# Hanger Tails(Tales) ~ Flying/Aviation



## Stryder50 (Jul 31, 2021)

So the purpose here is general discussion of flying and aviation.

At first I was thinking of making it for mostly Civil/private pilot related topics, but figure we should include military and commercial as well.  Mostly want to focus on aircraft types, especially flown,  and even more on experiences with "hands on" the stick, feet on the rudder pedals, etc.  But interesting experiences while along for the ride can be included, and other interesting episodes and events of aviation history as well.

Mainly looking to discuss things related to traveling in the "wild blue yonder".

So the bird is chocked and tied down and it's time to grab a cuppa, or shot, or brew in the hanger lounge and spin some tales of tails ....


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## Stryder50 (Jul 31, 2021)

Before getting into my own limited personal experiences, I'm going to lead off this piece I came across today.  It's an interesting perspective of one close to flying, but not quite bit by the "flying bug".
....
Flight Plan​Learning to live with a pilot.
By Ann Patchett
July 26, 2021
...
The three of us were in a 1957 de Havilland Beaver, floating in the middle of a crater lake in the southwest quadrant of Alaska. The pilot was recounting the toll that the Vietnam War had taken on him, while, over in the right seat, my boyfriend, Karl, listened. Thanks to proximity, I was listening as well, though chances are they’d forgotten I was there. Outside, water sloshed against the pontoons, rocking the plane gently from side to side. No one had asked this man to tell his story in a long time, but Karl had asked, and so the pilot put the plane down on the lake, turned off the ignition, and began.

Karl and I were spending a week fishing at a fly-out lodge outside Iliamna, by which I mean nowhere near Iliamna but closer to Iliamna than to anywhere else.  Each morning, we and the dozen or so other guests gathered up our neoprene waders and were divided into groups of three or four or five. Along with thermoses and sandwiches and tackle boxes and a guide, we were loaded into a string of warhorse floatplanes bobbing at the dock. The pilots who flew for the lodge struck me as men who would have had a hard time finding work elsewhere. ...
...
Despite the significant majesty of the place, wading around in a river for eight hours wasn’t my idea of a good time. Bears prevented me from wandering off. Rain prevented me from reading on the shore. Mosquitoes prevented everything else.

So when, on the fifth day, Karl suggested that we skip the fishing and pay extra to spend the day flying instead, I was in. Flying was what he’d come for, anyway: the early-morning flight out to the fish and the afternoon flight back to the lodge. Karl liked talking to the pilots—who put him in the right seat and let him wear the headset—and they liked talking to him, because he was a doctor, and free medical advice is hard to come by. Karl and I were less than a year into our relationship when we went to Alaska, and I didn’t yet fully understand the centrality of airplanes in his life. After Alaska, I got it.

When the talk of war was done, the pilot asked Karl if he’d ever flown a Beaver, if he’d had the experience of taking off from the water and landing on the water. Karl said no, he had not. Even though Karl had been flying since he was a boy, at forty-seven he still didn’t have his pilot’s license. He was honest about this—he was honest about everything, which should not be confused with being thoughtful about everything.

“You have to tip the nose up when you land,” the pilot said. “That’s the mistake people make. It’s hard to get the depth perception because of the glare, so you wind up hitting with the nose. Then you flip. You want to try?” He was so grateful to Karl, and this was the only gift he had to give. The day was bright with puffs of cloud and low winds. Karl and his new friend put on their headsets.

I was no stranger to the single-engine. My stepfather Mike had rented planes when I was growing up, and, with my mother, flew to some of the medical conferences where he gave lectures. Sometimes I was in the back with the luggage. My mother had taken enough flying lessons to know how to land, should she be called on to do so. When we moved to a farm outside Nashville, Mike bought a tiny red helicopter, which he flew for years.

After a demonstration—up, around, down again—the pilot turned over the controls. This was not Lake Michigan. Getting up to speed required circling, but you had to take off straight toward a fixed point on the horizon and into the wind. Karl took off toward the shore, and then we lifted off the lake, flew past the mountains, through the clouds, around the blue sky, back through the clouds and past the mountains, then nose up, plane down, smack into the lake. The pilot was right; it was hard to see it coming. I reminded myself to relax my jaw. The pilot offered Karl some pointers, some praise. There was a quick discussion of how the landing could be improved, and then we were off again, a tighter circle, greater speed, straight up, lake-mountain-cloud-blue-cloud-mountain-lake, the nose up as we came down. The jolt was harder this time—I felt it in my spine—but before I could fully register my relief we were up again: a carnival ride for which no one bothered to take the tickets.

I wasn’t prone to airsickness or seasickness, but the combination of air and water in rapid succession was something new. I turned away from the window to contemplate the floor, stamped metal rusted at the edges, like a service elevator in a hospital. I stared at it while Karl took off, turned above the lake, then dropped back down onto the surface. Repetition was the key to learning. The only thing on hand to throw up in were the pilot’s waders, which seemed better (better?) than throwing up on the stamped-metal floor. I held down my breakfast through sheer force of will. I was angry at both men—especially the one I was sharing a bed with back at the lodge—for not caring about how seriously unpleasant this might be for someone who did not live to fly. But, despite the rage and the nausea pulsing in the back of my throat, I wasn’t afraid. Considering that about half of all small-craft accidents occur during either takeoff or landing; considering that taking off and landing was all we were doing; considering that the plane was rusted and the pilot had struggled with the aftereffects of Agent Orange and my boyfriend had never landed a plane on water before; considering that this lake was somewhere far from Iliamna and no one knew we were there in the first place; considering that if the plane flipped, as it had been established these planes could do, I would probably not be able to swim through the freezing water in my sack of neoprene (which I had stupidly worn against the cold), and that, if I did make it to the shore, my chances of surviving whatever came next were probably zero—I should have been afraid.

But Karl and I were together, and he was the person slamming the plane onto the lake, so I was not.

“Karl flies?” people ask me. “Have you ever flown with him?”

I fly with him all the time, and when we’re together in the plane I’m never concerned, not about black clouds or lightning, not about turbulence that could knock the fillings from your teeth. The times I’m afraid are the times when I’m not in the plane, and by “afraid” I mean an emotion closer to terror. Take, for example (there are so many examples), the time Karl flew a Cessna to Kingston, Ontario, to look at a boat, and on the way home had to land on an airstrip somewhere in Ohio because the weather was so bad. The tiny airport office was locked, and he stood under the wing of the plane to call and let me know he’d be late. He called again two hours later, from Bowling Green, Kentucky, to say that he had landed a second time because the transponder was out, which meant that the plane couldn’t be tracked. The weather was still bad.
....
Maybe this story starts with Lindbergh, who flew to Paris when Karl’s father, Frank, was ten. Frank was one of a whole country of children, an entire world of children, who could now look up and imagine themselves in the sky. Frank became an oral surgeon. He married Jo, and they had three children, Karl, Nancy, and Michael. Frank started taking flying lessons in a Tri-Pacer, with Karl in the back seat. A few weeks after Michael was born, Frank bought his first plane, a 1946 Ercoupe. He asked the family’s minister to come to the house after dinner, when Karl and Nancy were in bed. Jo was in her pajamas, the new baby in her lap. The minister sat on the couch between them while Frank told his wife that he’d bought a plane.

The Ercoupe was big enough for two small people. Frank let Karl fly it when they were together because the plane was so easy—tricycle landing, no rudder pedals, and it steered like a car. Not only had Frank bought a plane without telling his wife; he let their eight-year-old son fly it.

Meridian, Mississippi, where Karl grew up, has its own page in aviation history. In 1935, the Key brothers, Fred and Al, who had developed a method of aerial refuelling in which they connected to a second plane midair, set the world record for endurance flying by circling the town in a Curtiss Robin for twenty-seven days without landing. The flight was a stunt to save their local airfield, and it worked: the airfield, later named Key Field, wasn’t closed. After the Second World War, Fred and Al opened Key Brothers Flying Service. When Karl was ten, Fred gave him a job after school sweeping out hangars, cleaning spark plugs, and, eventually, driving the fuel truck out to gas up the planes. He was always hanging around the airfield anyway. When someone needed a ride to New Orleans to pick up a plane, Karl would go along with Fred to fly co-pilot on the way home.

“Co-pilot?” I asked. “And you were what, twelve?” Tales grow tall in Mississippi, a by-product of the humidity and heat. Was it possible that a twelve-year-old was flying planes? I have learned to ask the same questions multiple times.

“All you had to do was keep the altitude steady. Most of the planes only went eighty-five or ninety miles an hour.” The joke was that “I.F.R.” didn’t stand for “instrument flight rules” but for “I fly railroads.” Karl said that if he flew over the track for the Southerner it would take him straight back to Meridian.

This gave Fred Key a chance to eat his sandwich.

Around the time when Karl started flying right seat with Fred Key, he rode his bike to the airfield early one summer Saturday morning. There was a Piper Super Cub near the hangar that hadn’t been there the day before. The Cubs were all the same; the people around Key Field used to say you could get it in yellow or you couldn’t get it. But this Cub was white with red stripes, which should have been a tipoff. Super Cubs didn’t have ignition keys. All that was required to start one was the turn of a switch and the push of a button. Karl left his bike in the grass alongside the runway, untied the wings and the tail, pulled off the chocks. The cockpit smelled new. He turned the switch and pushed the button. He had never soloed before, and this seemed like the day to do it.

“It wasn’t like I was flying to Mexico,” Karl said, after I pointed out that this had been a stupendously bad idea. “I taxied out, took off, made one turn around the pattern. The whole thing took ten minutes, and I probably wasn’t more than six hundred feet off the ground. It would have been fine, except that the engine quit.”

The engine quit?

“I had to land it in the field. I came down maybe twenty feet short of the runway.”

Over time, you come to know the seminal stories of the person you live with. I knew this story, and, when I pressed hard against it, Karl came up with every detail he could remember: It was muddy. He pushed the plane back to where it had been. It wasn’t heavy; there was a handle on the side, and he leaned against the fuselage to direct it. It was still early, and there was no one else at the airfield. He washed the plane and tied it down, replaced the chocks, then rode his bicycle home to tell his father what he’d done. It was Mr. Tony’s plane, and Frank sent Karl to Mr. Tony to apologize. Mr. Tony listened, and then asked Karl if he’d switched the gas tank when the engine quit. No horror, no recrimination, just “Did you switch the gas tank?” The Piper Cub had a single tank, but this was a Super Cub. Mr. Tony’s Super Cub had two tanks, and you had to switch them over manually. Sixty years after the fact, Karl pulled up diagrams of a Piper Cub and a Super Cub on his phone to show me where the tanks were placed. I didn’t care where the tanks were placed.

