B-2 SPIRITS RETURN TO FLIGHT

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Stephen Linch
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (ACCNS) --  The B-2 Spirit made a successful return to flight here April 15 after a 53-day safety pause, following the first-ever crash Feb. 23 in Guam.

While an accident investigation board is still ongoing, Air Force and Air Combat Command maintenance and safety experts gave the 509th Bomb Wing the green light to fly.

Col. Tom Bussiere, 509th Operations Group commander, and Maj. Rich Collins, 394th Combat Training Squadron operations officer, took the Spirit of Florida to the skies April 15 in the first flight since the Spirit of Kansas crashed on takeoff at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 23.

"We wanted our return to flying to be deliberate and safe," Brig. Gen. Gary Harencak, 509th Bomb Wing commander said.

B-2s have been flying almost 20 years and are renowned in the Air Force for their unprecedented safety record, the general said.

"In the history of aviation, there's never been an aircraft with a safety record like the B-2," he said. "These bombers combined have a logged more than 14,000 sorties, 100 combat sorties and 75,000 flying hours without a single Class A mishap until now."

A mishap is categorized as Class A when there is loss of life or damage in excess of $1 million. The B-2, valued at more than $1 billion, had two pilots on board. Both ejected safely. There were no injuries to ground personnel.