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Air Force Thunderbirds Encountered a ‘Scary Moment’ Last Summer

Charles Atkeison
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Air Force Thunderbirds Encountered a ‘Scary Moment’ Last Summer

NELLIS AFB, NV — An Air Force Thunderbirds jet was struck by a massive bird last summer, punching multiple holes in the fuselage and forcing the pilot to terminate a flight demonstration.

Major Michelle “Mace” Curran opened up on Monday about what she calls her scariest flight. A former F-16 Viper instructor pilot, her skills behind the stick helped her handle the jet in an emergency situation and land safely.

The Thunderbirds were performing a practice flight demonstration in Colombia, South America on July 12, 2019, when a bird hit her F-16C Fighting Falcon. Two fist-size holes punctured the port side of the aircraft.

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Air Force Major Michelle Curran discussed on February 10 about her scariest flight. (Charles Atkeison)

“Last year during our Friday practice in Colombia, I had a fairly major bird strike,” Curran, who at the time served as the opposing solo pilot, began to discuss in a post on social media. “There was no chance for me to see and avoid this bird.”

As Mace piloted her Thunderbird 6 jet behind the air show crowd, she caught a quick glimpse of the dark bird. She was about 2,000-feet high and traveling 450 knots when the strike occurred that afternoon.

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The pilot’s view camera shows the black bird prior to impact with Capt. Curran’s F-16 jet. (USAF)

“I saw a big flash of black go under my nose and heard and felt the impact.” she continued. “I immediately requested to terminate the practice and land. The jet handled normally and the engine didn’t falter.”

The jet touchdown back at its origination point and site of the air show in Rio Negro. Known as F-AIR Colombia Trade and Air Show, the Thunderbirds had arrived two days earlier as guests and the headline performers.

Once the jet was parked and the engine shut down, Mace described her shock when her crew chief climbed up the ladder to greet her. In his own shock and disbelief, her crew chief SSgt. Dylan Stefani broke the news that she had “two giant holes” in her jet.

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Last July’s bird strike created two fist-size holes above the nose gear on the F-16’s port side. (USAF)

Both Curran and Stefani then walked around the jet surveying every inch.

“We were all in disbelief that a bird could punch holes clean out of the aircraft,” Maj. Curran added. “The metal pieces were actually later found inside the jet.”

Later that afternoon, the Thunderbirds maintainers went to work with local Colombian military support to patch the holes using sheet metal. The maintainers later discovered feathers in the jet’s single engine prompting them to replace it.

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The twin holes were patched and the jet was flown back to the United States a few days later. (USAF)

“Everyone burned the midnight oil and I flew two shows in a spare jet,” she said. “(The pilots) might get all the attention, but the team behind us works miracles to make the shows happen.”

Today, Curran is an Air Force Major and will serve her second year with the Thunderbirds. She is also the team’s second female lead solo pilot in the team’s 66 year history.

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. He has flown with the Thunderbirds, and has interviewed Maj. Curran on two occasions. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

WATCH: Naval Reserve P2V Neptunes On the Move

Bill Walton
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WATCH: Naval Reserve P2V Neptunes On the Move

Peep Some Classic 1960s Maritime Patrol Action

Lockheed’s P2V Neptune was the nation’s long-range maritime patrol aircraft until well after the Lockheed P-3 Orion entered service. Naval Air Reserve squadrons operated the P2V/P-2 until 1984. Naval Air Reserve maritime patrol squadrons operated from the majority of Naval Air Stations (and many Air Force Bases when deployed) during the Cold War. The footage shot in this video is not of VP-8 ‘Tigers’ aircraft, nor does it depict Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point in Rhode Island though. The Air Station locations are actually NAS Brunswick in Maine and Kindley Field Air Force Base (AFB) in Bermuda. We’ll present our compelling evidence after you enjoy this silent but magnificent film of P2V-5Fs in action uploaded to YouTube by Periscope Film.

 [youtube id=”QsC0xL17c6k” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]

Based at Anacostia and Andrews

The inflight footage of the P2V-5F firing rockets, practicing drops, and rigging the merchant shipping traffic (and the Lightship Portland off the coast of Maine) is of a VP-661 P2V-5F BuNo 128379. The tail code LV belonged to VP-661 at that time. VP-661 (later VP-66) was part of a Naval Air Reserve Training Unit (NARTU) along with VP-662. VP-663 was functioning as a Replacement Air Group (RAG) for VP-661 and VP-662. All were split-based at NAS Anacostia and Naval Air Facility (NAF) Andrews.