“What were you thinking?” I asked him.


“About what?”

“About taking a plane, about flying by yourself, about the engine quitting. What did you think when the engine quit?”

“Those planes can glide a long way.”

We stared at each other—one person who flew planes, one person who believed that there was an emotional narrative to flying planes. The two lines did not intersect. “You weren’t scared?”

Karl thought about it. “It was a long time ago.”

“I know.”

“Well, then, not that I remember.”

After Karl borrowed Mr. Tony’s plane, his father let him solo in the Ercoupe, maybe so that he would get over any bad associations he had about soloing, or maybe because the kid had already proved that he could do it in someone else’s plane, so why not?


I wondered what I’d say were I pressed to remember how I felt the first time I drove a car by myself, or the first time a car I was driving ran out of gas. If there were actual feelings associated with those events, I had no access to them, because it was just a car.

Which was how Karl felt about planes.
...








						Flight Plan
					

Learning to live with a pilot.




					www.newyorker.com
				




It's a long article and I've shared excerpts from about the first half, but hopefully get the picture ...


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## Ridgerunner (Aug 1, 2021)

First and foremost I am not an aviator... No license to fly, no mechanic's license... There is a perfectly good reason, to much math involved... I have a deep respect for folks that manufacture, operate any A/C and be able to wrench on any A/C is an amazing skill... That being said, I have been around a few A/C in my 67 years...

My first experience flying was when I was (guesstimation) 7 or 8 years old... 1961/1962 ... My father had a friend from his work that had a pilots license... My Dad was a freight Conductor and this gentleman was a Locomotive Engineer... It was a Sunday afternoon In a very small farming community in mid-central Illinois and somethin was afoot... Apparently this was all pre-arranged without my knowledge... Any who Dad said "Charlie", (my name is not really Charlie, but that is what he always called me, said lets go for a walk... We lived on the edge of this (100 to150 pop.) town next the the last house in town... About a 1/4 of a mile away from the last house there was a lane, Tractor-path back to a old double-sided corncrib about another 1/4 of a mile off the road...





Well guess where we went? The next thing I knew there was a plane landing on the lane in-between the soybean crop... Well we all walked back to the house and the adults had coffee (always had coffee) and I was running around like a stripped ass ape with excitement... I was going to get to go flying... To be honest I remember more about the lead into the flight than I do the flight... I don't remember being afraid, and I do remember pulling back on the yoke and pressing on the rudders with permission of coarse... I had a difficult time going to sleep that night...

Great OP Stryder50

I have a couple of more life experiences regarding Aviation but I will post at a later time...

Your turn westwall

Gotta have some A&P tall tales... gallantwarrior


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## Oddball (Aug 1, 2021)

Citabria driver here.

Real pilots fly taildraggers.


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## Ridgerunner (Aug 1, 2021)

Oddball said:


> Citabria driver here.
> 
> Real pilots fly taildraggers.



Well Shirley there are some hair raising tales you can regale us with...


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## Oddball (Aug 1, 2021)

The schmendricks around here - westwall  excluded- will never know how boner inducing this shit is....


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## Oddball (Aug 1, 2021)

Ridgerunner said:


> Well Shirley there are some hair raising tales you can regale us with...


Three axis attitude control (AKA aerobatics) is the most fun anyone can ever have with their clothes on.


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## Oddball (Aug 1, 2021)

The guy in the front seat is a noob....I grabbed at the frame just like he did on my first acro flight....


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## westwall (Aug 1, 2021)

Oddball said:


> Three axis attitude control (AKA aerobatics) is the most fun anyone can ever have with their clothes on.





With their clothes off too!


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## westwall (Aug 1, 2021)

I have many, mostly true!  A quick one, we were flying a Pilatus Turbo Porter up onto the Tasman Glacier.  We dropped the students off, and were headed back the airport for a bite to eat while they did their work.  

We had taken off and passed through 1500 feet agl when we hit a down draft, I was looking at a mountaineers cabin that was 1000 feet below us, when, the next thing I knew, we were level with it!

Thank the engineers who designed her but that Porter used all 1500 horsepower to drag our asses back up and out of the cirque.

We had a few lagers that night!


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## Stryder50 (Aug 1, 2021)

Oddball said:


> Citabria driver here.
> 
> Real pilots fly taildraggers.


Supposedly one needs to get certified in that now-a-days.  As with anything else.


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## Oddball (Aug 1, 2021)

Stryder50 said:


> Supposedly one needs to get certified in that now-a-days.  As with anything else.


You have always needed an endorsement and currency for taildraggers.


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## Stryder50 (Aug 1, 2021)

Oddball said:


> You have always needed an endorsement and currency for taildraggers.


Which is interesting when considering about half the history of aviation is made with taildraggers.


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## Stryder50 (Aug 3, 2021)

15 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Airline Pilots​They may not have told you everything when you went into the cockpit to have wings pinned to your shirt. So, here’s a few interesting facts about working in the sky.








						15 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Airline Pilots
					

They may not have told you everything when you went into the cockpit to have wings pinned to your shirt. So, here’s a few interesting facts about working in the sky.




					getpocket.com


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## Stryder50 (Aug 9, 2021)

Unfortunately, with the border closed to "nonessentials", I wasn't able to attend this year.  However, being less than a dozen miles SouthWest of there, did get to see some of the action from a distance and some of the aircraft in transit.

The Abbotsford International Airshow is excited to present SkyDrive August 6, 7 & 8, 2021. SkyDrive is a drive-in air show experience – attendees will each get a 20′ x 20′ dedicated space to park and set up their own viewing area beside the vehicle with lawn chairs, blankets, umbrellas, etc. Bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments to enjoy during the show! Onsite washrooms will be available.
...








						Abbotsford International Airshow 2022 | Canadian Airshow
					

It's Abby's 60th Anniversary this year! Join us in celebration with fantastic aircraft live airshows, static displays, STEM activities and more surprises.




					abbotsfordairshow.com


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## westwall (Aug 9, 2021)

Stryder50 said:


> Unfortunately, with the border closed to "nonessentials", I wasn't able to attend this year.  However, being less than a dozen miles SouthWest of there, did get to see some of the action from a distance and some of the aircraft in transit.
> 
> The Abbotsford International Airshow is excited to present SkyDrive August 6, 7 & 8, 2021. SkyDrive is a drive-in air show experience – attendees will each get a 20′ x 20′ dedicated space to park and set up their own viewing area beside the vehicle with lawn chairs, blankets, umbrellas, etc. Bring your own snacks and non-alcoholic refreshments to enjoy during the show! Onsite washrooms will be available.
> ...
> ...





We are already ramping up for the Air Races.  I am heading down to Stead in a few minutes to get the avionics shed ready.


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## westwall (Aug 9, 2021)

The office!


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## Ridgerunner (Aug 13, 2021)

Background...
The year is 1984 and I was hired on with a Airline Service Company @ HNL International as a Ramp Rat... My first experience with Commercial Aviation and large body a/c... At the time the Co. had contracts with Qantas, Ward Air (Canadian), and a couple of small Charter Airlines and any business we could drum up... Primarily Boeing A/C ranging from 707's to 747's and a smithereens of Lockheed L-1011's and McDonnell Douglas DC-10's...

Meat of the story...
A year and a half goes by and I am now a Ramp Supervisor with one foot planted firmly on the ground and the other one going around in circles...
  We have grown considerably in the year and a half and and 99% of the A/C we handled were turn-arounds... This particular morning we had 5 A/C's being prepared for departure... Everyone knows that the key to a successful operation is communication and cross utilization of your manpower... At this point in time I am going to call bullshit... Murphy was alive and well and was spotted on gate 18 that morning by several people...
The Company I worked for was tight with the folks at Qantas and we also handled any RAAF flights that was in town for war games or transiting between Oz and the mainland... The RAAF Flight was a 707... It was just a departure as it had came in 2 days earlier and became a RON... Normally there would have been just 4 A/C, with 2 supervisors and 4 5-man ground crews... The RAAF was a Bonus... I told the other supervisor that I would handle my A/C and the RAAF Flight... One piece of equipment that we were responsible for was left on the gate and had to be moved... We had to use our Stair truck to access the rear PAX door on the A/C... We had a nice Stair Truck... Good paint job, truck was in good shape... Stairs were covered with a fiberglass shroud... A&P's were screaming to get the &$@#&% Truck out of the way... An on time departure was going to be had... I parked my Van and ran to the stair truck and lifted the hydraulic stabilizers and backed the truck up away from the A/C... All of a sudden my radio goes off with what I perceived as a panicked supervisor with a baggage question... My radio was in the holster and I was driving the truck and trying to reach for the radio and the next thing I know is  part of the rear stabilizer from the A/C is crashing into the hood of the truck...
Epilogue
Needless to say boys and girls I was devastated... Humiliated... All I could think of, and I swear this is true is I was going to end up frying hamburgers... Not that frying hamburgers is less than honorable, it just wasn't what I wanted to be doing at that time...
They didn't fire me...
Gave me two (2) weeks off with pay...
I came back to work and 3 weeks later they made me the Manager of Ramp Operations...
Life is strange...
​This is a picture of the stair truck before the time I tried to start a war with the Country of Australia... That's me standing behind the stair truck@ our handling of the British Airways Concorde...




Tell us a tall tale gallantwarrior ...


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## progressive hunter (Aug 13, 2021)




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## progressive hunter (Aug 13, 2021)




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## Stryder50 (Dec 22, 2021)

Was about to start another thread for this, but dug this one up instead;

*The 20 best films about pilots*




__





						The 20 best films about pilots
					





					www.msn.com
				



.........
OK ~ ~ ~ there are some good ones here, but also too many clunkers.
I'd hesitate to disparage the author of this list, but as the saying goes, he don't 'Know Jack" about flying or aviators given some of the flubs on the above list.

My biggest beef is that one (or two) of the best movies dealing with aviation was this under the radar classic;

_*Always*_ is a 1989 American romantic fantasy drama film directed by Steven Spielberg, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, Brad Johnson and Audrey Hepburn in her final film role.

