Tough times call for drastic measures. We came across this video of a RyanAir 737-800 struggling to land at London Stansted Airport during Winter Storm Doris.
In the video, you can see the pilot struggling with both a crosswind and gusty winds. On the approach, the pilot appears to flare but then float as he or she was caught in a gust. The pilot then surprisingly deploys the thrust reversers and plants the plane on the ground. That’s not normal.
What’s wrong with landing this way?
Deploying the thrust reversers prior to touchdown isn’t a very smart way to fly the plane. A good pilot should always be ready to go around. It’s much safer to attempt a second landing than to try to salvage a bad one. In this case, the pilot took advantage of 737 logic that allows the thrust reverser to deploy if the radar altimeter senses less than 10ft of altitude. The landing was relatively uneventful and the pilot and those on board were no worse for the wear.
But what if the gust of wind that he or she corrected for didn’t dissipate but instead grew stronger? By deploying the TRs, the pilot had no choice but to commit to the landing. The TRs would take way too long to stow to accomplish a safe go around in a majority of cases. TR deployment equals total and full commitment to land…full stop.
The video was filmed by ElliotL- CBGSpotterHD. Elliot is an avgeek and spotter with some brilliant videos. Be sure to check out his other work.
No Fuel to Spare, But They Eeked Out a Record That Still Stands.
On 27 February 1947, Colonel Robert E. Thacker (pilot) and Lieutenant John M. Ard (copilot) took off from Hickam Field on Oahu, Hawaii and headed east. Their aircraft, Betty Joe, a P-82B Twin Mustang Air Force serial number 44-65168, landed 14 hours, 31 minutes, and 50 seconds later at La Guardia Field in New York. The flight covered 5,051 miles (8,129 kilometers) and averaged 347.5 miles (559.2 kilometers) per hour.
About That Still-Standing Record
Betty Joe did not stop. Betty Joe did not refuel. Betty Joe took off with a total of 1,816 gallons of fuel and used nearly every drop of it to complete the flight. Thacker and Ard’s flight is still the longest non-stop flight by a piston engine fighter and the fastest flight from Hawaii to New York by a piston engine aircraft. The flight might have been completed in even less time had the pilot jettisoned his empty drop tanks after he drained them as planned!
Genesis of the Twin Mustang
Looking like nothing so much as a pair of P-51H Mustangs joined at the hip or some Photoshopped apparition, the P-82 was originally developed during World War II to fulfill the need for a very long-range escort fighter for B-29s that would be raiding Japan. The design had just barely gotten off the ground when the war ended. The prototype was completed on 25 May 1945. The first flight of the XP-82 was on 26 June 1945.
Image via USAF
The Rare Merlin-Powered Twin Mustang
Oddly enough, initial production P-82s were powered by the Mustang’s Rolls Royce Merlin engine but the remaining production aircraft were all powered by the lower-horsepower Allison V-1710. The Merlin-powered Twin Mustangs eventually became trainers, which meant that P-82 trainers were faster and performed better at altitude than the subsequent Allison-powered production aircraft.
Image via USAF
Deadheading and Scoping the Snoopers
All P-82s became F-82s when the newly-formed United States Air Force changed the P-for-pursuit designation prefix to the F-for-fighter designation prefix on 11 June 1948. Later production aircraft were not equipped with full cockpits and dual controls as the prototype and early variants were. A radar operator occupied the right cockpit in radar-equipped F-82s.
Into Service with SAC First
The F-82E was the first F-82 model to reach operational status in March of 1948, with Strategic Air Command’s 27th Fighter Wing at Kearney Air Force Base in Nebraska. With range and performance that would allow them to escort bombers attacking Russia all the way to the target and back the 27th FW deployed to support air defense and long-range escort missions envisioned due to tensions around the Berlin Airlift. In early 1949, the 27th FW began flying long-range escort mission profiles. Missions from Kearney AFB to Mexico, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and nonstop to Washington D.C were all flown.
Image via USAF
For the Rest of the Twin Mustang Tale Bang NEXT PAGE Below.
It Only Took 94 Hours in the Air and More Than 23,000 Miles on the Odometer!
On 26 February 1949 the Boeing B-50A-5-BO Superfortress, Air Force serial number 46-010, named “Lucky Lady II” took off on what was to become the first non-stop around-the-world flight.
Lucky Lady II. Image via Life
That’s Almost 4 Days in the Air!
United States Air Force Captain James G. Gallagher and his crew (including two additional pilots and twice the normal crew complement) departed Carswell Air Force Base in Fort Worth, Texas at 1221 local time and headed east. The Lucky Lady II returned to Carswell 94 hours and one minute later (on 2 March 1949) after flying a total distance of 23,452 miles.
Lucky Lady II refueling. Image via USAF
Slow Bomber Back to Carswell
The Lucky Lady II was a standard B-50A of the 63rd Bomb Squadron, 43rd Bombardment Group and was equipped with the normal B-50A defensive armament consisting of 12 50 caliber machine guns. The bomber did carry an additional fuel tank in its bomb bay to provide additional range. Even with the extra fuel capacity, the B-50 was refueled in midair four times by KB-29 tankers during the mission. Flown primarily at altitudes between 10,000 feet and 20,000 feet, the first non-stop circumnavigation of the planet averaged only 249 miles per hour! ground speed.
The Brass Roll Out the Welcome Back
Strategic Air Command’s commander Lieutenant General Curtis LeMay greeted the Lucky Lady II upon its return to Carswell. Other dignitaries at Carswell for the historic event included Secretary of the Air Force W. Stuart Symington, Air Force Chief of Staff General Hoyt S. Vandenberg, and Major General Roger M. Ramey, commander of the Eighth Air Force. The significance of the event was not lost on LeMay, who took advantage of the opportunity to remark that the Air Force (and of course Strategic Air Command) could now be based entirely in the continental United States and still attack any place in the world that “required the atomic bomb.”
Lucky Lady II after record-setting flight. Image via Life
Record-Setting Crew
For the record-setting flight of the Lucky Lady II, Captain Gallagher was the aircraft commander. 1st Lieutenant Arthur M. Neal was the relief pilot. Captain James H. Morris was copilot. Captain Glenn E. Hacker and 1st Lieutenant Earl L. Rigor were the navigators. 1st Lieutenant Ronald B. Bonner and 1st Lieutenant William F. Caffrey operated the radar. Captain David B. Parmalee was the project officer for this flight and flew as the chief flight engineer. The crew flight engineers were Technical Sergeant Virgil L. Young and Staff Sergeant Robert G. Davis. Technical Sergeant Burgess C. Cantrell and Staff Sergeant Robert R. McLeroy operated the radios. Handling the guns were Technical Sergeant Melvin G. Davis and Staff Sergeant Donald G. Traugh Jr. The Lucky Lady II’s crew was showered with awards including the National Aeronautic Association’s Mackay Trophy and the Air Force Association’s Air Age Trophy. Each crew member also received the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Republic’s Thunderchief Made the Most of 27 Memorable Years in Service.