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VP-661 P2V-5F Neptune. Image via baldur sveinsson

Reading Code

NAS Anacostia’s station tail code was 6A- seen on the tail of the Neptune (side number 204) being prepared for flight in the film. VP-661 remained a Naval Reserve squadron and eventually became VP-66 ‘Boxcars’ (1970-1971), ‘Flying Sixes’ (1971-1974), ‘Dicemen’ (1975-1980) and ‘Liberty Bells’ (1981-2006). VP-66 retained the LV tail code while flying from NAS Willow Grove in Pennsylvania. VP-662 and VP-663 were rolled into VP-66.

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VP-661 P2V-5F Neptune. Image via Baldur Sveinsson

Who and Where

Also seen on the ground while the VP-661 P2V-5Fs are preparing for their flights are P2V-5Fs assigned to VP-10 ‘Red Lancers’ (tail code LD) and VP-11 ‘Proud Pegasus’ (tail code LE), both active-duty squadrons based at NAS Brunswick. On the first approach to land in the footage, NAS Brunswick runway 1L is the assigned runway (now Brunswick Executive Airport). On the second approach to land, Kindley AFB runway 12 is the assigned runway (NAS Bermuda between 1970 and 1995- now LF Wade International Airport). If you’re a VP alum you can recognize them easily enough.

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NAS Brunswick in Maine. image via us navy

Those Reservists Got Around

The most likely scenario for the footage is a couple of VP-661 crews on their active duty rotations fly from NAS Anacostia to NAS Brunswick, refuel and maybe remain overnight (RON), and then fly on to Kindley in Bermuda. This was a fairly commonplace occurrence for Reserve crews during the early 1960s. VP-661 P2V-5F BuNo 128345 is depicted after arrival at Kindley AFB. The sharp-eyed among you will recognize the C-124 Globemaster II airlifter landing at Kindley AFB along with the WB-50D Superfortress, C-119 Flying Boxcar, T-33 Shooting Star, C-54 Skymaster, and C-47 Skytrain sitting on the ramp near the end of runway 12. The Kindley Theater is also seen in the footage.

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Kindley Field AFB in bermuda. image via Us navy

Some Very Rare Approaches Happened at SFO today

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Some Very Rare Approaches Happened at SFO today

Spotters were thrilled at the prospect of rare 01R arrivals

San Francisco International Airport is a spotters paradise. On most days, the wind blows from the northeast. Due to the runway configuration, jets arrive in close parallel on the ’28s’–both runway 28L and 28R while aircraft depart on a mix of the 28’s and runway 01L and 01R. Even on a typical day, the configuration makes for some exciting spotting and beautiful photos from Bayfront Park.

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An overview of SFO.

Occasionally when a weather system passes through the area, the flow is reversed where aircraft arrive on the 10’s with some departures from runway 19L and 19R. This means that large aircraft depart directly towards the hills just to the west of the airport. Departures on 19L and 19R only happen a few times a year. It is a rare treat. If you look on YouTube, you’ll see some exciting departure videos from the ’19’s’ including this one by WColby below.

The Holy Grail of Spotting at SFO Happened Today

One of the more rare events in all of aviation spotting happened again on Feb 9, 2020. Due to a strong storm that passed through the Bay area, winds were gusting out of the north (010 heading) at 30 knots gusting to 36 knots around 10am Pacific time today. With no ceiling and great visibility, that meant that the airport switched to arrivals on 01R.

For a period of about two hours, all arrivals took place on the rarely used arrival runway. Later aircraft used a mix of 01R and the 28’s for arrival as the winds shifted slightly and slowly subsided. Arrivals to this runway are challenging. Aircraft on approach align for a visual with the terrain from the hills sloping downward towards the runway. While it makes for great spotting, it is a pain for travelers. Since only a single arrival runway was in use for arrivals, it meant that the FAA implemented a flow control program that led to delays. Delays this afternoon were averaging over an hour on average. While we haven’t seen any videos posted yet from today’s arrivals (we’ll update this story when we do), here are a couple of videos from the last time that a significant number of aircraft arrived on 01R, way back in late 2014.