_Always_ is a remake of the 1943 romantic drama _A Guy Named Joe_ set during World War II. The main departure from the 1943 film is the changing of the setting from wartime to a modern aerial firefighting operation.[3] The film, however, follows the same basic plot line: the spirit of a recently dead expert pilot mentors a newer pilot, while watching him fall in love with the girlfriend he left behind.[4] The names of the four principal characters of the earlier film are all the same, with the exception of the Ted Randall character, who is called Ted Baker in the remake, and Pete's last name is Sandich instead of Sandidge.
...








						Always (1989 film) - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~

And this one could have replaced at least a half dozen on the list in the link above;
....
_*A Guy Named Joe*_ is a 1943 American romantic fantasy drama film directed by Victor Fleming. The film was produced by Everett Riskin, and starred Spencer Tracy, Irene Dunne, and Van Johnson. The screenplay, written by Dalton Trumbo and Frederick Hazlitt Brennan, was adapted from a story by Chandler Sprague and David Boehm, for which they were nominated for an Academy Award for Best Writing, Original Story.[4]

The film is notable for being Van Johnson's first major role. It also features the popular song "I'll Get By (As Long as I Have You)" by Fred Ahlert and Roy Turk, performed in the film by Irene Dunne.

Steven Spielberg's 1989 film _Always_ is a remake of _A Guy Named Joe_,[5] and stars Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter and John Goodman. _Always_ updates the story for a 1989 setting, exchanging the World War II backdrop to one of aerial firefighting.[6]
...








						A Guy Named Joe - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


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## Stryder50 (Dec 22, 2021)

Here is one of the most classic aviation films which should have been on that list in my above post.  Could easily the majority of them.
...
_*Twelve O'Clock High*_ is a 1949 American war film about aircrews in the United States Army's Eighth Air Force, who flew daylight bombing missions against Nazi Germany and Occupied France during the early days of American involvement in World War II. The climax includes a thinly disguised version of the Black Thursday strike against Schweinfurt. The film was adapted by Sy Bartlett, Henry King (uncredited), and Beirne Lay, Jr., from the 1948 novel _12 O'Clock High_, also by Bartlett and Lay. It was directed by King and stars Gregory Peck, Hugh Marlowe, Gary Merrill, Millard Mitchell, and Dean Jagger.

The film was nominated for four Academy Awards and won two: Dean Jagger for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Thomas T. Moulton for Best Sound Recording.[3] In 1998, _Twelve O'Clock High_ was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".[4][5]
...








						Twelve O'Clock High - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





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__





						movie twelve o'clock high 1949 at DuckDuckGo
					

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.




					duckduckgo.com


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## Stryder50 (Dec 22, 2021)

A couple other classics that better belong in the "Top 20";
...
_*Flying Tigers*_ (a.k.a. _*Yank Over Singapore*_ and _*Yanks Over the Burma Road*_) is a 1942 American black-and-white war film drama from Republic Pictures that was produced by Edmund Grainger, directed by David Miller, and stars John Wayne, John Carroll, and Anna Lee.

_Flying Tigers_ dramatizes the exploits of the American Volunteer Group (AVG), Americans who fought the Japanese in China, serving with the Chinese Nationalist forces, during World War II. The movie portrays them as fighting before U.S. entry into the war but, in point of fact, they did not see action until after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It is unabashedly a wartime propaganda film that was well received by a 1940s audience looking for a patriotic "flagwaver".[2]
...








						Flying Tigers (film) - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				







__





						john wayne movie flying tigers at DuckDuckGo
					

DuckDuckGo. Privacy, Simplified.




					duckduckgo.com
				







~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also;
_*The Flight of the Phoenix*_ is a 1965 American survival drama film produced and directed by Robert Aldrich, based on the 1964 novel of the same name by English author Elleston Trevor.[4] The story follows a small group of men struggling to survive their aircraft's emergency landing in the Sahara. It stars an ensemble cast, with James Stewart, Richard Attenborough, Peter Finch, Hardy Krüger, Ernest Borgnine, Ian Bannen, Ronald Fraser, Christian Marquand, Dan Duryea and George Kennedy.

Though the film was not a financial success, it was well-received by critics, who praised Aldrich’s direction and the performances of its cast. It was nominated for two Academy Awards: Best Supporting Actor for Bannen and Best Editing for Michael Luciano. Hardy Krüger was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor,[a] and Aldrich was nominated for Best Motion Picture – Drama.

_The Flight of the Phoenix_ was remade in 2004, titled as _Flight of the Phoenix_.
...








						The Flight of the Phoenix (1965 film) - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
AND;
...
_*The Blue Max*_ is a 1966 war film directed by John Guillermin and starring George Peppard, James Mason, Ursula Andress, Karl Michael Vogler, and Jeremy Kemp. The film was made in DeLuxe Color and filmed in CinemaScope. The plot is about a German fighter pilot on the Western Front during World War I. The screenplay was written by David Pursall, Jack Seddon, and Gerald Hanley, based on the novel of the same name by Jack D. Hunter as adapted by Ben Barzman and Basilio Franchina.

In contrast to films that romanticize the flying aces of the Great War, _The Blue Max_ depicts the protagonist as a man who appears to have no regard for anyone but himself. Set against the realities of modern warfare, the film also explores the decline of chivalry and the advent of total war.
...








						The Blue Max - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I'm sure a few others may come to mind later ....


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## Shawnee_b (Dec 22, 2021)

I'm 67, always a prop head and airport rat. In 5th grade Dad built me a beautifully done J3 cub rubber guillows kit, I did a Spitfire shortly after, flew looked OK. Went control line, I was legendary. My 7th grade teach heard and her husband gave me a 48" span stunter with a Fox 35 stunt in it, I built a 48" Yak 9 with flaps coupled to the elevator, I flew on 70 foot lines. 

Getting more interested all around, general aviation included, exponentially so started riding my bike 3 mi to the small airport in Waterford, CT. Stunt pilot Ed Pease was flying his PT17 Stearman (looks like cellblocks avi) He landed I ran up and pointed to the empty cockpit, he shook his head and his son buckled me in and a leather helmet. What a ride, a memory! Gave my other 3 friends rides too.

Jump to 1985, Apex airport in Silverdale WA. Took lessons, Cessna 150, soloed many times but life, divorce, money put an end to it. Flew my buddies Cessna 172, almost bought it in 85 for $10.5K, bout $60K now. Also I like taildraggers. They told me "you have to ride a tricycle before a bicycle" 

Jump to present. Monroe county Regional airport is 8 miles. I been hanging out there. The manager has a Piper Vagabond, Cessna 180 and a nice Cessna 195 with the radial Jacobs (that I saw so far) think the Beech v35 is his too.

Anyway, all I want is a sport license. Like Oddball, it's taildraggers for me. "there are those who have groundlooped and those who will" Weather has been too bad for a flight but gonna test fly the Vagabond on a nice day. 

Vagabond painted similar to the Pa15 below. I'm not sure if his is the Pa15 or 17. Got the 85hp.






The Pt17 Stearman I flew in was Navy painted like this one. My first ride.


----------



## Stryder50 (Dec 22, 2021)

Just remembered another film for the lists.  The "stars" are more likely the aircraft than the "pilots"; about 18 B-25s saved from extinction and about 17 of them restored to usable flying order, to make some spectacular flying footage in the movie.
...
_*Catch-22*_ is a 1970 American black comedy war film adapted from the 1961 novel of the same name by Joseph Heller. In creating a black comedy revolving around the "lunatic characters" of Heller's satirical anti-war novel set at a fictional Mediterranean base during World War II, director Mike Nichols and screenwriter Buck Henry (also in the cast) worked on the film script for two years, converting Heller's complex novel to the medium of film.

The cast included Alan Arkin, Bob Balaban, Martin Balsam, Richard Benjamin, Italian actress Olimpia Carlisi, French comedian Marcel Dalio, Art Garfunkel (his acting debut), Jack Gilford, Charles Grodin, Bob Newhart, Anthony Perkins, Austin Pendleton, Paula Prentiss, Martin Sheen, Jon Voight, and Orson Welles.
...
Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Force B-25 bombardier, is stationed on the Mediterranean base on Pianosa during World War II. Along with his squadron members, Yossarian is committed to flying dangerous missions, but after watching friends die, he seeks a means of escape.

Futilely appealing to his commanding officer, Colonel Cathcart, who continually increases the number of missions required to rotate home before anyone can reach it, Yossarian learns that even a mental breakdown is no release when Doc Daneeka explains the "Catch-22" the Army Air Force employs.

While most crews are rotated out after twenty-five, the minimum number of missions for this base is eventually raised to an unobtainable eighty missions; a figure resulting from Colonel Cathcart's craving for publicity, primarily a mention in the nationally syndicated Saturday Evening Post magazine. Catch-22, as explained by Doc Daneeka, the squadron flight surgeon: An airman would have to be crazy to fly more missions, and if he were crazy he would be unfit to fly. Yet, if an airman would refuse to fly more missions, this would indicate that he is sane, which would mean that he would be fit to fly the missions, basically an impossible "damned if you do, damned if you don't" situation.
...
_Catch-22_ is renowned for its role in saving the B-25 Mitchell aircraft from possible extinction.[11] The film's budget accommodated 17 flyable B-25 Mitchells, and one hulk was acquired in Mexico, and flown with landing gear down to the Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico filming location.[3] The aircraft was burned and destroyed in the crash landing scene. The wreck was then buried in the ground by the runway, where it remains.[12]
...








						Catch-22 (film) - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Oh yeah, likely need this for quick reference;
...
A "Catch-22" is "a problem for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule."[13] For example, losing something is typically a conventional problem; to solve it, one looks for the lost item until one finds it. But if the thing lost is one's glasses, one cannot see to look for them – a Catch-22. The term "Catch-22" is also used more broadly to mean a tricky problem or a no-win or absurd situation.

In the book, Catch-22 is a military rule typifying bureaucratic operation and reasoning. The rule is not stated in a precise form, but the principal example in the book fits the definition above: If one is crazy, one does not have to fly missions; and one must be crazy to fly. But one has to apply to be excused, and applying demonstrates that one is not crazy. As a result, one must continue flying, either not applying to be excused, or applying and being refused. The narrator explains:




> There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he were sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to, but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle. (p. 56, ch. 5)



Other forms of Catch-22 are invoked throughout the novel to justify various bureaucratic actions. At one point, victims of harassment by military police quote the MPs' explanation of one of Catch-22's provisions: "Catch-22 states that agents enforcing Catch-22 need not prove that Catch-22 actually contains whatever provision the accused violator is accused of violating." Another character explains: "Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing."

