Aircraft and Aviation Theme

smoke665 · Oct 29, 2017

SCraig said:
The Navy determined the cause to be pilot error, of course. They claimed evidence pointed to the fact that while performing a Split-S he was too low, too fast, and failed to disengage the afterburners (even though his radio traffic showed that he did) causing him to run out of altitude.

Wasn't there something about claiming he was a hero, because he chose to fly it away from an apartment complex and crash, rather than eject and let it go?

The margin for error for these guys is almost below measurement, because of the precision required for their aerobatics.

SCraig · Oct 29, 2017

smoke665 said:
Wasn't there something about claiming he was a hero, because he chose to fly it away from an apartment complex and crash, rather than eject and let it go?

There was a mention that he delayed ejecting until he was sure it wasn't going to hit a nearby apartment complex, an action that left him in a position to low for a successful ejection. I don't know whether he said that over the radio or whether it was supposition on someone's part. I like to think it was true.

An F-14 went down here in January, 1996. It impacted 3 or 4 miles from my house and the entire area is solid subdivisions, schools, shopping malls, apartment complexes, etc. I remember clearly that it was solid overcast that day. They took off at BNA and a minute or so later came back through the overcast the wrong way. They stayed with the airplane and managed to hit one house in an area of solid people. They probably could have ejected, the WSO certainly had time, but apparently chose to stay with the airplane and probably saved a dozen lives.

The margin for error for these guys is almost below measurement, because of the precision required for their aerobatics.

Absolutely true. It amazes me when I watch the precision with which they fly. That opposing pass photo I posted was probably at 1,000 kt closure and they each started an aileron roll as soon as they were canopy-to-canopy. And they do it every day. That's why I have such a hard time believing this pilot misjudged a simple split-s by that much. It just isn't supposed to happen. But I wasn't there either, and feces most assuredly does occur from time to time.

davidharmier60 · Oct 29, 2017

An F-16 out of Ellington crashed in )I think mid 90s) it was said if the APU had started he could have made it. But being an electric jet if you don't have power bye bye.

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Dean_Gretsch · Nov 2, 2017

Some RC enthusiasts

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Dean_Gretsch · Nov 17, 2017

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davidharmier60 · Nov 18, 2017

I was watching Chicago airport on YouTube. It reminded me of something.
Would have been somewhere around 1970.
We were flying out of Ohare. We were in a long line of airplanes. I had a window seat.
A plane would go by fast. Then one would go by slow. They we would move a bit.
When we got to the hold short line I could see the same thing on the crossing runway.
It was really something to see!

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davidharmier60 · Nov 21, 2017

Another memory. Came home from Florida on a DC-9. We landed on a West runway with a northern blowing in. We came within a foot or two of grounding the portside wingtip. Fun.

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davidharmier60 · Nov 25, 2017

4 pieces of BAD A$$ mofos!

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davidharmier60 · Nov 25, 2017

Pretty bad a$$ its own self....

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zulu42 · Dec 7, 2017

Didn't know today would be a lucky day.

This is an ultra-rare Howard 500. One of only two currently flying. Of course, this guy owns them both, along with four parts airplanes.

Naturally, I only had about two minutes to take a look, and only my phone camera, but, here is a couple of snaps! I'll add more later as I go through the pictures.