On 25 February 1984, the Air Force Reserve’s 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron, a part of the 508th Tactical Fighter Wing, made the last operational fight of the Republic F-105D Thunderchief or Thud. The flight occurred 19 years nearly to the day after the F-105 saw its combat debut in Vietnam and a little bit less than 27 years after the F-105 was first accepted for service by the United States Air Force. Air Force Thuds sure packed a lot of service into those 27 years.
F-105D. Image via USAF
Heavyweight Champion
Weighing in at a whopping 50,000 pounds (23,000 kilograms) when it entered service the Thunderchief was the largest single-seat single-engine combat aircraft in history. The F-105 could move at supersonic speeds at sea level and at Mach 2 speeds at altitude. The “Thud” was capable of regularly carrying 14,000 pounds of ordnance and was armed with a 20 millimeter Vulcan Gatling gun.
F-105D. Image via USAF
What’s In a Name?
Without realizing just how effective a weapon the Air Force had in the F-105 yet, derisive nicknames such as “Lead Sled”, “Squat Bomber”, “Hyper Hog”, and “Ultra Hog” were hung on the F-105. It was even said that the Thud was a triple threat in that it could bomb you, it could strafe you, or it could fall on you. Sarcasm aside, the F-105’s strengths, such as its electronics suite and its capabilities, highly responsive controls, and its hair-raising performance, eventually made believers out of pilots who flew the big jet.
Early F-105B. Image via USAF
Another Advanced Century-Series Design Waiting on a Suitable Engine
Initial F-105 prototypes did not perform as expected in part because of aerodynamic inefficiencies like trans-sonic drag in the fuselage design. This led to a redesign of the fuselage with an area ruled “coke bottle” profile similar to that found on the Convair F-102 Delta Dagger and the later F-106 Delta Dart, both of which experienced similar performance improvements after initial models were found to have similar trans-sonic drag issues. The performance of the F-105B was also vastly improved due to the distinctive forward-swept variable-geometry air intakes which regulated airflow to the engine at supersonic speeds and, when eventually installed, the Pratt & Whitney J75 afterburning engine.
Fast Out of the Gate But High-Maintenance Too
Entering service with Tactical Air Command’s 335th Tactical Fighter Squadron in August of 1958 and becoming fully operational in 1959, an F-105B set a world record of 1,216.48 miles per hour (1,958 kilometers per hour). While proven to be quick in the air, maintenance requirements slowed the F-105 to a crawl on the ground, requiring up to 150 hours of maintenance for each flying hour.
Thunderbirds F-105B. Image via USAF
Short Season With the Thunderbirds
For the 1964 show season, the United States Air Force Flight Demonstration Team, otherwise known as the Thunderbirds, modified F-105Bs with fuselage and wing reinforcements, added a smoke generation system. Tragically they flew only six performances with the F-105B before a fatal accident led the team to revert to the F-100 Super Sabre as their show aircraft.
Want proof that you are getting old? The DC-9 is over a half-century old.
Today marks the 52nd birthday for the beloved “Diesel” -9 jet. Back in 1965, Douglas powered up the twin-engine short haul jet for the very first time at Long Beach Airport. The DC-9 took to the skies with the promise of the jet flight comforts on shorter regional flights.
The original DC-9 was a series -10 aircraft. Short and stubby, the first 90 seat passenger jet would be delivered to Delta Air Lines in December of that year. Delta operated the jet until 1993. They later inherited another fleet of DC-9-50s from the Northwest Merger. The final Delta DC-9 flight was flown in 2013.
The DC-9 fleet grew with the -15/-20/-30/-40 and -50 versions each increasing maximum performance and loads. The DC-9 family later gave birth to the MD-80, MD-90 and 717 versions. A total of 976 DC-9s were built with the last original DC-9 produced in 1982.
Even today, there are a few US operators of the original “Diesel” 9 fleet. US Jets and Kalitta Charters both operate small fleets of the elderly jet.
The National World War II (WWII) Museum in New Orleans covers all aspects of WWII. It emphasizes the personal dimensions of combat, often told through first-hand combat accounts of soldiers, sailors, Marines, as well as seen by politicians and civilians.
Still, no account of WWII is complete without recognizing the aircraft that were instrumental (or infamous) throughout the theaters of combat, and the WWII Museum is no exception. Although, unlike any other museum I have visited, all of their aircraft are suspended—none are simply sitting on display.
The First aircraft encountered is a C-47 (military DC-3) Skytrain, the workhorse of the allied forces, carrying and dropping supplies and troops, and towing troop-carrying gliders.
The C-47 above the museum lobby, viewed from the second level inside the Louisiana Memorial Pavilion.
In the Campaigns of Courage building, visitors follow the roads to Berlin and Tokyo. On the road to Berlin, visitors encounter a Bf-109 (commonly known as the ME-109). Designed by Willy Messerschmitt (hence ME-109), it was built by the Bayerische Flugzeugwerke and therefore officially designated as the Bf-109.
While on the road to Tokyo, a restored P-40 Curtiss Warhawk seems to roar overhead in a low attack profile.
Most Museum aircraft are displayed in the US Freedom Pavilion: The Boeing Center. This multi-story building is about twice the height of other museum buildings. Despite the height, viewing aircraft is very easy, and close-up views are easy from three catwalks at different levels. The fourth-floor catwalk provides some impressive views of all aircraft on display.
On display are:
The North American P-52 Mustang, “Bunnie.”
A Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber, dive brakes extended.
A Vought F-4U Corsair.
A Boeing B-17E “My Gal Sal.”. There really is no place to stand to get a photo of the entire aircraft without a wide-angle lens. Photos taken from the fourth-floor catwalk.
The North American B-25 Mitchell Bomber—the same type of aircraft featured in “30 Seconds Over Tokyo,” launched from the USS Hornet aircraft carrier. The B-25 exterior gun mounts are shown below.
Grumman TBM Avenger Torpedo Bomber
There are many aircraft not yet represented in the museum’s collection, but the collection is almost certain to grow over the years and space and funding increase. Perhaps a reason to return in a few years.