Yossarian comes to realize that Catch-22 does not actually exist, but because the powers that be claim it does, and the world believes it does, it nevertheless has potent effects. Indeed, because it does not exist, there is no way it can be repealed, undone, overthrown, or denounced. The combination of force with specious and spurious legalistic justification is one of the book's primary motifs.
...








						Catch-22 - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


----------



## Shawnee_b (Dec 23, 2021)

I liked Catch 22, read it LONG ago. I came across another copy and will reread it cause it's so good. I loved Yosarian shooting field mice in his tent with a 45.


----------



## Stryder50 (Mar 3, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> 15 Behind-the-Scenes Secrets of Airline Pilots​They may not have told you everything when you went into the cockpit to have wings pinned to your shirt. So, here’s a few interesting facts about working in the sky.​
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Eight Shocking Secrets I Learned While Working on Private Jets​From comforting naked celebrities who are afraid of flying to cleaning up after pet (and human) accidents, nothing is surprising among those who fly privately for a living.​...
For those who can afford it, private aviation is an easy way to bypass the epic lines at TSA, stale food court sandwiches, and those armrest-hogging seatmates. It also buys an elusive treasure: additional hours in the day. Sunrise yoga in Los Angeles, lunch in Napa, a show in Vegas—it’s all doable when the sky isn’t the limit. As insiders say: “Jets aren’t aircraft, they’re time machines.”

These flying miracles became more accessible after the 2008 recession, when membership clubs began offering UberPool-like sharing schemes. Dallas-based JetSuite led the pack. Its SuiteKey program is like a debit account for airfare: The more you deposit, the deeper your discount. Of its 900 members [at the time of this writing in 2020], at least 50 have invested $1 million.
...








						Eight Shocking Secrets I Learned While Working on Private Jets
					

From comforting naked celebrities who are afraid of flying to cleaning up after pet (and human) accidents, nothing is surprising among those who fly privately for a living.




					getpocket.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Mar 6, 2022)

Not within my budget, but fascinating aircraft anyways;
....
Propelling the ICON A5 forward is a Rotax 912iS sport engine that can reach a max speed of 109 mph. The plane is designed with Seawings platforms that stabilize the craft on water and act as a stepping platform. The A5 interior is very reminiscent of its four-wheeled cousin, the car. A military aircraft-inspired stick can be seen in the driver's seat, and the dashboard can be equipped with a removable flight display. There are two flight display options to choose from: the Garmin Area 796 GPS or Garmin G3X Touch. ICON designed the A5 with a spin-resistant body in case it encounters engine failure as well as a parachute system. According to Pilotmax, a fully equipped ICON A5 has a price tag of $389,000.
...




