image of the PAF than trying to strengthen it.

 

[Respect4Respect01]

A lot I think. So mnay from air force were present. A lot of people there were parhe likhe educated people. Even if there were some paindoos.

Then the commentator could have explained what missing man is and why we do it. Like he did for all the other regiments, radars, tanks, missiles etc.

what is wrong with "Paindoos"? enough of this BS.

 

[Ahmet Pasha]

I didn't watch the parade. But usually missing man formation is flown as a 4 finger or V with the second element's lead pulling up. I have never seen a 2 ship missing man formation.

Exactly when they flew it for John McCain it was done exactly like you said and in other youtube videos the announcers always let u know that this is a missing man formation. I think windy makin stuff up on this one. The air chief always pulls up like this every year. Only this time without flares.

Firstly, the 'people' are only asking the event planners to explain the details of the event they're seeing

Secondly, the 'people' are -- at the end of the day -- the taxpayers responsible for buying those aircraft, so they do have a say in as far as common sense things, like explaining a formation.

The event planners in past years had all the time in the world for poetry, gloating and other stuff, but not to explain the symbolism and importance of a particular maneuver? That doesn't line up.

Thirdly, they could make a respectful statement, not "PAF is pleased to announce..."

"Attendees, with a heavy heart, I would now like to draw your attention to the upcoming formation. You'll see that it's very different from previous flypasts. This is what we call a "Missing Man" formation -- it is used to commemorate a fallen service member. Today, we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed...." ​

​

Finally, this isn't about PDF nitpicking, but common sense if one's trying to educate the public on the traditions of the armed forces. This attitude of yours is going to do more damage to the image of the PAF than trying to strengthen it.

Get em. He needed some schooling fo sho.

 

[AeroEngineer]

You have to practice to build up g-tolerance. The flypast of yesteryears with a hard vertical pull-up and rolls would be at least 5-6g or more. I think the new Air Chief may have not been flying of late and since his announcement was pretty close to the flypast, he did not have time to practice. It would have been bad optics if he passed out during the pull-up and subsequent maneuvers. No one outside would have been the wiser but internally as the leader of a fighting force it doesn’t look well. (A/C Sajjad in his book narrated an incident where radio discipline went bad in such a flypast). This formation was probably a balancing act in my opinion. People have come to expect the solo flyby of the chief to end up in some sort of theatrics. This is something recent. I recall during ACM Shamim days, it used to be a simple straight and level flyby (or even if there was a vertical pull-up, PTV never bothered to follow it)

 

[Reichmarshal]

The brigadier sahb making the anouncements should have said that as well dude.

He is a col.
Plus the announcements regarding PAF formation flying or air displays were made by a sqd ldr n not the col.
He should have formed the public about it.

 

[Nomad40]

While many are dismayed and questioning as why there were two F-16s leading the flypast for Pakistan Day Parade and also as in the past, why didn't the Air chief's aircraft went up vertically releasing flares.
Well, just got confirmation that it was at the behest of new Air chief to pay tribute to fallen comrade Nauman Akram (Shaheed). Hence he went straight in the Block-52D while the No 2 pulled up paying the missing man formation salute .


View attachment 728540

View attachment 728541

Thank you for the conformation.....my bp is now normal.

cheers @Windjammer

Firstly, the 'people' are only asking the event planners to explain the details of the event they're seeing

Secondly, the 'people' are -- at the end of the day -- the taxpayers responsible for buying those aircraft, so they do have a say in as far as common sense things, like explaining a formation.

The event planners in past years had all the time in the world for poetry, gloating and other stuff, but not to explain the symbolism and importance of a particular maneuver? That doesn't line up.

Thirdly, they could make a respectful statement, not "PAF is pleased to announce..."

"Attendees, with a heavy heart, I would now like to draw your attention to the upcoming formation. You'll see that it's very different from previous flypasts. This is what we call a "Missing Man" formation -- it is used to commemorate a fallen service member. Today, we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed...." ​

​

Finally, this isn't about PDF nitpicking, but common sense if one's trying to educate the public on the traditions of the armed forces. This attitude of yours is going to do more damage to the image of the PAF than trying to strengthen it.

atta boy!

 

[Raider 21]

You have to practice to build up g-tolerance. The flypast of yesteryears with a hard vertical pull-up and rolls would be at least 5-6g or more. I think the new Air Chief may have not been flying of late and since his announcement was pretty close to the flypast, he did not have time to practice. It would have been bad optics if he passed out during the pull-up and subsequent maneuvers. No one outside would have been the wiser but internally as the leader of a fighting force it doesn’t look well. (A/C Sajjad in his book narrated an incident where radio discipline went bad in such a flypast). This formation was probably a balancing act in my opinion. People have come to expect the solo flyby of the chief to end up in some sort of theatrics. This is something recent. I recall during ACM Shamim days, it used to be a simple straight and level flyby (or even if there was a vertical pull-up, PTV never bothered to follow it)

Never ever has anyone experienced 5-6Gs in vertical aileron rolls. The pull up itself is not sustained.

 

[Windjammer]

Firstly, the 'people' are only asking the event planners to explain the details of the event they're seeing

Secondly, the 'people' are -- at the end of the day -- the taxpayers responsible for buying those aircraft, so they do have a say in as far as common sense things, like explaining a formation.

The event planners in past years had all the time in the world for poetry, gloating and other stuff, but not to explain the symbolism and importance of a particular maneuver? That doesn't line up.

Thirdly, they could make a respectful statement, not "PAF is pleased to announce..."

"Attendees, with a heavy heart, I would now like to draw your attention to the upcoming formation. You'll see that it's very different from previous flypasts. This is what we call a "Missing Man" formation -- it is used to commemorate a fallen service member. Today, we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed...." ​

​

Finally, this isn't about PDF nitpicking, but common sense if one's trying to educate the public on the traditions of the armed forces. This attitude of yours is going to do more damage to the image of the PAF than trying to strengthen it.

Good write up but i don't see the purpose of explaining it all here, I'm neither a PAF representive nor in any position to convey all this to the respective involved. Since you are a columnist, wouldn't it serve the purpose to forward your expressions to the AHQ or to someone like the editor of 'Second to None' publishings.

 

[syed_yusuf]

Firstly, the 'people' are only asking the event planners to explain the details of the event they're seeing

Secondly, the 'people' are -- at the end of the day -- the taxpayers responsible for buying those aircraft, so they do have a say in as far as common sense things, like explaining a formation.

The event planners in past years had all the time in the world for poetry, gloating and other stuff, but not to explain the symbolism and importance of a particular maneuver? That doesn't line up.

Thirdly, they could make a respectful statement, not "PAF is pleased to announce..."

"Attendees, with a heavy heart, I would now like to draw your attention to the upcoming formation. You'll see that it's very different from previous flypasts. This is what we call a "Missing Man" formation -- it is used to commemorate a fallen service member. Today, we are remembering the service and sacrifice of Wing Commander Nauman Akram Shaheed...." ​

​

Finally, this isn't about PDF nitpicking, but common sense if one's trying to educate the public on the traditions of the armed forces. This attitude of yours is going to do more damage to the image of the PAF than trying to strengthen it.

Very well said

 

[SABRE]

Missing man formation (MMF) is generally not flown with two aircraft. It requires three (at least) or more to send out proper visual message. The Americans use finger-four method with four aircraft. One aircraft represents the fallen pilot and takes itself out of the formation very sombrely. It performs no manoeuvres and neither do the wingmen.