Night spotting of arrivals on 01R, thanks to our friend HorizontalRain

Awesome 30 minute compilation from 2014 by bayViation yay

Bonus: Low Swiss A340 evening arrival back in 2014 by bayViation yay

Incredible F4U Corsair Helmet Cam Footage

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Incredible F4U Corsair Helmet Cam Footage

The First Video We’ve Seen Of Helmet Cam Footage

One of our favorite videographer, Greg Jacek from Unique Photo and Video, returns to share F4U Corsair helmet cam footage. We love the 4k HD footage taken from the historic aircraft. Fly along with the 10th Corsair in formation at Thunder Over Michigan 2019.

This year’s airshow brought eleven F4U Corsairs from around the country to one location. Special Thanks to the Pilot and Wings of the North Museum for taking the camera along for a ride. Climb aboard and enjoy the ride in this exclusive F4U Corsair Helmet Cam footage.

About the F4U Corsair

The F4U Corsair began service in 1943 as a carrier based fighter/bomber for the United States Navy and Marines. Corsairs were deployed during World War II and later served in the Korean War. Chance Vought manufactured several variations of the Corsair, including the F4U-4 showcased in the video.

F4U Helmet Cam Footage
This was the second to last built at the Stratford, CT plant (prior to Vought-Sikorsky moving to Dallas, TX). It was flown frequently by the late Gerald Beck of Wahpeton, North Dakota (Mr. Beck died in summer 2007, current ownership is not known). The plane, formerly a Honduran fighter (FAH 610), was salvaged from the country by Earl Ware in 1981 and later sold to Mr. Beck who restored if over approximately a decade’s time. See above for F4U Corsair Helmet Cam footage.

The F4U-4 was an upgraded aircraft providing a more powerful 2,450 Horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800-18W Engine. The Corsair’s distinctive design traits include a substantial 13-foot propeller and angled folding wings for storage on aircraft carriers. The Wings of the North Air Museum, has complied a detailed history of the aircraft, be sure to check out their link below (wotn.org).

JetBlue Founder Has A New Airline Coming Soon. Where Will They Fly?

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JetBlue Founder Has A New Airline Coming Soon. Where Will They Fly?

The founder of JetBlue and Azul Airlines is back with another airline. David Neeleman is an airline start-up king. Over the course of his career, he has successfully started five successful airlines. Back in the early 1990s, Neeleman founded Morris Air. The airline was an improved copy of Southwest Airlines low cost model based out of Salt Lake City. The airline was so successful that Southwest purchased the airline in 1993, enabling significant Southwest to rapidly expand into the Rocky mountain market. As part of the transaction, Neeleman was contractually obligated to not work for a US competitor for 5 years. He went north to found WestJet in Canada. At the end of that expiration, he founded JetBlue in 2000. Neeleman then moved on to start Azul, connecting small Brazilian cities with quality low-cost service. Almost every concept he has tried has turned into a successful airline.

I wouldn’t bet against the Airline Startup King

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Breeze Airways founder David Neeleman

Now, Neeleman is headed back to the US to start a new airline. Although the odds of starting a successful airline in the US are stacked against him, one would be crazy to bet against the ‘airline startup king’. Working under the code-name “Moxy”, the airline was first rumored in 2018 as it placed an order for 60 Airbus A220-300s. This week, we learned more about the new airline. It will officially be called Breeze Airways. The airline will initially take delivery of former Azul Embraer 195s on lease to begin service. Over the next few years, the airline will convert to the A220-300, formerly known as the Bombardier C-Series jet.

No cities are official yet for Breeze Airways

Breeze Airways is still shrouded in mystery. We’ve heard tidbits that the airline will offer point to point service with a focus on high-quality service in a low cost offering. High quality service appears to be pat of the differentiator. The Associated Press has reported some intriguing facts about the airline. The airline has established a headquarters in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. The AP reports that tickets and a host of other services will be purchased via an app. We’ve also seen mentions that wifi will be free onboard and seat pitch will be generous, but the airline will still have ancillary fees like its low cost competitors.

The airline will offer direct service between underserved markets primarily from secondary cities and airports (sounds a little like a combination between Southwest and Allegiant). With its corporate headquarters near Salt Lake City, that opens up the possibility of an airport in the Utah region being the starting place for a hub.