__





						This foldable amphibious aircraft reimagines recreational flying
					





					www.msn.com
				



~~~~~~~~~~~
ICON A5​Discover Adventure flying​The A5 reinvents recreational aviation and lets you bring the exhilaration of flight to life like never before. Sport flying with the A5 is tailored to pilots who primarily fly for recreation — easy to fly, lightweight, and low operating costs.

New for Summer 2021, the A5 is now available in two models — Limited Edition (S-LSA) and Certified Edition (Type Certified). To learn more about the model differences follow the link below.
....








						ICON A5 Specs | Learn more about the ICON A5 Light Sport Aircraft
					

Information and specs on the ICON A5 amphibious light-sport aircraft. The ICON A5 is one of the most advanced and safest light sport aircraft on the market. Learn more about the A5's industry-leading safety features, versatility, and specs that make it one of the most unique light sport...




					www.iconaircraft.com
				



......


----------



## Stryder50 (Mar 10, 2022)

The Abbotsford International Airshow Returns!​ *August 5, 6 & 7 at the Abbotsford International Airport* 

We are excited to announce that the Abbotsford International Airshow will return in its traditional in-person festival format this summer on August 5, 6 & 7. This year's event marks the 60th Anniversary of the Airshow and promises to be a memorable celebration so mark you calendars now!



Headline Performers​To help celebrate our 60th Anniversary event, we are excited to welcome the *Canadian Forces Snowbirds *and the *RCAF CF-18 Hornet *Demonstration Teams alongside the *United States Air Force Thunderbirds *making their only Canadian appearance this year.

We look forward to making many more performer announcements in the coming months.








__





						The Abbotsford International Airshow Returns!
					





					mailchi.mp


----------



## maybelooking (Mar 13, 2022)

I have loved aviation since I was very young.  Maybe 8 or so years old.  I did take lessons but never did solo.  I had a friend in high school who's family owned a 2 seat tail dragger.  He had his license and took me flying all the time.  

That led to my father buying an ultralight.  Which I flew often until we sold it.

Now im 51 and would love to go back to school and get my license.  I may decide to do it at some point.  

My nephew is currently training in the Air Force.  H will find out (I think this month or next month) if he gets a fighter slot,  or cargo.


----------



## westwall (Mar 13, 2022)

maybelooking said:


> I have loved aviation since I was very young.  Maybe 8 or so years old.  I did take lessons but never did solo.  I had a friend in high school who's family owned a 2 seat tail dragger.  He had his license and took me flying all the time.
> 
> That led to my father buying an ultralight.  Which I flew often until we sold it.
> 
> ...




You might check to see of there is a Civil Air Patrol squadron in your area.  You can get a significant reduction in your cost for getting your ticket.


----------



## Mac-7 (Mar 13, 2022)

Here’s a Swede and Ollie joke from minnesota

if you are from Texas compare it to an Aggie joke

Swede and Ollie went on their annual moose hunt at a remote backwoods lake

when they were ready to leave a bush plane came to take them back to civilization

They loaded the plane with all their stuff including the moose they had shot

the pilot protested that his plane was too heavy to take off

But the hunters insisted they had hunted here last year with no problems

so the trusty Beaver started off across the lake struggling to reach the sky

meanwhile the trees at the far end of the lake got closer and closer

finally the inevitable happened

camping gear, broken airplane, hunters and moose were scattered everywhere

in a daze Swede calls out to Ollie and says “where are we?”

“About 20 yards farther than last year”


----------



## Stryder50 (Apr 19, 2022)

Mac-7 said:


> Here’s a Swede and Ollie joke from minnesota
> 
> if you are from Texas compare it to an Aggie joke
> 
> ...


I remember hearing this one years ago and it is still an LOL! (And too often true in sorts.)


----------



## Stryder50 (Apr 19, 2022)

This past weekend the wife and I were able to do an annual thing in going to Spokane, WA to see some of the kids, their spouses, and grand-kids. While there, I finally visited the local historic aviation museum with my son-in-law and a grandson.

This is one of my favorite types of historic aviation museums because their inventory is capable of flying (and driving), and is the rare one where the collection isn't roped off.  You can actually get up close and touch (carefully) the aircraft and vehicles there.

The vehicles on display at the time consist of an old "1930s" tour bus, painted red and black, the Glacier National Park colors of the era.  Also a Cadillac convertible in GNP Red and Black that FDR rode in during his tour there back in the 1930s.  Both beautifully restored to glossy finish.

The aircraft, while barely a dozen of sorts, are all in flyable condition and do get occasional air under their wings.  There are a few shown on the website that weren't there and I forgot to find out why (sold or in hanger refit, or what ???) this are the F7F Tigercat, F8F Bearcat, the Lockheed T-33 trainer, and the Rapide.  The others shown on their website were there though.

The B-25, "Grumpy II"; and the DC-3, were outside on tarmac display and both were opened up so we could get in and "climb around".  The "DC-3" is a former C-47 later configured to domestic use as a "business transport" so interior seating is a bit more spacious and luxurious than usual commercial style. The B-25 is a a "D" model, dorsal turret behind the wings, and in RAF markings.

Just so happened while we were there that the museum's main "driver" for the B-25 was there and got to chat with him a bit. He happens to be a local "gas passer", i.e. a pilot of a KC-135 out of nearby Fairchild AFB.  Mentioned he didn't yet have his "tail-dragger" cert. to fly the DC-3 but was working to get such.









						Historic Flight Foundation | Vintage Aircraft Museum | Washington
					

Historic Flight Foundation is a unique vintage aircraft museum located in Spokane, WA, established in the year 2003. Contact us to learn more.




					historicflight.org
				









The Collection;




__





						Collection | Aircraft |Airborne | Historic Flight Foundation.
					

Historic Flight Foundation in Spokane, WA offers a collection of important aircrafts produced between 1927 and 1957. View our website for more details.




					historicflight.org
				




BTW, that Beech Staggerwing is in fantastic condition (as are all their aircraft).  One of the docents also opened up o9ne of the gun access panes (right wing)l on the P-51C so we could view the tilted twin .50s with simulated ammo feed belts!

(BTW, the P-51D (FF-525) in above image is from a more local collection, Heritage Flight, which used to operate out of Bellingham (here) but is now based a bit south at Skagit Airport;


			https://heritageflight.org/
		

(Founded by former USAF General and Apollo 8 astronaut; Maj. Gen. Bill Anders.)


----------



## Stryder50 (Apr 19, 2022)

So here's a case where a few of us at least might be a bit envious. When you own enough modern jet and turbo prop aircraft ~ fighters/fighter-bombers/attack/etc. to out class most Third World Air Forces, and possibly contest a few Second World ones, you definitely have a bit of money/treasure to your name, not to mention some respectable fire-power available.;
....
This Man Owns The World’s Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets​A conversation with the owner of Air USA about probably the most incredible private aircraft purchase of all time and the future of his adversary business.​...





For the last 30+ years, Don Kirlin has been flying for the airlines, working on real estate deals, setting up the world's biggest skydiving meets, and building a private air force the likes of which even he has a hard time believing is possible. In March 2020, _The War Zone_ was among the first to report that his company would be purchasing multiple squadrons worth of surplus Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18 Hornets to be used in the contractor adversary air support role here in the United States. In that role, they would primarily fly against U.S. military fighter pilots, replicating aerial threats from potential enemy nations. So basically, they are bad guys for hire, but strictly for training and development work. 

Now, not only do we have all the details on that purchase, which is even more impressive than it initially seemed, but we talked at length with the entrepreneur owner of Air USA, located in Quincy, Illinois, about his company’s past and what is turning into a remarkable, if not downright historic, future.

Don Kirlin imported his first foreign military jet, and L-39 Albatross, in 1994, at a time when doing so was an extremely complex and convoluted affair full of pitfalls and unknowns. Since then, he has repeated the process dozens of times over and was the first owner of a private MiG-29 Fulcrum in the United States, among a long list of other exotic flying firsts. He now holds eight licenses with the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), allowing him to own military machine guns and cannons, as well as thousands of rounds of ammunition to fire through them. 

He was also one of the early pioneers of the then-fledgling, if not wholly experimental, adversary air support market. In the early 2000s, he joined forces with the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), which was blazing a trail with their contracts with the Navy to supply fast jet targets and electronic warfare pod toting adversaries that mimic everything from enemy cruise missiles to fighters for Navy and Marine fighter aircraft and Navy surface combatants to train against. 

During those early years, Air USA worked as a subcontractor for ATAC, flying the vast majority of the contracted subsonic adversary support flight hours. So, Kirlin and his company's experience in what is now an exploding adversary support marketplace dates back to its very genesis. 
...
Fast forward to 2020 and Kirlin now owns an impressive fleet of ex-military aircraft that perform a wide number of roles for the Defense Department, from training Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs), the modern designation for Forward Air Controllers on the ground, to saturating the sensor systems of America’s most advanced tactical fighters with aggressor adversaries in the air. With the individual contracts that will underpin the Air Force’s gargantuan adversary air support tender about to doled out, Air USA’s operation has to grow in capacity and complexity in order to even attempt to meet demand. 

Enter the most spectacular private aircraft purchase of all time—Air USA’s acquisition of _all_ of the Royal Australian Air Force’s remaining F/A-18A/B Hornets. Canada had bought 25 prior to this deal going through. The jets Air USA is slated to receive, 46 in total, of which 36 are flying today, will be replaced by the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter within the RAAF’s ranks and thus will be totally retired from service by the end of 2021. 





  Aussie F/A-18A/B Hornets and their replacements, F-35As. , © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
...
Although the terms of the deal have not been disclosed [at the time this was written in 2020], the purchase does include all of the RAAF's F/A-18 spare parts inventory and test equipment, valued at over a billion dollars alone, according to Kirlin. Those parts will be incredibly valuable as Air USA is planning on putting every single airframe it receives back into service—not just the 36 aircraft that are flyable today, but the other 10 that are not, as well. 

Those jets just need inspections and are not parted out or grounded for any other reasons. This will allow Air USA to operate at least three fully outfitted squadrons of the 4th generation fighters at all times, which Kirlin hopes will be forward deployed to key bases around the United States where they will primarily help give fleet pilots, testers, and tactics developers, a run for their money in the air-to-air combat arena. 
...
These are not Hornets in some dated configuration, either. The RAAF spent a _lot_ of money keeping its legacy Hornet fleet relevant until replacements arrived. One of the most important capabilities the jets come with is the bolt-on Elta EL-L/8222 (license-built in the U.S. under the L3Harris Advanced Capability Pod name) electronic warfare pod. These Israeli-designed pods are pretty much the world standard in modular self-protection jamming systems and are used on the Pentagon's own aggressor fleet, as well as by various nations around the globe on frontline aircraft. You can learn just how powerful this system is, being able to turn even highly antiquated aircraft into formidable and deadly aerial threats, especially when paired with unique tactics, in this past piece of ours.

All of Air USA's secondhand Hornets feature the AN/APG-73 radar—the same one that is found on the F/A-18C/D and early F/A-18E/F Super Hornets—that differs from the less capable AN/APG-65 radar the A/B Hornet was originally equipped with. The AN/APG-73 remains a very capable radar set and is largely superior to anything else on the adversary market at this time. Kirlin also informs us that the radar and electronic warfare pod are integrated in such a way that the aircraft can simultaneously jam and engage (jam and shoot) enemy targets, which he doesn't believe exists anywhere else on the adversary market and is a critical capability when it comes to mimicking more advanced foreign fighter threats. 
...
The jets also come with their Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28 LITENING advanced targeting pods, which are hugely capable in the air-to-ground targeting and non-traditional reconnaissance realm, as well as for positively identifying aircraft visually at long ranges. You can read all about this function and its value in this past piece of ours. In addition, the Hornets come with 68 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS), which offers helmet-mounted display capability that drastically increases a pilot's situational awareness and high-off-boresight targeting for close-range air-to-air missiles. This will make it easier for these aggressor jets to simulate foreign capabilities of a similar nature.

Overall, Kirlin informs us that that the Aussie Hornets are being imported in exactly the same configuration as they are flying operationally today the RAAF. Nothing is being removed, even the jet's Link 16 data-link system and its internal M61 20mm Vulcan cannon are staying put.
...
As for the condition of the surplus Hornet fleet, Kirlin says they are in incredible shape and show little signs of corrosion—likely a result of their often hot and dry operating environment down under as opposed to the salty conditions aboard aircraft carriers that U.S. Navy Hornets have had to endure.                         
...