If You Lose Your Focus on the Flight Deck for Even a Second, You Can Wind Up as a Training Moment
The video starts with Carrier Air Wing 8 flight operations on the flight deck of the USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). According to the flight deck camera time, it is 03:40:57 in the morning of 20 February 1991. The carrier was one of several carriers launching air strikes in support of US and Coalition forces engaged on the ground during Operation Desert Storm in the Gulf War at the time. In just 15 seconds, a completely avoidable accident involving an Intruder‘s engine intake nearly takes the life of a trainee and downs an operational aircraft for weeks.
Working on a carrier deck is serious business
A VA-65 Fighting TigersGrumman A-6E Intruder is undergoing final safety checks in preparation for the cat shot. In the video, a catapult crewman is processing the hookup process. He ensures that the Intruder’s launch bar is seated in the catapult shuttle. He then signals the catapult operator to take tension on the launch bar against the holdback bar. This step in the catapult launch process occurs several seconds before the pilot of the aircraft is signaled to throttle his engines up for launch. The point is that the A-6E’s engines are not operating at (or even near) military (full) power at the time.
Image via US Navy
It is the next step in the launch process for a quality control inspector to examine the catapult shuttle, launch bar, and holdback bar after the catapult crewman signals for tension on the catapult to ensure that all the parts involved in the launch process are mechanically and structurally ready for the cat shot. If the quality control inspector finds something unsafe or requiring adjustment, the entire hookup process is done over again. Conversely, if the inspector does not find anything, the launch process proceeds to the next step, which in this case would be increasing engine power and doing the control surfaces check.
Image via US Navy
Then things went very wrong
But inexplicably, just after the catapult crewman completes the hookup process and exits the area, 21-year-old Petty Officer and flight deck trainee John David Bridges goes to check the position of the catapult shuttle and holdback bar. Bridges does not crouch down as necessary when operating on the flight deck around the intakes on the aircraft preparing for catapult launch – especially Intruder aircraft. Bridges is standing more or less straight up as he enters the critical zone in front of the port side engine intake on the Intruder. What follows is still used as a training tool for all flight deck crew members. We apologize for making you leave the story to view the video, but it’s required reading. (the YouTube uploader changed the settings for the clip after we published the story)
How did he survive?
Bridges is sucked into the port intake of the Intruder at 03:41:11. His flight deck “cranial” helmet, goggles, float coat, and other personal equipment are sucked off his body and ingested into the jet engine, resulting in the massive flame coming from the exhaust. The catapult officer (Shooter) immediately moves to the port side of the aircraft and signals the pilot to shut down his engines. The pilot, having heard the engine receive heavy foreign object damage (FOD) himself, has likely already begun that process.
Luck Or Design of the A-6 Intruder?
What, you may ask, happened to Bridges? Consider for a moment the design of the Intruder. The aircraft has a relatively high wing, low-slung engines mounted forward on the airframe, and intakes that are mounted only a short height above the flight deck. Seemingly a recipe for disaster, correct? Or at the very least the end of Bridges, right? Not so fast!
What saved Petty Officer Bridges that morning in the Gulf was the internal design of the Intruder intakes and the Pratt & Whitney J-52 engines that power the aircraft.
When mounted in the Intruder, the J-52 has a large cone that protrudes in front of the engine and the first stage compressor fan blades. Those blades, and the hundreds of others behind, would almost certainly have killed Bridges had he made contact with them. But when his “cranial” helmet, goggles, float coat, flashlight, and most likely every other piece of gear he had on him were sucked into the engine before him, the engine was practically destroyed. It was still spinning, in large part due to centrifugal force by the time Bridges reached the engine itself. What really saved him was that he was fortuitously wedged between that engine nose cone and the side of the engine intake.
Image via US Navy
Bridges must have been the luckiest guy on an aircraft carrier
Bridges survived the accident. After roughly three minutes, he was able to extricate himself from the intake once the engine spun down and came to a stop. Understandably reassigned after the ordeal, he received minor injuries and one humongous headache. Other personnel who were onboard the Roosevelt at the time have said that because Bridges’ arm went into the intake first, it was his arm that caused him to get wedged as he was. Whatever the reason, Bridges may be the recipient of the world’s luckiest wedgie!
ATC is safe and handles tens of thousands of flight daily. But upgrades move at a glacial speed. Is it time to fix ATC?
Fixed how, you might ask. The answer is to be separated from the FAA. Notice that I did not use the word “privatize” in the title. There’s a reason for that. For one, the word privatize has become a pejorative and hackles immediately go up whenever the word is used in relation to a government entity. Secondly, the word doesn’t accurately describe the changes that should be implemented to make our Air Traffic Control (ATC) system more efficient, less costly, and yes, safer.
The idea of separating the FAA’s air traffic control system into a separate entity comes up every few years and seems to get batted about by the usual suspects making the usual arguments and then put away until the next putative reformer brings the subject up again. That may indeed be the case with our new administration and Congress, but somehow I feel that this time may be different.
And make no mistake, there are some very entrenched interests who like things just the way they are. Much of this sentiment is simply fear that when a large change is made, certain constituencies will lose out at the expense of others. These are valid concerns and should be addressed to allay fears and reassure all parties that the result will be beneficial, or at least neutral in cost to all players. But so far, 87 countries worldwide have already separated their air traffic control services from government to include Canada, New Zealand and Australia, none of them particularly bastions of unfettered capitalism. It’s time we did as well.
The Advantages
There is no natural order in the universe that states US Air Traffic Control services must be organized under the FAA. The idea that ATC services are too safety sensitive to not be under direct government control falls flat. After all, the airplanes which are themselves being controlled are built, flown, and maintained largely by private individuals or privately owned corporations.
We allow private corporations to build and operate nuclear power stations, railroads, harbors, power grids, and now even space programs. All these operations are still closely regulated by their respective government regulatory agencies as would any separate ATC entity, but many organizational and financial advantages would accrue to a private or government owned ATC corporation.
Placing ATC operations into a corporation separate from a federal agency will allow for a much needed agility in the modernization of our air traffic infrastructure. The FAA has been trying for decades to modernize its ATC services and has succeeded only in spending billions of taxpayer dollars with little to show. Programs with names like the Advanced Automation System and NextGen instituted by laws such as AIR-21 and Vision 100 have proven efficient only in their ability to squander oceans of money.
Having ATC services in a separate organization funded by user fees would allow more predictability in budgeting rather than having managers expending resources on political concerns such as sequestration and appropriations. Separating an operational organization from a regulatory agency is also a better management model which helps prevent regulatory capture by operational concerns. Having access to private capital markets would assist in the finance of long term infrastructure as opposed to the current method of political salesmanship.
The Roadblocks
In virtually every attempt at modernization, political considerations inevitably make any progress difficult or impossible to achieve. Questions about who would end up funding the new ATC organization have made each of the players skeptical of a major overhaul. Each of the major users of our ATC system want to make sure that they don’t pay more under any reorganization. And considering that each group feels that other groups aren’t paying their fair share, reform has been difficult.
