<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by mdtony:
Seeing how not one plane has gone "down in a ball of flames," I think you're exaggerating just a tiny bit, don't you?</font>
Hmmm. I never said any such thing did I.
Actually I was only commenting on what I saw as a rather humorous use of language.
The fact of the matter is that the only ways in which an F-16 can "assist" a B757 it to shoot it down or to threaten to do so.
Despite what movies you may have seen an F-16 is unable to tranfer security personel in mid-air through the cargo hatch, nudge the plane back on course, use his verticle stab to kick a stuck landing gear down, clean the winshield so pilots can see, or transer fuel or other supplies.
I suppose the F-16 pilot can stand by and watch as the plane face-plants into the ground in the event of pilot incapacitation for whatever reason, by I still fail to see how this actually assists anyone. Maybe it's just me.