  An Aussie F/A-18 Hornet in its latest advanced configuration, carrying the AN/AAQ-28 LITENING advanced targeting pod and Elta EL-L/8222 electronic warfare pod, as well as JDAMs and an AMRAAM., © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
...

As for what the jets will look like once they lose their RAAF roundels and become Air USA jets, Air USA's owner wasn't entirely sure, but he does like the paint on one of his MiG-29s, which could be replicated on at least some of the Hornets. He also mentioned that a jet-black Hornet would be fun to have, just for the heck of it. 
...




  One of the company's two MiG-29UBs in a blue, gray, and teal camouflage pattern., Air USA
...

Kirlin says that he looked at all the aircraft his competitors have bought, especially the Mirage F-1s from Spain and France and Atlas Cheetahs from South Africa that his competitors ATAC and Draken USA have snapped up, and passed on them. He actually showed me the approved ATF forms for importing these jets dated years ago as proof of his claim. Three primary reasons were behind his decisions. The first was concern that they simply weren't the right plane for the job—he wanted something more advanced. Second, that working with certain foreign original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) would be a major hassle. 

Finally, he is a firm believer in buying flyers, not aircraft that have been mothballed for years, if at all possible. With this in mind, the Hornets offered Kirlin a ready to go advanced 'air force in a box' that wouldn't be a huge hassle to regenerate once they reached the United States. They would also have great support from a domestic OEM—Boeing—and support and maintenance could be outsourced to firms that are already doing so for some Marine and Navy Hornet operations. 
...
Right now, the company's budding air force includes 10 Hawks, four L-39ZAs, and two L-39s. The Hawk jet trainers, which originally came from South Korean stocks, are deceptively capable aircraft. Like all of the Hawk family, they are quick and nimble, as well as reliable and efficient, but they now also pack one hell of a sensor and electronic warfare capability. The jets have been upgraded with Elta's ELM-2052 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. In fact, they are the only private adversary aircraft equipped with an AESA radar set at this time.                         
...




  ELM-2052 AESA radar and EL-L/8222 electronic warfare equipped Hawk., Air USA
...
The L-39ZA, which is a combat-capable derivative of the L-39 Albatross trainer, and the L-39s themselves, have lower performance than the Hawk, but they are very efficient and still can lug different types of countermeasure pods, cannons, and other stores. Air USA has even equipped some of them with advanced electro-optical and infrared sensor turrets. Air USA had Dornier Alpha Jets that fell into a category somewhere between the Hawks and the L-39s, but those aircraft were sold to the Nigerian Air Force, which was in urgent need of the type. 

In addition to the Aussie Hornet purchase, Air USA also acquired five hand-picked PC-9 turboprop trainers from the RAAF. These aircraft will primarily be used to fulfill the growing demand for cost-effective Joint Terminal Attack Controller training. You can read all about this mission and the contracts being tendered to supply it in this recent piece of ours.
...




  RAAF Pilatus PC-9s., © Commonwealth of Australia, Department of Defence
...
Basically, JTACs need to get time "on the mic" with real aircraft overhead, in both day and nighttime conditions, to get accustomed to organizing the three-dimensional airspace overhead in relation to the battlespace on the ground, and effectively, safely, and efficiently call in airstrikes on enemy targets. This is an incredibly complex and high-stakes job, but using high-performance fighters in the Pentagon's inventory that cost at least $20,000 an hour to train with is horribly cost-ineffective. As such, being able to provide far less expensive assets via the contractor marketplace for some of this training has become a major priority.                         
...




  Airscan Inc. T337 Turbo Skymaster., DTOM/Wikicommons
...

Air USA's idea here is to provide the lowest possible cost for JTAC training while still having an aircraft that has all the bells and whistles needed to accomplish the mission. Don Kirlin says that from his firm's perspective, for a lot of JTAC training, the customer just wants the most "time on the mic" for their JTACs as possible. Delivering a very low-cost option, one with extremely high endurance, to accomplish just that is the impetus behind acquiring the highly unique fleet of suped-up and battle-proven Turbo Skymasters. 

Kirlin also states that the company has acquired 10 F-5E Tiger IIs that will slot in between the Hawk and the Hornet in the aggressor role. These jets will be totally refurbished and will get a comprehensive upgrade very similar, if not nearly identical, to the one Tactical Air, another adversary air support purveyor, has developed for its large fleet of F-5s. You can read all about Tactical Air and its highly customized F-5ATs in this recent piece of ours.
...
Kirlin hopes to fit their F-5s with Infrared Search and Track Systems (IRSTs), which will be a huge force multiplier for other aggressors flying alongside them and a real threat to stealthy "blue air" jets, like the F-35, F-22, and B-2. Leveraging a similar open architecture avionics upgrade that Tactical Air pioneered with its F-5ATs will allow far easier integration of an IRST on the F-5 than on other aircraft in the Air USA fleet. 

The company also owns a quartet of MiG-29 Fulcrums that Kirlin imported. These jets are basically in factory new condition. They each have roughly just 100 hours on them now, which is basically nothing. The two single-seat models are more parts donors than flying aircraft, with the pair of two-seat MiG-29UBs being airworthy. Although some may wonder why these jets are not used for adversary support roles, they simply are not in demand for a number of reasons. They are not specifically equipped for the mission, do not have a radar, and are not the most efficient flying machines available for the task by a long shot. They have done some missile work with Raytheon air-to-air missile system development in the past, and could be pushed into service if a customer really wanted them, but when you have fully upgraded Hornets in your fleet, who needs a dated MiG-29? 
...
For instance, for basic air-to-air missions, like radar intercept training, maybe a PC-9 or L-39 is fine. For other more dynamic fighter training, maybe a Hawk or F-5 will do. For the most advanced air-to-air training, the Hornet will be available. The customer only has to pay for what they really need. The same can be said for JTAC training. For basic training scenarios, a T337H gives a tremendous amount of capability for the dollar and for "dry CAS" where weapons are not employed, but for more advanced scenarios where weapons are released, PC-9s, or even L-39s or Hawks, would be the aircraft for the job.                         
...
So, it's all about choice. This business mantra is something Don Kirlin learned by putting on the world's largest skydiving festival, the World Freefall Convention. When I say large, I mean _large_. Kirlin tells us that during a past iteration of the event, 5,400 skydivers made_ 70,000 jumps_ in just _10 days_. Many of those skydivers were sick of the same old jump ships, they wanted a variety of exotic platforms to choose from to enhance their experience. Over 17 years of putting on the event, Kirlin ended up bringing in everything from World War II bombers to a high-flying 727 to help quelch attendees' demands. 

By offering so many creative possibilities, he found that the customer really appreciates options and wants to be able to pay for exactly what they need or desire, nothing more and nothing less. This emphasis on customer choice is now being ported over to the adversary air support market via his eclectic fleet of tactical aircraft for hire.
...




  An impressive lineup of electronic warfare toting Air USA Albatrosses. , Air USA
...

With choice and platform diversity also comes some really exciting opportunities to layer-in different capabilities on a single adversary mission, which can provide more challenging scenarios for trainees. For instance, pairing the Hawk with the Hornet, the Hawk can share its AESA radar targeting information with the Hornet and vice-versa. Throw in an F-5 with an IRST and even the stealthiest opponents will be prone to detection from Air USA's aggressor formation. Layering in other aircraft, like L-39s acting as cruise missiles and more, will help really rachet up the complexity that 'blue air' forces will have to confront, and all of these capabilities can come from one business relationship.                         
...
With frontline fighter aircraft becoming increasingly capable, especially in terms of the sensors they carry, being able to challenge them has become far more difficult and often requires a mix of high-performance opposing fighters, as well as saturating them with other, less complex aerial targets. Having a turn-key air force for hire with a huge range of capabilities and performance levels available, makes this easier to accomplish in an efficient and integrated manner and without the Air Force, Navy, or Marines having to task their own overtaxed fleets with the mission. Also, contracting out these services already is more cost-effective than having the military perform them, but with tailorable forces like Kirlin's, the cost should only go down, not up. 

Don Kirlin is truly living what would have been a far-fetched dream not too long ago. He is a man with his own fourth-generation fighter-equipped air force, one larger and more capable than what many entire nations possess. With the introduction of the F/A-18 Hornet into the adversary air support marketplace, especially the number Air USA is bringing to the fight, it could very well be a game-changer, but it also presents risks. 
...








						This Man Owns The World’s Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets
					

A conversation with the owner of Air USA about probably the most incredible private aircraft purchase of all time and the future of his adversary business.




					getpocket.com


----------



## Stryder50 (May 20, 2022)

What It Was Like Flying And Fighting The F-16N Viper, Topgun’s Legendary Hotrod​It was hideously fast, incredibly maneuverable and a huge step forward for the US Navy’s aerial adversary capabilities.








						What It Was Like Flying And Fighting The F-16N Viper, Topgun’s Legendary Hotrod
					

It was hideously fast, incredibly maneuverable and a huge step forward for the US Navy’s aerial adversary capabilities.




					getpocket.com


----------



## westwall (May 20, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> So here's a case where a few of us at least might be a bit envious. When you own enough modern jet and turbo prop aircraft ~ fighters/fighter-bombers/attack/etc. to out class most Third World Air Forces, and possibly contest a few Second World ones, you definitely have a bit of money/treasure to your name, not to mention some respectable fire-power available.;
> ....
> This Man Owns The World’s Most Advanced Private Air Force After Buying 46 F/A-18 Hornets​A conversation with the owner of Air USA about probably the most incredible private aircraft purchase of all time and the future of his adversary business.​...
> 
> ...






I actually spend a lot of time with the Tac Air guys.  A friend of mine helped to develop their new integrated cockpit systems.


----------



## Stryder50 (May 21, 2022)

The Abbotsford International Airshow returns
 August 5, 6 & 7, 2022!​








						Abbotsford International Airshow 2022 | Canadian Airshow
					

It's Abby's 60th Anniversary this year! Join us in celebration with fantastic aircraft live airshows, static displays, STEM activities and more surprises.




					abbotsfordairshow.com
				




2022 Performers​We're excited to announce our 60th anniversary Abby Airshow performers! Enjoy world-class aerial demonstrations from our stellar line-up of military and civilian performers.  _Additional performers will be added as they are confirmed. Check back often and follow us on social media for updates! Please be advised that some performers are only expected to perform on certain days (specified below). All performers are subject to modification or cancellation without notice.






						Performers - Abbotsford International Airshow
					

Check out Abbotsford Airshow performers starring Canadian Snowbirds and US Thunderbirds plus other incredible military and commercial aircrafts!




					abbotsfordairshow.com
				



_
This is in British Columbia, Canada.  If in the Pacific NorthWest (PNW)(USA+) or planning to visit, consider adding to your itinerary.


----------



## para bellum (May 24, 2022)

When I was learning to fly, my instructor brought a kid with him one day. It was "bring your kid to work day". My instructor asked if I minded, of course not.

I was doing instrument recoveries under the hood. Instructor says "departure stall". Okay. I check my altitude and heading (he expected me to recover with less than 500' lost and be on the original heading).

I pull the yoke back into my belly and wait for the stall. Waiting, waiting....Where's my stall? Everything feels fine, it just won't stall. Finally, it starts wallowing and the horn goes off, wing drops and I'm in the stall. Pitch down, level the wings, check heading, altitude no loss! 

Feeling pretty good.

I flip up the hood, look at the instructor, he's smiling. Kid in the back seat is looking kind of green. Instructor says "You're a lot of fun to fly with. You want me to show you what you did?" 

I say "Sure". (not really sure what he means)

He pulls the yoke back and we do a hammerhead.

Then I realized.

I entered the maneuver at 110kts instead of 55kts. Almost got a loop out of it, another 10 kts probably would have done it, lol.
---------------------------------
Tried to race a thunderstorm one day. I was heading back home after a practice session, and I could see this nasty cell heading straight for the field. Thought I could make it. 

It was a tie. I touched down at the exact time visibility went zero, immediately began hydroplaning. Tried to touch the brakes, now I'm skidding down the runway sideways at 55kts. This was not my plan.

Let off the brakes, used the rudder to get pointed back in the right direction, and man- that was the longest landing roll I ever did. Usually I'd take the first taxiway, that time I used the whole runway. I wasn't going to try those brakes again until I was down to a slow walk!
----------------------------------
Coming in one day on short final, instructor in the right seat. Widgeon on the hold line, waiting for me to land. About 75' AGL, a gust picks up the left wing and aims me directly at the Widgeon. I go "Oh Shit!" Stomp on the rudder, full left aileron, quickly snap it back straight, and land right on centerline.

Instructor says "That was a great recovery, but your passengers don't really want to hear the pilot say "Oh Shit!" right before touchdown!


----------