The FAA is funded mainly through excise taxes on things like passenger tickets and fuel and not through usage fees. The airlines, which purchase the lion’s share of fuel and carry the most passengers therefore paying the most excise tax, feel that general aviation (GA) and business aviation users consume more ATC services than they pay for. They would like to see the funding mechanism converted into a user fee structure. GA users, who are more numerous and generally well-heeled and politically active, resist these efforts through the activities of groups like the Airplane Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA). Business aviation users fall somewhere in the middle of these two groups but are generally opposed to ATC separation from the FAA for fear that the airlines would dominate such an organization.
Labor Concerns
Federal Aviation Administration Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (Wikipedia Commons)
Any new ATC entity will have to address the concerns of all these groups but must also deal with the concerns of controllers themselves who will feel threatened by any move away from the government umbrella of federal wage rules and federal pensions. Their concerns are valid in that any new ATC entity would certainly employ efficiencies and invest in automation systems which could eventually reduce the numbers of controllers needed to operate the system.
Controllers’ unions must be reassured that their members will not suffer financial penalties in the short term. They must also realize, however, that like pilots, their jobs are ripe for the application of automation and that controller ranks will be reduced over time regardless of who is writing their paychecks. Other operational efficiencies can only help their cause by reducing overall costs.
In Conclusion
An ATC system which is separate from a stodgy and politically reactive agency such as the FAA will have a more stable and reliable source of funding allowing capital improvements to be made without the usual red tape. Badly needed modernization will result in a safer national airspace system due to the deployment of the latest technologies available in the most expeditious manner possible.
A separate agency free of political interference will also be more amenable to fostering a customer centric culture which can then concentrate on a primary goal of service and avoids conflicts of interest with the FAA’s primary regulatory functions. Lastly, representation of all major users and labor in the governance of a new and separate ATC organization would ensure that all interested parties have a seat at the table while avoiding the political paralysis of the current system.
These Were the First Raids on the Home Islands Since the Doolittle Raid Nearly Three Years Before
Between the 16th and 17th of February 1945, US Navy Task Force 58 conducted the first carrier-based strikes against the Japanese home islands since the Doolittle Raid in April of 1942. The raids were intended to destroy as many Japanese aircraft as possible to prevent their interference with the invasion of Iwo Jima in the Bonin Islands, which lies only about 760 miles from Tokyo. Operation Detachment was scheduled for the 19th of February 1945. Airfields, aircraft manufacturing, and aircraft support facilities were also selected for targeted attention by Task Force 58.
The Varsity
For these historic strikes, Task Force 58 consisted of the fleet carriers Saratoga (CV-3), Enterprise (CV-6), Essex (CV-9), Yorktown (CV-10), Hornet (CV-12), Randolph (CV-15), Lexington (CV-16), Bunker Hill (CV-17), Wasp (CV-18), Hancock (CV-19), and Bennington (CV-20). Light carriers San Jacinto (CVL-23), Belleau Wood (CVL-24), Cowpens (CVL-25), Langley (CVL-27), and Cabot (CVL-28) rounded out the carrier force. Escorted by one battle cruiser, five heavy cruisers, nine light cruisers, and 77 destroyers, Task Force 58 was considerably larger and carried more firepower than the vast majority of the other navies on the planet at the time all by itself. The overall force was broken down into five smaller Task Groups, designated Task Groups 58.1 through 58.5.
Image via US Navy
Fighter-Heavy Air Group Composition
Air Group composition on each of the Essex-class carriers was heavily biased toward fighter aircraft thanks to the threat of Japanese Kamikaze attacks on the task force. Operating in such close proximity to the Japanese home islands was risky for the carriers and swarming Kamikaze attacks were anticipated. Therefore, the Air Groups on each of the fleet carriers consisted of a minimum of 72 fighter aircraft. The remaining capacity of the Essex-class carriers (roughly 30 more aircraft each) was split between the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bombers and Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers.
Image via US Navy
What’s in a Number?
Only a few days earlier the force had been designated Task Force 38. Whenever Admiral William “Bull” Halsey commanded the force it was designated Task Force 38. When Admiral Marc “Pete” Mitscher commanded the force it was designated Task Force 58. Admiral Raymond Spruance, commander of the entire Fifth Fleet, was also present, using the cruiser Indianapolis (CA-35) as his flagship.
Image via US Navy
Stealth 1945-Style
The task force sortied from Ulithi Atoll on February 10th and approached Japanese home waters without being detected. To accomplish this, American submarines were used to dispatch any Japanese picket boats lying off the islands. The ships did their best to remain under the thick weather and low ceiling and lack of visibility it provided. US Army Air Forces B-29 and Navy PB4Y bombers scouted ahead of the task force’s course, and radio deception was also employed as a means of ensuring the ships would approach their launch points undetected. Weather for the launch of the strikes was far less than optimal (read horrendous) for carrier operations, but the initial fighter sweeps, consisting of Grumman F6F Hellcats and Vought F4U Corsairs, hit the airfields around Tokyo Bay right on time.
Image via US Navy
We’re Open 24 Hours a Day
Targets were assigned by Task Group. Task Group 58.5, which counted among its strength the night-fighting F6F-5N Hellcat night fighters, maintained coverage over the Japanese airfields during the evening and night time hours thereby preventing the Japanese from mounting any successful attacks on the carriers. Combined with the marauding pilots attacking their targets during the day, there were American aircraft over the Tokyo area and Tokyo Bay taking out targets of opportunity for nearly two solid days.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
The final tally belied the intensity of the aerial combat. Navy carrier aircraft flew 2,761 total sorties and 738 engaged sorties, attacking shipping in Tokyo Bay as well as several aircraft engine and airframe plants. But even though the weather over Japan was cold enough to freeze the guns in their wings, American pilots claimed 341 Japanese planes shot down and 190 destroyed on the ground. Screening destroyers sunk several Japanese picket boats. The U.S. losses amounted to a total of 60 aircraft (of all types) lost in combat and 28 more (of all types) lost due to operational or non-combat causes.
Image via US Navy
Time for the Next Big Show
After completing their strikes against Japan, Task Force 58 departed the area and set course for Iwo Jima, where the pilots would fly support missions for the Marines fighting on Iwo.
Uhoh! You wouldn’t want to be the pilots of that Jet Airways 777-300ER.