With airline consolidation over the past decade, there has been tremendous consolidation in air service at formerly major hub airports. Former hub airports like Kansas City, St. Louis, Pittsburg, Cincinnati, San Antonio, New Orleans, Milwaukee, Colorado Springs, San Diego, and Cleveland all have gaps where Breeze could fly non-stop to markets currently only served through connections. Growing markets like northwest Arkansas, northeast Florida, Idaho, Teterboro (as an airline destination), Oklahoma City, and Raleigh-Durham also offer ripe opportunities for new non-stop service. Plus, there is even the possibility that Breeze could open up service to airports that currently have no airline service like Fort Worth’s Meacham airport or one of Chicago’s tertiary airports. It’s fun to speculate but we don’t have anything official yet. We’ll be sure to let you know when we hear an update.

100 Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Just Had One Amazing Week

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100 Year-Old Tuskegee Airman Just Had One Amazing Week

Colonel, now Brigadier General, Charles McGee is one of the last living Tuskegee Airmen. At 100 years old, he is a living legend of aviation and a national hero.

Charles McGee was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1919. When World War II kicked off, the United States realized that it would take the entire nation to push back Hitler and Imperial Japan. At the time, our nation’s military was segregated. After intense pressure, the US Army decided to train a small group of black men as aviators. McGee was one of the African American aviators trained by the US Army during World War II. He joined the 302nd Fighter Squadron in Italy in 1944. McGee flew the P-39Q Airacobra, P-47D Thunderbolt, and the P-51 Mustang.

McGee’s bravery shown through during the war. He flew 137 combat missions and scored an aerial victory against a Luftwaffe Fw-190. After the war, he continued to serve in the US Air Force. He served in the Korean War and Vietnam, eventually flying the F-4 Phantom. McGee retired as a Colonel in 1973 after amassing 409 combat sorties. Throughout his career, he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star.

McGee’s Best Week Ever Begins

At the youthful age of 100, McGee commenced a week of festivities that celebrated his century of service, his dedication to our nation and his humble and honorable impact on busting racial difficulties in our nation. He joyfully held a travel schedule that many people 50 years younger would have found challenging. In one week, he traveled to Miami, Florida for the Super Bowl, then he flew to DC for a flurry of activities.

1.) Colonel McGee Leads The Coin Toss at Super Bowl 54

On Feb 2, 2020, Charles McGee was honored in Miami as he was one of 4 World War II veterans who were all 100 years old. His age coincided with the NFL celebrating their hundredth season.

2.) President Trump Promotes McGee To Brigadier General

On Tuesday, Feb 4, 2020, President Trump officially promoted Col Charles McGee to the rank of Brigadier General. He was the first living centurion to receive a promotion to a one-star general. The ceremony was held in the Oval Office at the White House. It was officiated by President Trump.

3.) General McGee Honored At State Of The Union

In front of a national audience, now General McGee was honored with a standing ovation at the President’s State of the Union address. President Trump began with the story of McGee’s 13 year old great grandson who has dreams of attending the US Air Force Academy and then joining the newly-formed Space Force. He then stated that the young man wanted to follow in the foot steps of his great grandfather, none other than Brigadier General Charles McGee.

It was a touching moment of unity for our nation as one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen received a standing ovation with thunderous applause in the house chamber.

4.) NASA Honors General McGee

The next day, NASA hosted Gen McGee as they thanked him for his service and invited him to a Black History Month event. There he shared his wisdom from his time in service during a question and answer session. McGee provided fascinating stories of his service in World War II and his post-war career. The video is well worth the watch. It is posted below for you to see.

Hill AFB Airshow to Host Thunderbirds, F-35 Demo Team

Charles Atkeison
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Hill AFB Airshow to Host Thunderbirds, F-35 Demo Team

OGDEN, UTAH — One of the largest air shows in the United States will host the Air Force Thunderbirds and the F-35A Lightning II this summer at Hill Air Force Base.

The Warriors Over the Wasatch Air and Space Show is scheduled for June 27-28, 2020. The air show is free and open to public.

“We’re excited to host the Thunderbirds, the F-35 Demonstration Team, and all of the other military and civilian performers,” Col. Jon Eberlan, 75th Air Base Wing Commander at Hill AFB, said on Monday. “These events are important for our service’s recruiting efforts and affords us the opportunity to showcase the capabilities of our military.”

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The Air Force Thunderbirds conduct a practice performance in November 2019 at Nellis AFB. (USAF)

The Air Force Thunderbirds perform aerial maneuvers aboard six F-16C Fighting Falcon jets. They demonstrate tight precision flying by the diamond team, and the high-speed passes of the two solo jets.

The F-35A Demo Team will demonstrate the handling characteristics of America’s newest fifth-generation fighter. The team recently moved their home base to Hill’s 388th Fighter Wing.

