An air force F-16 jetfighter made an emergency landing at Chiayi (
The pilot was able to land the single-seater warplane safely, the Air Force General Headquarters said.
According to a statement from the headquarters, the pilot noticed problems with the fighter's braking system when he was preparing to land after a training mission at 11:58am.
The pilot immediately informed ground controllers who quickly laid out arresting gear on the runway to intercept the jetfighter, officials from the headquarters said, adding that such a move is standard procedure when dealing with aircraft brake failures.
Noting that emergency treatment of a brake failure is an integral part of the air force's pilot training program, the officials said yesterday's "smooth handling of the emergency landing indicates that our training efforts have paid off."
Nevertheless, the emergency landing caused a 30-minute closure of the Chiayi air base, which doubles as a commercial airport. Chiayi air base officials said they were sorry for any delays caused by the military to the normal arrival and departure of commercial flights.
Taiwan struck a deal with the US to purchase 150 F-16 jetfighters in 1992 as part of its military arsenal modernization plan.
More than 100 of the advanced warplanes have so far been delivered.
In March 1999, a two-seater F-16 lost contact with the Air Force Warfare Control Center during a routine training drill. The plane and its two pilots have never been found. Three other F-16s have also crashed in the past past few years.
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