One of the primary responsibilities of airline pilots during cruise is to communicate with air traffic controllers. European airspace is busy and handoffs between controllers happen often. If you are a pilot flying in Western Europe, you need to bring your “A-Game” to the cockpit. Even with paying attention, mistakes happen. With interruptions, radio static, and accents, it’s easy to miss a frequency handoff. That’s why every pilot is also supposed to monitor Guard frequency on 121.5. Guard is the safety net frequency for controllers to communicate with a jet on the wrong frequency.
Unfortunately, there was some sort of breakdown with communication between the crew on Jet Airways flight 118 and Eurocontrol. The crew was non-responsive as the jet transitioned between the Netherlands and German airspace. When situations like this happen, the controllers will usually first attempt to raise the jet on guard. If that fails, the controllers will typically attempt to ask other aircraft on the frequency to raise the flight. If possible, they’ll also attempt to communicate with the jet by other means to include CPDLC (if logged on) or via the company.
In this case, nothing worked. The German Air Force launched two Eurofighters to intercept the Boeing 777 jet. They approached on the left side in an attempt to make contact with the jet and ensure that nothing was wrong with the aircraft or the crew.
What’s even more impressive was that a British Airways jet was 1,000 feet above the jet and someone filmed it. The crew establish contact (after pulling the seat cushions out of their butt) and safely continued on to London Heathrow for landing. While it was a bad day for the crew of Jet Airways flight 118, the video is pure avgeekery gold.
The video was originally posted by Mark Stewart on YouTube but taken down. This version was uploaded to YouTube by Harbi Channel.
“Looks like you had a little bit of bumpiness there.” It was a gusty day in February. Experienced Boeing test pilots didn’t flinch.
On Feb 19, 1982, N757A (Callsign: Boeing 757) took to the skies for the first time. It carried Boeing’s hopes and dreams for a new era. The 757’s first flight wasn’t easy, though. Winds were expected to be strong all day. The weather was within testing limits on departure from Renton Municipal, though. On the first flight, the jet took to the skies, cycled the gear, performed initial flap buffet testing, and came back to land. On arrival, the winds grew stronger and gustier than expected. Tower reported gusts up to 38 knots (that’s about 45 mph!)! The experienced Boeing test pilots didn’t flinch. With perfectly coordinated crosswind controls, John Armstrong and Lew Wallack guided the jet to a successful landing.
While 727 and 737’s had successfully plied the skies for the past 20+ years, high fuel prices and a stagnant economy meant that airlines were looking for a new fleet that was more fuel efficient and could open new transcontinental markets without the capacity of existing DC-10s and 747s. The Boeing 757 and 767 were game changers. They represented a new generation of ‘glass’ cockpits with CRT panels instead of analog gauges and high bypass engines that ‘sipped’ fuel. The 757 had the ability to operate in hot and high airports, just like the 727.
The certification of the 757 and 767 was the first time that Boeing attempted to build two jets under a common type rating. They succeeded. 1,049 757’s were delivered between 1982 and 2002. 15 years after production ended, most aviation analysts still wonder what will fill the gap between the larger 737 and A321s and the 767/787/A350 in airline’s lineups.
If This Happened Today The Story Would Probably End Very Differently
At just past midnight on 17 February 1974, United States Army Private First Class Robert K Preston commandeered unarmed Bell UH-1B Iroquois (Huey) helicopter, US Army serial 62-1920, from Tipton Airfield at Fort Meade, Maryland. After absconding with the rotorcraft, Preston went on a night time joyride over the countryside outside of Washington D.C. for roughly an hour before things went seriously awry.
Image via US Army
Seeing the Sights During a Hairy Joy Ride
PFC Preston, who washed out of the Army Helicopter Pilot training program during the instrumentation phase but still held a fixed-wing private pilot’s license, led several State Police helicopters on a wild catch-me-if-you-can chase in the skies over the Capital. Preston buzzed automobiles on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway and landed briefly on the White House lawn. Yes…THAT White House. Although presenting as a huge target and potential disaster waiting to happen, Preston was not fired upon by the Executive Protective Service. Quickly returning to the night skies, Preston hovered near the Washington Monument- close enough to convince the State Police helicopters in chase that he intended to collide with the monument.
If You Have to Land Somewhere…
By now under fire from the escorting State Police helicopters, Preston returned to the White House and this time received fire from the Executive Protective Service on the White House grounds. Preston then hovered over the South Lawn for about six minutes before landing his buckshot and submachine gun-riddled chopper about 100 yards from the West Wing.
Image via WhiteHouse.gov
Jilted Chopper Jockey Just Showing Off?
According to reports at the time, Preston had enrolled in the JROTC program at Rutherford High School in Panama City, Florida and had longtime aspirations to a career in the military. After being taken into custody for his antics over Washington that night, Preston indicated he was upset over not being allowed to continue his training to be a helicopter pilot, and staged the incident to showcase his skills as a rotary wing pilot.
Well Obviously He Could Fly a Helicopter
By all accounts, Preston’s flying was exceptional. The word “masterful” was used to describe his flying. “One hell of a pilot,” said another witness. Preston was slightly wounded by the buckshot shot at him. After a short foot chase, he was tackled and taken into custody before he gained entry to the West Wing. At his court martial, Preston admitted stealing the chopper, saying that the Army had unjustly extended his term of enlistment after he had washed out of flight school.
Preston’s Huey on display at NAS-JRB Willow Grove. Image via US Navy
A Light Sentence…For What He Did?
Found guilty of “wrongful appropriation and breach of the peace,” Preston was sentenced to a year in prison and fined $2400. Because he had already served six months when convicted, this effectively amounted to a six-month sentence. Preston eventually served two months of hard labor at Fort Riley, Kansas, before being granted a general discharge from the Army for unsuitability.
The President and Family Were Not Home
At the time of the incident, President Richard Nixon, who was dealing with Watergate himself, was in Florida. First Lady Pat Nixon was in Indiana. In fact, none of the Presidential family was at the White House at the time of the incident.
This Fighter Jet Was One of the USSR’s Most Famous Exports.
On February 14th 1955 the first of more than 11,000 Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21s made its maiden flight. Approximately 60 countries have flown the MiG-21, and even after more than 60 years more than 3,000 of the supersonic fighters are still in service with more than 40 countries. The MiG-21 is the most-produced supersonic jet aircraft in aviation history and the most-produced combat aircraft since the Korean War, and at one point it was in production for longer than any combat aircraft.
Mikoyan-Gurevich Developed In-House
The MiG-21 “Fishbed” jet fighter was a continuation of Soviet jet fighter designs, starting with the subsonic MiG-15 and MiG-17, and the supersonic MiG-19. Development of what would become the MiG-21 began in the early 1950s, when the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau finished a preliminary design study for a prototype supersonic interceptor.
image via rob schleiffert
The Original Iron-Curtain Lightweight Fighter
The MiG-21 was the first Soviet aircraft to combine both fighter and interceptor characteristics in a single airframe. It was a lightweight fighter somewhat comparable at the time of its introduction to the American Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter and the French Dassault Mirage III.