“As the first Airmen to fly the F-35A operationally every day, we know what it can do,” Col. Steven Behmer, commander of the 388th Fighter Wing, added on Monday. “We’re excited to show off its power, speed, and maneuverability to audiences.”

The Army’s Golden Knights parachute team, and top civilian aerobatic pilots will also headline the popular air show. Rob Holland, Matt Younkin, Gary Rower, and more will perform a dizzying array of aerobatics each afternoon.

Hill AFB will use the two-day event to celebrate their 80th anniversary. Col. Eberlan noted the base’s rich history dating back to the weeks prior to America’s entrance into World War II.

“It’s an opportunity to say ‘thank-you’ to our community and the state of Utah for their loyal and continued support of our Airmen, our installation, and our mission.”

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

What’s Really New with the 777x?

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What’s Really New with the 777x?

Boeing recently completed its first test flight of the new 777X aircraft. The aircraft took off in Everett, Washington, and then made a four-hour journey around Washington State before landing in Seattle.

The largest twin engine airliner in the world, the aircraft is reportedly “awesome,” according to the test pilot. But what’s really new with the 777x ? And can it possibly save Boeing from its continuing troubles surrounding the MAX 737? 

New Wings (And Foldable Wingtips) 

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The 777-9 features foldable wingtips to increase the span of the wings while still fitting in existing 777-sized gates. Photo: Boeing

One of the highlighted features of the 777x, which is expected to be delivered to airlines next year, is the foldable wingtips. These make up for the new, carbon wings’ massive width. The wingtips fold while the aircraft is on the ground. Then, the pilot extends them before takeoff, increasing the wingspan from 212 feet (similar to what you see on previous 777 aircraft) to 235 feet. The increased wing size in flight improves aerodynamics, but the folding wingtips mean that the aircraft can still park easily in airlines’ current gates. 

New Engines

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The new GE9x engines are the largest engines ever put on a twin airliner. Photo: Dan Nevill from Seattle, WA, United States [CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)]

The 777x’s GE9X engines are the largest jet engines ever built. However, despite the huge size, the 777x will use 10 percent less fuel, produce 10 percent less emissions and offer 10 percent lower operating costs for airlines. The GE9X engines are the most fuel-efficient jet engine ever produced by GE Aviation on a per-pounds-of-thrust basis. Additionally, the engine is the quietest ever produced by GE. The aircraft will have a range of 8,383 nautical miles.

Cabin Updates and a New Passenger Experience

The twin-aisle cabins on the 777x will be based off the previous cabins seen in Boeing 777 and 787 Dreamliner aircraft, but four inches wider in size (due to reduced wall thickness) and with 16 percent larger windows. Windows will also be higher up by several inches, to allow for more light in the cabins. Business-class cabins come with the option for mechanical window shades and dimmable windows. Those features, though, will be up to the individual airlines purchasing the aircraft, of course.

Concave overhead bins allow for more headspace. Boeing also created the overhead bins to be easier to close, requiring, according to the manufacturer, 40 percent less effort. Boeing and GE also report the aircraft will deliver a quieter flying experience.

There are going to be two 777X variants, a 777-8X and 777-9X. The former will be able to fit approximately 375 travelers, while the latter will be able to fit approximately 425 passengers. 

Where Can You See the 777X in the Future?

Current 777X customers include All Nippon Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines. Emirates will receive the very first 777X. There are more than 300 total orders for the aircraft thus far, with the majority of those being from the Middle East-based airlines in the list above. But, orders have declined over the last year, with no new orders placed for the aircraft since March 2019.  It is important to note that no US airlines have signaled an intent to purchase the massive jet yet either.

Experts expect the buyers will introduce new first- and business-class products on the aircraft, including Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

Of course, Boeing will likely be under intense scrutiny as it tests and pushes out the 777X, to ensure there’s no repeat of the 737 MAX tragedies, particularly in light of leaked Boeing communications revealing less than stellar conduct. Additionally, Boeing did have some testing issues with the 777X, including a failed stress test and issues with GE’s new, largest-ever engine; Boeing partially hid details of the failed stress test.

However, for airlines looking for large jets, the 777X will soon be in a class of its own. Airbus is winding down the A380 program and not taking any additional orders. Boeing only builds the 747 in a freighter variant. And while the Airbus A350xwb is an option, it is similar in size to the 787-10 and 777-200 aircraft. When it finally rolls out, the 777-9X will be the largest commercial jet available. 

