IAF's F-16i jets
צילום: רויטרס
F-16i jets grounded after malfunction
IAF fighter plane performs emergency landing after discovering dangerous technical error in engine; all planes of same type grounded for inspection
The Air Force decided to ground its F-16i (Storm) fighter jets Wednesday after a malfunction occurred in one of the planes during a routine test flight.
The IAF has estimated that the jets will return to fly in the next few days, after the preliminary investigation is completed.
The malfunction occurred around noon when during a test flight the crew discovered a rare technical error affecting the plane's only engine.
The crew contacted a nearby base and described the malfunction to air traffic controllers, who told the pilot to switch off the engine and attempt an emergency landing without it.
The crew managed to execute this order while emergency forces stood by at the base, and the jet remained undamaged. The Air Force commended the crew on their work and established a probing committee to investigate the incident.
The IAF has grounded all F-16i jets following the malfunction in order to carry out technical inspections. The planes are grounded for test flight purposes only, and will still be used for operational needs.
Early this year the IAF finished receiving 102 new F-16i jets, the army's newest planes.