Short Legs
The MiG-21’s short range was typical of the interceptor mission. Low fuel capacity and resultant short endurance of the MiG-21F, MiG-21PF, MiG-21PFM, MiG-21S, MiG-21SM, MiG-21M, and MiG-21MF variants was incrementally improved, but the MiG-21MT and MiG-21SMT variants had increased range of 250 kilometers (155 miles). However, the increase in fuel capacity and endurance inevitably resulted in decreased performance.
image via us air force
Never Really Meant to Be a Dogfighter
The MiG-21 has never been considered a dogfighter. The airplane’s delta wing, which while a good design for a fast-climbing interceptor, was not a good design for any kind of turning or maneuvering in air combat due to “speed bleed.” However, the light weight of the aircraft meant it could climb at prodigious rates. The design’s G-limits were increased from +7Gs in the early variants to +8.5Gs in the later variants. The Soviet Union eventually developed the MiG-29 to replace the MiG-21 and other second-generation fighters to counter the newer American F-14, F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 and other third generation NATO fighter designs.
Never Exactly a High-Tech Warrior
The MiG-21’s simple controls, engine, weapons, and avionics were typical of Soviet-era military aircraft designs. The use of a tail with the delta wing aids stability and control at the extremes of the flight envelope, enhancing safety for lower-skilled pilots. These characteristics enhanced its marketability as an export aircraft to developing countries with limited training programs and available pilots. While technologically inferior to the more advanced fighters it often faced, low production and maintenance costs made it a favorite of nations buying Eastern Bloc military hardware. Russian, Israeli and Romanian companies now offer upgrade packages to MiG-21 operators, designed to bring the aircraft up to a modern standard, with greatly upgraded avionics and armaments.
Building a Bunch of MiGs
A total of 10,645 MiG-21 aircraft were built in the USSR. The aircraft were produced in three factories. The first, referred to as AZ30 in Moscow, produced 3,203 MiG-21s. The second factory, GAZ 21 in Gorky, produced 5,765 MiG-21s. The third factory, TAZ 31 in Tbilisi, produced 1,678 aircraft. 194 more MiG-21s were built under license in Czechoslovakia. Hindustan Aeronautics of India built 657 MiG-21s as well. China has built well over 2,400 copies of the MiG-21 designated F-7.
image via us air force
More North Vietnamese Aces But Not a Favorite
The MiG-21 was designed for very short ground-controlled interception (GCI) missions. It often flew this type of mission in the skies over North Vietnam. The first MiG-21s for North Vietnam arrived directly from the Soviet Union by ship in April 1966. Although 13 of North Vietnam’s flying aces attained their status while flying the MiG-21 and only three became aces in the MiG-17, many North Vietnamese pilots preferred the MiG-17 because the high wing loading of the MiG-21 made it relatively less maneuverable and MiG-17 had better visibility. Although the MiG-21 lacked the long-range radar, missiles, and heavy bomb load of its contemporary multi-mission U.S. fighters, it still proved a challenging adversary in the hands of experienced pilots when employed in the high-speed hit-and-run attacks under GCI control favored by the Vietnamese.
image via national museum of the us air force
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The Corsair Proved That Early Technical Setbacks Can Be Overcome
On 13 February 1943, the Vought F4U Corsair flew its first operational mission when Guadalcanal-based Marine Fighter Squadron ONE TWO FOUR (VMF-124) F4U-1 Corsairs escorted U. S. Army Air Corps B-24 Liberator bombers on a raid against Kahili Airfield on Bougainville. They encountered no enemy aircraft on the mission. This mission was the culmination of years of design and development work on what is perhaps the easiest of all World War II aircraft to recognize due to its unique wing design.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
Fast Right Out of the Box
In June of 1938, the United States Navy signed a contract with Vought for a prototype bearing the factory designation V-166B, the XF4U-1, bureau number 1443. The F4U was the first airframe ever designed from the outset to mount the R-2800 Double Wasp engine. When the prototype was completed it had the biggest and most powerful engine, the largest three-blade propeller, and the largest wing on any naval fighter up to that point. The XF4U-1 first flew on 29 May 1940. On 1 October 1940, the XF4U-1 became the first single-engine United States fighter to fly faster than 400 miles per hour (640 kilometers per hour).
Image via US Navy/National Archives
How Those Famous Wings Got Bent
The first production F4U-1 took to the air on 24 June 1942. From the outset the F4U featured the largest and most powerful radial engine available- the 2,000 horsepower, 18-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp. The F4U’s propeller was the Hamilton Standard Hydromatic three-blade propeller, measuring 13 feet 4 inches (4.06 meters). In order to accommodate the required folding wing and the size of the chosen propeller, Vought’s solution was an inverted gull wing, which considerably shortened the required length of the main gear legs.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
How and Why the Corsair Was So Fast
The Corsair’s aerodynamics were an advance over those of contemporary naval fighters such as the F4F Wildcat. The F4U was the first U.S. Navy aircraft to feature landing gear that retracted into a fully enclosed wheel well. The oil coolers were mounted in the center-section of the wings, alongside the supercharger air intakes, and used openings in the leading edges of the wings, rather than protruding scoops. Fuselage panels were made of aluminum and were spot-welded to the fuselage frames instead of riveted to them. But the Corsair’s outer wing panels and control surfaces were fabric-covered.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
Bouncing Aboard Blind
There were some problems encountered during early Navy carrier suitability trials on the escort carrier USS Sangamon (CVE-26) on 25 September 1942. The combination of an aft cockpit and the Corsair’s long nose made landings hazardous for newly-trained pilots. The major hurdle was that the landing gear struts tended to allow the aircraft to bounce too high on landing. Eventually a bleed valve built into the landing gear legs eased the hydraulic pressure as the aircraft recovered aboard the carrier.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
Flying Leathernecks and the Fleet Air Arm First
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was simpler to build and was suitable for carrier operations “out of the box” once introduced. Because of this, and because the Leathernecks desperately needed fighter aircraft in the Solomons, the Navy chose to release the Corsair initially to the U.S. Marine Corps. The Marines had to have better fighter aircraft than the F3F Buffalo and F4F Wildcat. The type was declared “ready for combat” at the end of 1942, though only qualified to operate from land bases until carrier suitability issues were worked out. Only after the landing gear problems were solved was the Corsair deployed regularly aboard US Navy aircraft carriers.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
Speed When and Where You Can Use It
Whatever its issues with carrier suitability, the F4U-1 was considerably faster than the Grumman F6F Hellcat and only 13 miles per hour (21 kilometers per hour) slower than the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. All three aircraft were powered by the same R-2800 radial engine. However, the P-47’s highest speed was reached at 30,020 feet (9,150 meters) and with the help of an intercooled turbocharger. The F4U-1 reached its maximum speed at only 19,900 feet (6,100 meters) using a single mechanically supercharged engine.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
First Corsair Combat
Twelve Marine Corps F4U-1s of VMF-124, commanded by Major William E. Gise, arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal on 12 February 1943. These were the early “birdcage” version of the Corsair. Their first mission, an escort of Army Air Corps B-24s to Kahili, resulted in no sightings of enemy aircraft. However, their next mission on the 14th saw the first combat engagement of the F4U. The Corsairs went back to Kahili escorting the B-24s again, along with Army Air Corps P-40s and P-38s. Japanese fighters shot down two P-40s, four P-38s, two F4Us, and two Liberators. The American fliers claimed only four of the Japanese fighters. This engagement, often referred to as the “Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre,” did not define the Corsair. The Marines learned quickly how to fight with the Corsair. VMF-124 produced the first Corsair ace, Second Lieutenant Kenneth A. Walsh, who would end the war with 21 kills.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
Baa Baa Black Sheep
Probably the most famous Marine squadron flying the Corsair was the “Black Sheep.” Led by Marine Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington, VMF-214 started flying their missions in September of 1943 and racked up 97 confirmed aerial victories in only 84 days. Boyington was eventually credited with 22 kills in F4Us before he was shot down himself and made a prisoner of war in January of 1944. Other notable Corsair aces included the aforementioned Kenneth Walsh, James E. Swett, and Archie Donahue (also of VMF-124), VMF-215’s Robert M. Hanson and Donald Aldrich, and VF-17’s Tommy Blackburn, Roger Hedrick, and Ira Kepford.