Five Perfect Football Flyovers To Get Ready For The Big Game

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Five Perfect Football Flyovers To Get Ready For The Big Game

America is getting ready for the Super Bowl. Flyovers before football games are becoming part of our nation’s past time.

We’ve posted before about some of the craziest flyovers that we’ve seen. A few of the flyovers we highlighted in the past were so low and so crazy that a few military pilots lost their wings. That’s not good or safe either! Since then though, there have been a number of flyovers that have been equally unique and awe inspiring. And the best part is that none of them were potentially unsafe or callous. A win for all. Check out our latest list of 5 Kick ass football flyovers as we celebrate Super Bowl 54 weekend.

The Largest NFL Flyover Ever

We’ve posted some amazing videos of flyovers. The Thunderbirds flying over the Super Bowl is always a treat. And back in 2016, we posted a story about the Blue Angels flying over Super Bowl 50 that was down right impressive. As amazing as fast jets flying over a game can be, this particular video is downright amazing.

Back in 2013, the Chiefs hosted a civilian aircraft flyover in support of the cure for Breast Cancer. The flyover was an attempt to break the world record for most aircraft to flyover over a stadium.

In the end, 42 aircraft flew over at precisely the end of the Star Spangled Banner. According to an article at Fox 4 Kansas City, aircraft from 17 states and the District of Columbia participated. It’s an unbelievable sight. You have to see it. Our only regret is that we wish we saw it live.

Rockin’ Guitar Solo and a Huge C-17 equals America

Football and flyovers. There’s nothing better to symbolize America, right? Well, this flyover is an attempt to one-up perfection. Guitar soloist Aidan Fisher is a 17 year old and one amazing guitar player. He played the national anthem solo in front of over 60,000 cheering fans at Cleveland Browns’ First Energy Stadium.

Precisely at the end of his unique rendition of the National Anthem, the massive C-17 flew over playing a perfect symphony to his final notes. If this doesn’t get you psyched for football…nothing will.

Unfortunately, Aidan’s killer riff didn’t result in a Browns victory. They lost to the Seahawks 32-28 in front of their home crowd..

We still have 3 more killer flyovers. This next one is the best timing of a flyover that we’ve ever seen.

Corona Scared? Man Kicked Off Flight For Wearing Gas Mask

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Corona Scared? Man Kicked Off Flight For Wearing Gas Mask

You can put this one in the ‘very weird’ file. A passenger on an American Airlines flight was removed on Thursday after boarding his flight with a military style gas mask.

American Airlines later tweeted that they “worked with local officials to address the issue.” We’re guessing that it probably means that they removed the man from the flight.

Corona Virus is no joke

Beyond poor choices in safety gear, the flu-like Corona virus is leading to some unprecedented ripple effects in the aviation industry. American Airlines, Delta Airlines, and United are all suspending flights to mainland China in response the growing crisis. Outside of war or governmental instability, there has never been a suspension of service to an entire nation on this scale.

In addition, the United States government has banned any foreign national from entering the US if they have traveled within China over the previous 14 days. In addition, any US citizen who traveled within China will face a health inspection upon return and be asked to self-quarantine for 14 days after arrival. The State Department has advised citizens to avoid all travel to China based on the risk of contracting the Corona virus.

While US carriers have suspended air service to/from China due to safety concerns but foreign carriers are still allowed to fly into the US from China. Beginning Sunday Feb 2nd, carriers will be restricted to just 7 US airports who will have additional screening technology available. They include Seattle, New York’s Kennedy, Chicago O’Hare, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Honolulu. While we don’t have confirmation yet, it is assumed that flights to secondary US cities like San Jose, California or Boston from China will either be suspended or diverted.

Military Aircraft to Provide Security During Super Bowl LIV

Charles Atkeison
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Military Aircraft to Provide Security During Super Bowl LIV

MIAMI, Fla. — A pair of Air National Guard units will work with NORAD and Homeland Security on Sunday as they keep a watchful eye on the sky during Super Bowl LIV. 

Two Florida Air National Guard 125th Fighter Wing F-15C Eagles based at Tyndall AFB will patrol the region during Super Sunday. Meanwhile, it will be the job of a KC-135R Stratotanker from McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base in Tennessee to keep the two jets fueled.