## AZrailwhale (May 24, 2022)

I'm not a licensed pilot, but here's one of my aircraft stories.  My uncle had both a sailplane license and a IFR power license.  One time when I visited, he got me a ride at his sailplane club in a Switzer sailplane.  Since I was larger than the instructor he put me in the back seat.  We took off, spiraled up to about five thousand feet and he handed the plane off to me.  I flew it for quite a while, then descended, flew the pattern and was down to about fifty feet and I started to get nervous, at that altitude things seem to happen fairly fast.  I asked when he was going to take the controls to land and he asked if I had even landed before, I said no, he then asked how much stick time I had and I replied "including today, forty five minutes" he just said "my airplane" and landed.  After the flight he said he thought I was a seasoned pilot since I was flying so well.  It turns out that sailing and flying a sailplane have a lot in common and I was an experienced sailor.


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 1, 2022)

Welcome to Tom Cruise’s Flight School for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’​If there was to be a sequel to the ’80s classic ‘Top Gun,’ it was going to need to be even better than the original—and way more realistic. Before the movie hits theaters, the cast of ‘Maverick’ explains what it took to become on-screen pilots.
...
In the middle of shooting _Top Gun_, producer Jerry Bruckheimer realized he had a huge problem: With the exception of Tom Cruise, all the actors playing Navy pilots kept vomiting in the cockpit. “Their heads were down, and when they got their heads up, their eyes were rolling back,” Bruckheimer says. “It was terrible. They were all sick.”

On a scrappy budget with clunky 1980s technology, an untrained cast, and new studio leadership, filming eventually moved to an L.A. soundstage, where those actors could settle their stomachs while pretending to fly on a gimbal instead. The disrupted, piecemealed experience stuck with Cruise long after—despite the movie’s eventual massive box office success and canonization as a modern classic, the A-list actor had little desire to revive Pete “Maverick” Mitchell. “Originally, I wasn’t interested in doing a sequel,” he told _Total Film _magazine, at least not until technology—and his castmates—could “put the audience inside that F-18.”

Three decades later, Bruckheimer and director Joseph Kosinski flew to Paris to convince him they could. During a 20-minute break on the set of _Mission: Impossible—Fallout_, Kosinski pitched a sequel centered on Cruise’s aging fighter pilot and his strained relationship with his best friend Goose’s son. “I wanted it to be a rite-of-passage story for Maverick,” says Kosinski, who tried appealing to his star’s extremist sensibilities by promising to shoot everything practically. The director had seen Navy pilots use GoPros on their flights, documenting a first-person experience above the clouds that was “better than any aerial footage I’d seen from any movie,” he says. “I showed that to [Tom] and said this is available for free on the internet. If we can’t beat this, there’s no point in making this movie—and he agreed.”

Over the next 15 months, Kosinski collaborated with naval advisers and aerospace corporations, building six specialized IMAX cameras for an F-18 cockpit, mapping out highwire action sequences through tight canyons, and developing a specialized “CineJet” with aerial coordinator Kevin LaRosa II to capture it all from the air. “A lot of what we did was cutting-edge,” LaRosa says. “That technology came to fruition as the story came to fruition, and _Top Gun: Maverick_ became a real thing.” At the same time, Cruise started his own preparations, vetting a cast of young pilots—Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Jay Ellis, Monica Barbaro, Greg Tarzan Davis, Lewis Pullman, and Danny Ramirez—before developing a specialized flight training gauntlet so that everyone could conquer the sky. “He knew the goal was to not only get _his_ footage in the plane, but to get them _all_ in the planes,” Kosinski says. “He just wanted them to be prepared, and he knew exactly what it was going to take.”

Leaning on years of his own piloting experience, Cruise put together a detailed aviation curriculum, connecting actors with trusted flight instructors, building up their G-force tolerance to unthinkable levels, and readying their transition into the F-18 cockpit. The result is breathtaking, a collage of immersive, madcap flying sequences and high-octane performances—a testament to Cruise’s unrelenting drive to pack as much thrill-seeking euphoria into _Top Gun: Maverick_ as humanly possible. “He will do whatever it takes to give audiences the ride of a lifetime,” Powell says. “It’s so infectious to be a part of.”
...








						Welcome to Tom Cruise’s Flight School for ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
					

If there was to be a sequel to the ’80s classic ‘Top Gun,’ it was going to need to be even better than the original—and way more realistic. Before the movie hits theaters, the cast of ‘Maverick’ explains what it took to become on-screen pilots.




					www.theringer.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 1, 2022)

Flight Attendants Fighting Back​Sara Nelson, the head of the largest flight attendants’ union, leads her members through turbulent times and mounts a major organizing drive at Delta.









						Flight Attendants Fighting Back
					

Sara Nelson, the head of the largest flight attendants’ union, leads her members through turbulent times and mounts a major organizing drive at Delta.




					www.newyorker.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 1, 2022)

Ten Items That Belong in Every Carry-On Bag​Space comes at a premium, but these items are most worthy of it.​








						Ten Items That Belong in Every Carry-On Bag
					

Space comes at a premium, but these items are most worthy of it.




					lifehacker.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 6, 2022)

Pending a thread elsewhere here that is more focused on military aviation, this seems a good place for now ...
KC-46's Recent "97 Percent" Milestone Isn't The Whole Story​




__





						KC-46's Recent "97 Percent" Milestone Isn't The Whole Story
					





					www.msn.com
				




Seems operating the boom via video images and from a forward position isn't working as well as the older method of manual control with operator laying down and looking down from rear of the refuel aircraft.


----------



## westwall (Jun 6, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> Pending a thread elsewhere here that is more focused on military aviation, this seems a good place for now ...
> KC-46's Recent "97 Percent" Milestone Isn't The Whole Story​
> 
> 
> ...





Jeez.  Who couldn't have predicted that!


----------



## westwall (Jun 6, 2022)

Pylon training going on today


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 23, 2022)

As with the original about 34 years ago, along with the planes and pilots, this remains the current meme for Carrier Operations in current times.
Top Gun Maverick: The iconic ’80s aviation action classic returns to thrill a new generation​








						Top Gun Maverick: The iconic ’80s aviation action classic returns to thrill a new generation - Flight Journal
					

Aviation History | History of Flight | Aviation History Articles, Warbirds, Bombers, Trainers, Pilots | Top Gun Maverick: The iconic ’80s aviation action classic returns to thrill a new generation




					www.flightjournal.com
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Also revives of sorts the enduring case of F-14 vs F-18. Article first appeared about 2002, then revived about two years ago when Top Gun, Maverick was supposed to be released, before COVID shut down movie theaters.  Unfortunately, one needs to have a subscription to read the full article. I did recently come across the issue mentioned and when have some time in near future will present some of the points made.

Battle of the Superfighters: F-14D Tomcat vs.     F/A-18E/F Super Hornet​








						Battle of the Superfighters: F-14D Tomcat vs.     F/A-18E/F Super Hornet
					

Editor’s note: Every aircraft that goes into service is accompanied by controversy. This was especially true for the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Super Hornet. With the long-anticipated Paramount Pictures movie sequel, Top Gun: Maverick coming out in June, we noted that in the original 1986 movie...




					readyroom.flightjournal.com
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~





						Flight Journal - Aviation History | History of Flight | Aviation History Articles, Warbirds, Bombers, Trainers, Pilots
					

Aviation History | History of Flight | Aviation History Articles, Warbirds, Bombers, Trainers, Pilots




					www.flightjournal.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Jun 28, 2022)

*The giant hangar poised for an aviation revolution*
...
Airships could offer a much cleaner and quieter alternative for some aspects of the aviation market. In a former airship factory, a new generation are taking shape.

Sergey Brin turned internet search into one of the world’s most valuable businesses more than two decades ago. Now he intends to improve a technology which had its heyday long before he was born.

Brin and his team of engineers' plan is to do this by reinventing a much older, if improved technology. A new generation of airships – the lighter-than-air craft that don't need conventional airports – will be built in a corner of Ohio which played a unique part in the history of aviation. What's more, if built they will be housed in one of America's most iconic structures, the Goodyear Airdock in Akron.

Airships could help speed up the delivery of aid in disaster zones, carry air cargo much more cheaply than air freighters, and cut aviation emissions. However, similar projects in the past have struggled to overcome the complex engineering challenges involved, and have either run out of money, or left potential customers disillusioned.
...








						The giant hangar poised for an aviation revolution
					

Airships could offer a much cleaner and quieter alternative for some aspects of the aviation market. In a former airship factory, a new generation are taking shape.




					www.bbc.com


----------



## westwall (Jun 28, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> *The giant hangar poised for an aviation revolution*
> ...
> Airships could offer a much cleaner and quieter alternative for some aspects of the aviation market. In a former airship factory, a new generation are taking shape.
> 
> ...







There have been people trying to do this for decades.  John McPhee wrote a book about it over 40 years ago called "The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed"






"PROFILE of the Aereon aircraft, developed in the 1960s & 70s, in New Jersey, to be a combination of airship & airplane. Tells about the testing of Aereon 26 (about 27 1/2 feet long) at the NAFEC air center in south Jersey, by the test pilot for Aereon Corp. John Olcott. All the principles of the Corp. were present for the tests recounted. The highest altitude in these tests reached by the 26 was 50 feet. Long discussion on the history of the airship, beginning with the inventions of Solomon Andrews, who built & flew dirigibles in the 1860s, which he named Aereons. Tells about Ferdinand von Zeppelin, who conceived & developed the rigid airships, & with Dr. Hugo Eckener founded the German Zeppelin Transport Company. Describes the achievements of the German aircraft, including the Graf Zeppelin & the Hindenburg."





__





						II-THE DELTOID PUMPKIN SEED
					

PROFILE of the Aereon aircraft, developed in the 1960s & 70s, in New Jersey, to be a combination of airship & airplane. Tells about the testing of Aereon …




					www.newyorker.com
				








__





						The Deltoid Pumpkin Seed book by John McPhee
					





					www.thriftbooks.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 13, 2022)

Like many major airports in today's USA, ours got started back in early 1940s in the USA/USAAF build up in anticipation of being involved in what would be World War Two. The Army Air Corps field here in Bellingham started out with P-39 fighter squadron stationed here.  Though the P-39 didn't work too well with the pilots of the USAAF, or the other Western Allies, it was something of a "hit" with the Russians where air combat tended to be below 15,000 feet.  Lots of Russian aces had the P-39 as their mount.
Bell P-39 Airacobra​








						Bell P-39 Airacobra - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org
				







~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The design was later improved upon, to the point that some contend it was a whole new aircraft type;
Bell P-63 Kingcobra​








						Bell P-63 Kingcobra - Wikipedia
					






					en.wikipedia.org


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 13, 2022)

The Flying Tank​





...
German forces pushing into the Soviet Union felt nearly invincible—until they met the Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik.​








						The Flying Tank
					

German forces pushing into the Soviet Union felt nearly invincible—until they met the Ilyushin Il-2 Shturmovik.




					airandspace.si.edu


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 17, 2022)

What are winglets, the aesthetically-pleasing aerodynamic marvels found on most planes?​...
Have you ever snagged a window seat, looked out and wondered what was protruding off the end of the wing — a mostly vertical extension of the wing itself?

Some may curve upward, making a seamless transition from horizontal to vertical. Others may look angular. Some might even be split in two, extending both above and below the wing.

These are called winglets, and they’re an aerodynamic marvel that has — with some notable exceptions — become a staple of airliners over the past 30 years. But how do they work, and what are the differences between the styles? We’re here to tell you.

Winglets cut down on a phenomenon called wake vortices that trail off the tips of an aircraft’s wings. These vortices can cause significant drag, making aircraft less efficient.

Winglets are technically small wings that generate lift and can cut down on the amount of drag created, therefore reducing fuel consumption and increasing an aircraft’s range.

While winglets do add weight to an aircraft, the amount of efficiency they provide generally makes their extra weight worthwhile on all but the shortest flights.

Winglets are most efficient during the cruise portion of a flight, as well as during the actual takeoff and landing when an aircraft is in what’s known as a “high angle of attack,” which is defined as the difference between where a wing is pointed and where it’s going.
...








						What are winglets, the aesthetically-pleasing aerodynamic marvels found on most planes? - The Points Guy
					

Have you ever snagged a window seat, looked out and wondered what was protruding off the end of the wing, a mostly vertical extension of the wing itself?




					thepointsguy.com
				