Image via US Navy/National Archives
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The Channel Dash Was a Big Boost to Nazi Morale and a Scandal for Churchill.
Between 11 and 13 February 1942, 250 Messerschmitt Bf 109 and Focke Wulf Fw 190 fighters, 30 Messerschmitt Bf 110 night fighters, and assorted support aircraft participated in Operation Thunderbolt, the German Luftwaffe’s aerial coverage of the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they made the Channel Dash (Operation Cerberus) from Brest, France, to Wilhelmshaven, Germany via the Bay of Biscay, the English Channel and the Straits of Dover. Although the British attacked the German ships multiple times during the operation, they failed to stop the Germans from transiting the English Channel in large part due to the experienced and aggressive German pilots defending the ships.
Scharnhorst. Image via National Archives
Keeping The Kriegsmarine at the Dock
The Channel Dash or Operation Cerberus was a German naval operation designed to move German capital ships from Brest in Brittany, France back to German ports. The ships had been under consistent attack by Royal Air Force Bomber Command and Coastal Command during their time in the French port which inflicted periodic damage to the ships, reducing their seaworthiness. Gneisenau was damaged on the evening of 6 January 1943. Between 10 December 1941 and 20 January 1942, 37 percent of all Royal Air Force Bomber Command sorties were flown against the German ships at Brest. Although they were a tacit threat to Atlantic convoys, the German ships were essentially bottled up in port. The ships were not available for Operation Rhine Exercise, during which the German battleship Bismarck was sunk in the North Atlantic. The presence of the Scharnhorst and Gneisenau might have meant an entirely different outcome for the Bismarck in that historic engagement. The Hipper-class cruiser Prinz Eugen survived the battle and arrived at Brest on 1 June 1941.
Gneisenau. Image via National Archives
Hitler Hatches a Plan to Counter Nonexistent Threat
In late 1941, Adolf Hitler ordered German Navy High Command to plan an operation to return the ships to German bases in order to counter what was perceived as a possible British invasion of Norway. The short route up the English Channel was preferred to a detour around the British Isles. The Germans were counting on surprise, favorable (which is to say overcast and stormy) weather, a high tide that was running in the same direction as their planned movement which would increase their speed and help float their ships over known mines in the Channel, and their ability to cover the ships using the Luftwaffe.
Adolf Galland. Image via National Archives
Germans Planned to Jam Radio and Radar
Luftwaffe General Adolf Galland was given command of Operation Thunderbolt. The Germans actually mobilized some training units to make up for many of their fighters being diverted from the Soviet Union for the operation. The Germans planned to jam British radio-telephone frequencies and coastal radar. Dornier Do 217s were to be used to fly electronic deception missions to divert British aircraft. This is one of the earliest examples of aerial electronic deception operations. The Germans were also prepared to use Ju 88 and He 111 bombers against RAF bases in southwestern England, to drop radar-confusing chaff, and to attack any British naval forces attempting to intercept the Brest Group.
He Has Over 30,000 Flying Hours in the A-4, A-7, F-4, F-8, a Variety of Airliners and More. That’s More Than 3.4 Years in the Air!
Commander Jack D. Woodul USNR (Retired), perhaps better if not more widely known as Youthly Puresome, has regaled us with his tales of Naval Aviators and their exploits for many years. “The Further Adventures of Youthly Puresome” series of stories led to an Outstanding Sea Story award by Fighter Squadron 201 in 1988; the 1994 Hook Magazine Contributor of the Year award; and a 1998 Tailhook Association Lifetime Achievement Award. Commander Woodul didn’t write these stories to win awards. He wrote them because they were stories that should not simply pass into memory. They are stories that needed to be told. They are stories that should be enjoyed. And there is no story teller quite like Jack Woodul. He is quite literally a National treasure.
US Navy photo
Growing Up Texan
Jack D. Woodul was born in Portales, New Mexico, on October 19th, 1940. His father, Parker A. Woodul, graduated from Texas A&M University with a degree in Farm and Ranch Management in 1934. Parker was a vocational agriculture teacher and a WWII combat veteran, retiring as a Colonel, United States Army Reserve. Jack’s mother, Ima Maye “Bobbye” Daniels Woodul, graduated from North Texas Teacher’s College in 1934. She was a home economics teacher, ran several nursery schools, and later managed the Eastern New Mexico University bookstore in Portales, New Mexico.
Always Looking Up
Jack’s childhood was in many ways similar to kids who grew up during WWII. He spent time enjoyed hunting and fishing with his father. He played football and ran track. During his early childhood years he spent time in several Army camps before his father shipped out, and lived in Grand Prairie, Texas while his father was overseas. After his father returned from combat in Italy, the family settled in Portales, New Mexico, where his father took up teaching again.