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A F-15D EAGle participates in Super Bowl LIV Air Defender Media Day at Homestead ARB, Fla. (ANG)

A pair of UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters assigned to the Customs and Border Protection are already on patrol. The Black Hawks are patrolling the area around Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens and the nearby coastline, including Bayfront Park.

“While there is no specific or credible threat to the Super Bowl, it is an extremely high risk and iconic American event,” Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said on Wednesday. “Not only does an event of this nature lend itself as a possible target for violent actors and potential terrorists, but it’s also an attractive destination for human trafficking activity and the sell of counterfeit goods.”

Homeland Security also reminded the public of the no-drone policy around the Super Bowl region. The FAA has issued several NOTAM‘s for the region effective January 31 to February 2, for aircraft pilots.

“We ask the public respect the no-drone zone and temporary flight restrictions this weekend,” Wolf added. “Those who knowingly use drones unlawfully will be prosecuted.”

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A KC-135R Stratotanker from McGhee Tyson ANGB refuels a Tyndall AFB F-15C Eagle on Wednesday. (ANG)

The Navy and Marines will be well represented during the traditional pregame flyover as the National Anthem concludes. Four jets are scheduled to fly in close formation above Hard Rock Stadium.

MCAS Beaufort pilot Maj. Adam Wellington will fly a F-35B Lightning II in the fourth position. He will join a Navy F-35C, a Navy F/A-18E Super Hornet; and Navy pilot Lt. Taylor Burgart Jr of Washington’s VAQ-129 will fly a EA-18G Growler during the Super Bowl flyover at about 6:26 p.m. EST.

Super Bowl LIV is set to kick-off on Sunday at 6:33 p.m. EST. The San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs will play for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)

This Huge RC United DC-8 Looks Like The Real Thing

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This Huge RC United DC-8 Looks Like The Real Thing

DC-8 Model is a functioning flying machine that looks goregeous

At Avgeekery, we’re suckers for a good airplane model. We love it even better when we see a model that actually flies. Add in real jet engines and our minds are blown.

If you’ve ever built a model (either as a kid or later in life), you’ll have a healthy appreciate for how difficult it is to make an accurate representation of a real jet. Glueing the parts and painting the plane in the exact paint scheme is incredibly difficult. Most of the models we’ve built come with smudges in the paint and landing gear that has to be repaired before even putting in on a shelf. Now let’s take a look at this DC-8 under this lens.

Not only does the model look beautiful but it is actually a large-scale model flying machine. That means that every control surface is functional. There are real model-scale jet engines too. The wing is crafted in such a way to be aerodynamically effective. The landing gear stows similar to the real Diesel 8 and the thing stores enough fuel for the demonstration flight. Plus it has all the required electronics and wiring to permit RC flight. It truly is a work of art mixed with engineering precision.

The video is filmed by Dom Mitchell for the ‘Essential RC‘ YouTube channel. Be sure to check it out and give a like to the film. If you are interested in learning more about RC modeling, you can join their Facebook group here.

About the real DC-8

United DC 8 photo
A United DC-8 in las Vegas. Photo by: Guido Allieri – Italy [GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)]

The real DC-8 family was Douglas Aircraft response to Boeing’s famous 707. As the first large jet by Douglas, it permitted coast-to-coast and international flight at speeds much higher than the more common propellor driven airliners of the day. The DC-8 first flew with United in 1960. A total of 556 airframes were produced.

While the DC-8 sold less total aircraft than Boeing’s 707, the airplane was particularly robust. The aircraft was built like a tank, very sturdy with expansion in mind. The early ‘short’ DC-8s like the DC-8-21 were good aircraft. The first DC-8s used gas-guzzling turbojet engines. Later versions of the jet incorporated turbofan engines. One advantage of the DC-8 aircraft versus the 707 was that the DC-8 sat higher on the ground than the 707. This allowed it to both accept engine modifications and permit some significant growth of the fuselage, eventually resulting in the stretch DC-8-72 powered by CMF-56 engines–the similar to Boeing 737-300 jets. Because of the DC-8’s robust design, the DC-8 operations far outlasted the venerable Boeing 707.

United eventually retired the DC-8 ‘stretch’ in 1991. Many ex-United DC-8s lumbered on in the freight industry for another 20+ years, finally retiring from cargo carriers like ATI and UPS between 2008 and 2015.

Below is video of a United ‘stretch’ DC-8-71 on pushback from San Jose International Airport back in 1983. It was shared on Youtube by Ryan Bomar.

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