~~~~~~~~~~~~
A Beginner's Guide to Airplane Winglets - CalAero University​Winglets - NASA​~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BTW, A couple decades ago I worked at a place where we made some of the first of these for commercial applications, - to 737s.


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 22, 2022)

It's that time again, sort of caught of guard, but the biggest air show event in the country, possibly the world. At Oshkosh, WI. - AirVenture
AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 Daily Air Show Schedule Set​




__





						AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 Daily Air Show Schedule Set| EAA Airventure
					





					www.eaa.org
				



~~~~~~~~~~
Commemorative Air Force schedule ...




__





						2022 EAA AirVenture Oshkosh Show Schedule Release
					

The current schedule for the EAA AirVenture air show is now available!



					www.commemorativeairforce.org


----------



## fncceo (Jul 22, 2022)

Oddball said:


> Real pilots fly taildraggers.



Real pilots _taxi/land_ taildraggers.  With the exception of a possible couple of knots extra IAS, you wouldn't know you were _flying _a taildragger.


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 22, 2022)

Another event to consider and/or plan for;
Reno Air Races, Sept. 14-18,2022
OVER 50 YEARS


Reno Air Racing Association​ 
Over 50 years ago, the first plane went up in the Nevada desert to kick off what would become the STIHL National Championship Air Races and a legacy was born. A legacy of history, heritage and preservation. Of daring, imagination and wonder. Of memories made, traditions formed and legends created one amazing race at a time. Engines roaring. Crowds cheering. Hearts pounding. Eight planes racing wing-tip to wing-tip, 50 feet above the ground at speeds up to more than 500 mph. This is the fastest motorsport on Earth – a one-of-a-kind thrill you have to see, hear and feel to believe. This is classic, cool and contemporary all rolled into one. This is life at 500 miles per hour. This is the STIHL National Championship Air Races.  The 2022 STIHL National Championship Air Races will be held September 14-18.
...




__





						National Championship Air Races | Reno Air Races
					

The National Championship Air Races will be held September 13-17, 2023. The Reno Air Racing Association has been organizing the Reno National Championship Air Races for over 50 years. Get your ticket for the National Championship Air Races today.



					airrace.org


----------



## westwall (Jul 22, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> Another event to consider and/or plan for;
> Reno Air Races, Sept. 14-18,2022
> OVER 50 YEARS
> 
> ...






I've been going to them since the very first one!


----------



## Stryder50 (Jul 24, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> It's that time again, sort of caught of guard, but the biggest air show event in the country, possibly the world. At Oshkosh, WI. - AirVenture
> AirVenture Oshkosh 2022 Daily Air Show Schedule Set​
> 
> 
> ...


Also;
THE TOP 10 CAF THINGS TO SEE AT EAA AIRVENTURE IN 2022​





						THE TOP 10 CAF THINGS TO SEE AT EAA AIRVENTURE IN 2022
					

Here are the top 10 “CAF” things to see at EAA AirVenture in 2022.



					www.commemorativeairforce.org


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 2, 2022)

Pending another thread for this ...
Modified Crop Duster Chosen For Special Ops Armed Overwatch Mission​


			Modified Crop Duster Chosen For Special Ops Armed Overwatch Mission
		


And another article;
Special Operations Command selected its new Armed Overwatch plane with a $3 billion contract​








						Special Operations Command selected its new Armed Overwatch plane with a $3 billion contract
					

U.S. Special Operations Command's Armed Overwatch plane program sought a low-cost aircraft that could provide operators with intelligence, surveillance,




					www.wearethemighty.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 5, 2022)

Interesting and informative article here on the Blue Angels. They are in Seattle this weekend to do a show as part of Seafair event.  Article has a scroll feature that rolls the past aircraft they used over the current Super Hornet to see size differences.









						Return of the Blue Angels - A look back at all the planes they've flown
					

View the historic Blue Angels planes that have flown in Seattle.




					projects.seattletimes.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 11, 2022)

U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor vs. Sukoi Su-57: Video Stirs Debate About Which Aircraft Is Superior​"It isn't the plane, it's the pilot," suggests a viewer of the video.
...








						U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor vs. Sukoi Su-57: Video Stirs Debate About Which Aircraft Is Superior - TurboFuture
					

"It isn't the plane, it's the pilot," suggests a viewer of the video.




					turbofuture.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 13, 2022)

The Commemorative Air Force restores and maintains/flys classic warbirds of the World War Two era.
Some of those are on a tour this Summer, here's the schedule;


			https://commemorativeairforce.org/events?mc_cid=db2742e030&mc_eid=508aeeac89
		


I plan to be at the Arlington, Wa event on Sat. Aug. 20;





						Flying Legends of Victory Tour - Arlington WA
					

Be sure to click on the event website for the most up-to-date information about aircraft, dates, times, and booking a ride. [Click here for more.](https://www.azcaf.org/tour/)  Not everyone can visit the Airbase Arizona Museum for an up-close and personal inspection of our historic warbirds. So...



					commemorativeairforce.org


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 18, 2022)

What the 'golden age' of flying was really like​...
Cocktail lounges, five course meals, caviar served from ice sculptures and an endless flow of champagne: life on board airplanes was quite different during the "golden age of travel," the period from the 1950s to the 1970s that is fondly remembered for its glamor and luxury.

It coincided with the dawn of the jet age, ushered in by aircraft like the de Havilland Comet, the Boeing 707 and the Douglas DC-8, which were used in the 1950s for the first scheduled transatlantic services, before the introduction of the Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747, in 1970. So what was it actually like to be there?

"Air travel at that time was something special," says Graham M. Simons, an aviation historian and author. "It was luxurious. It was smooth. It was fast. 

"People dressed up because of it. The staff was literally wearing haute couture uniforms. And there was much more space: seat pitch -- that's the distance between the seats on the aircraft -- was probably 36 to 40 inches. Now it's down to 28, as they cram more and more people on board."
....
The airline most often associated with the golden age of travel is Pan Am, the first operator of the Boeing 707 and 747 and the industry leader on transoceanic routes at the time. 

"My job with Pan Am was an adventure from the very day I started," says Joan Policastro, a former flight attendant who worked with the airline from 1968 until its dissolution in 1991. 
"There was no comparison between flying for Pan Am and any other airline. They all looked up to it. 

"The food was spectacular and service was impeccable. We had ice swans in first class that we'd serve the caviar from, and Maxim's of Paris [a renowned French restaurant] catered our food. 
Policastro recalls how passengers would come to a lounge in front of first class "to sit and chat" after the meal service. 

"A lot of times, that's where we sat too, chatting with our passengers. Today, passengers don't even pay attention to who's on the airplane, but back then, it was a much more social and polite experience," says Policastro, who worked as a flight attendant with Delta before retiring in 2019.

Suzy Smith, who was also a flight attendant with Pan Am starting in 1967, also remembers sharing moments with passengers in the lounge, including celebrities like actors Vincent Price and Raquel Welch, anchorman Walter Cronkite and the Princess Grace of Monaco. 
....








						What the 'golden age' of flying was really like
					

Cocktail lounges, five course meals, caviar and an endless flow of champagne: life on board airplanes was quite different during the "golden age of travel," the period from the 1950s to the 1970s that is fondly remembered for its glamor and luxury.




					www.cnn.com


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 25, 2022)

Majestic Video Shows Why the F-22 Raptor Is Called the 'Definition Of Air Dominance'​Lockheed Martin talks about how its F-22 Raptor defines air dominance. It's easy to understand why as we take in the spectacular video below demonstrating some of the aircraft's nifty moves.
...


			Majestic Video Shows Why the F-22 Raptor Is Called the 'Definition Of Air Dominance'
		


Looks like you need to go here;
*View the original article to see embedded media.*


----------



## Stryder50 (Aug 26, 2022)

Fairly extensive listing of USAF aircraft inventory;
2021 USAF & USSF Almanac: Equipment​ 
June 30, 2021



> Total aircraft inventory; aircraft inventory trends; ICBM and satellite inventory; aircraft age; tail codes.




*Aircraft Total Active Inventory (TAI)*​*...








						2021 USAF & USSF Almanac: Equipment - Air Force Magazine
					

Total aircraft inventory; aircraft inventory trends; ICBM and satellite inventory; aircraft age; tail codes.




					www.airforcemag.com
				



*


----------



## westwall (Aug 28, 2022)

I picked up my Air Race credentials day before yesterday.  I think there are 6 of us who sport this wrist band


----------



## Stryder50 (Sep 9, 2022)

Another case of multi-uses ~ varied applications;
The history of the US Air Force private jet E-11A which has been called 'as essential to mission success as bullets'​








						The history of the US Air Force private jet E-11A which has been called 'as essential to mission success as bullets'
					

Bombardier produces the E-11A, the military version of the Global private jet. CEO Eric Martel said the company's defense arm could reach $1 billion in revenue.




					www.businessinsider.com


----------



## westwall (Sep 9, 2022)

The Jet pits are getting set up now.  Lots of work left to do before the races begin@


----------



## westwall (Sep 9, 2022)

Here are some views of the air race that most people never get to see.  These are from the main runway, and from the center where the wrecks are stored.


----------



## Stryder50 (Sep 25, 2022)

The Most Underrated US Combat Plane Of WW2​


----------



## Stryder50 (Sep 30, 2022)

Very interesting design lines, shape;
Jaw-dropping new supersonic plane could get from London to New York in 80 minutes


			Jaw-dropping new supersonic plane could get from London to New York in 80 minutes


----------



## westwall (Sep 30, 2022)

Stryder50 said:


> Very interesting design lines, shape;
> Jaw-dropping new supersonic plane could get from London to New York in 80 minutes
> https://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/new...he first pilot to take that thing supersonic.


----------



## westwall (Sep 30, 2022)

I just found this again after more than a few years lost in the maze.

Just a regular old F-86H pilots checklist.  Nothing too unusual, until you realize who's it was....


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## Stryder50 (Oct 18, 2022)

Some might know this.  Other might not.  And others might find some here that adds to what they knew.
High Wing Vs Low Wing Aircraft​


			High Wing Vs Low Wing Aircraft


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## Stryder50 (Dec 14, 2022)

Airlines Still Have Dress Codes for Passengers. Why?​Much has changed since the “golden age” of air travel—but the debate around “dressing up” remains.













						Airlines Still Have Dress Codes for Passengers. Why?
					

Much has changed since the "golden age" of air travel—but the debate around "dressing up" remains.




					www.afar.com


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## Stryder50 (Dec 30, 2022)

Title says it ...
What If the Nazis Had Actually Built the Horten HO-229 Jet Flying Wing?​ 
       The Horten Ho-229 has been the subject of more speculation and myths than any other World War II airplane.    












						What If the Nazis Had Actually Built the Horten HO-229 Jet Flying Wing?
					

The Horten Ho-229 has been the subject of more speculation and myths than any other World War II airplane.




					www.historynet.com


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