US Navy photo
“That’s Just What Men Did”
Jack’s transition to military service seemed entirely natural. Says Jack, “All the adult males I knew were in the service. I grew up thinking that’s just what men did.”
In the Pipeline
YP attended the University of New Mexico in the Navy ROTC program, during which time the Navy bought him his private pilot’s license under the Flight Indoctrination Program. Jack was commissioned as an Ensign in February 1963, and started preflight training at NAS Pensacola in March 1963. Like so many of his contemporaries, during his primary flight training Ensign Woodul flew Beechcraft T-34 Mentors. Jack then transitioned to the North American T-28 Trojan at NAS Saufley Field for his basic flight training. At NAS Beeville, Jack did his advanced training syllabus in F9F Panthers, TF-9J Cougars, and Grumman F-11F Tiger aircraft. Jack earned his Naval Aviator wings in June 1964.
Ensign Y. Puresome’s obligatory Saufley Field Basic Flight Training portrait. Photo courtesy Jack Woodul
On to the interview!
BW: Commander, thank you so much for taking time to do this interview with me. I think the readers will enjoy it immensely. Having covered your training already, can you tell us about your time as a fleet aviator?
YP: I began with A-4 Skyhawk RAG (Replacement Air Group) training at VA-43, NAS Oceana. I was assigned to VA-86 Sidewinders in February 1965, flying A-4Es. My first deployment was a WESTPAC as part of Air Wing Seven aboard USS Independence, CVA-62, from May 1965 to December 1965. My next deployment was again on Independence, and again with Air Wing Seven, but to the Mediterranean this time, from June 1966 to February 1967. I was then ordered to VA-44, at that time the only East Coast A-4 RAG, as an instructor pilot in February 1967. I got checked out in the A-7A Corsair II, courtesy of VA-86, who had recently transitioned to that airplane. I also went through ground school on the F-8 Crusader. I was separated from active duty in December 1967.
His Saltiness, LT Puresome as a RAG instructor with VA-44. Photo courtesy Jack Woodul.
BW: After your active duty you were a reservist for many years. Tell us about those years.
YP: I had a pilot slot at the Crusader squadron at NAS Atlanta (VF-672). I separated from active duty on a Friday, hand carried my orders to NAS Atlanta, and drilled with VF-672 that weekend. I got checked out in the Crusader while I was going to Delta Air Lines DC-6 Flight Engineer School. I was assigned to the Delta Air Lines Base in Dallas, and we lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth area for 37 years. I had a flying slot at VF-701 (later VF-201) at NAS Dallas, flying Crusaders. I flew various models of the F-8 for about ten years. Then I transitioned to the F-4N Phantom II. I retired from the reserves in 1983.
Delta Airlines pilots in the Navy Reserve. LCDR Puresome, kneeling, second from left. Photo courtesy Jack Woodul.
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Its a Cross Between Landing on a Carrier Deck and Landing Uphill- Then Lots of SLOW Flight
You’ve seen them before; when you were at the beach, at a game, on the water, or just driving around running errands. Aerial banners have been observed from the ground for about 70 years. A pilot towing one of these banners needs to perform some precision maneuvers just to pick the banner up.
Once the banner is in tow, the tow aircraft is flown very slowly to maximize the exposure of the banner message. As any pilot will tell you, slow flight requires a fine balance between aircraft power settings, wind direction and speed, AOA, and flap settings. And that’s all before the pilot drops the banner off at the end of the flight!
The video was originally uploaded by Dez Rosswess.
The aircraft in the video, a Piper PA-25 Pawnee, is an ideal platform for aerial banner towing. The Pawnee has plenty of power, good slow flight handling characteristics, excellent outward visibility for the pilot, and low stall speed.
Also used for crop dusting and glider towing among other utilitarian tasks, the Pawnee is exceedingly not fast (VNE is 107 KIAS), but its low stall speed (53 KIAS) allows it to pick up aerial banners without damaging them and drop them off with relative precision.
Piper PA-25 Pawnee banner towing aircraft. image via adrian pingstone
Other Tow-Worthy Banner Pullers
Other aircraft used for towing include Stearmans (in the old days anway), Cubs and Super Cubs, Citabrias, and Cessnas. While aerial banner advertising may not be as prevalent today as it was in the 20th century due to airspace restrictions and regulations, there are still plenty of companies ready and willing to pull your message across the sky behind an airplane.
tow plane climbs with banner about to be grabbed. image via Boomer Aviation
If at First You Don’t Pick the Banner Up…
In the video the pilot misses the first attempt at pickup but nails the second try. Flying in Europe out of Breda International (EHSE), there is a fairly strong crosswind component to deal with.
The ground crew directs the approach to the pickup using paddles reminiscent of the type used by old-school US Navy landing signal officers.
six banner ad campaign. image via alistair cunningham
Who Needs a Norden Bombsight?
The banner, advertising a local bookkeeping concern, is dropped off using similar signals from the ground. The pilot appears to have dropped the banner right on target.
Notice how slowly the pilot is flying when the banner is dropped off! Once the tow pilot turns to enter the pattern, a Robin R2160D commences takeoff on the active.
BONUS Video
Here’s a pilot’s perspective of the entire process. This’ll get your attention! Thanks to YouTuber RevMatch26 for uploading it.
Promotion ceremonies are always special. It is a moment to reflect on the awesome responsibility of being a commissioned officer or enlisted member of our armed services. Most ceremonies are pretty plain vanilla. They are held in an auditorium or in front of an office. Occasionally they are held in a hangar in front of jets or even downrange when one takes place during a deployment.
We’re pretty sure that Major Select Ryan Bodenheimer of Thunderbird #2 had the best promotion ceremony ever. While flying in formation in his Thunderbird F-16 jet, Major Bodenheimer’s boss (aka Thunderbird #1) provided a few kind words over the radio then promoted him. Major Bodenheimer solemnly repeated the oath while flying in precise formation with a keen eye on Thunderbird #1.
At the conclusion of the oath, the Thunderbirds team celebrated with a ‘bon ton roulle’ formation roll. You can see the awesome video below that was originally posted to the US Air Force Thunderbirds Facebook page.
As we get ready to celebrate Super Bowl 51, it’s a perfect day to recall some of the most epic flyovers. One to add to the list was by the Blue Angels in Super Bowl 50.
Back on Feb 7, 2016, the weather was perfect. Right on schedule, the Blue Angels departed from Moffett Field in Sunnyvale, CA. After a brief hold, the demonstration team shacked a very professional flyover just as Lady Gaga finished her last note of the Star Spangled Banner. The US Navy later released an awesome 4 minute video highlighting the flight. With a tight formation and perfect execution, the Blue Angels did their job in front of an audience that included most of the United States and much of the world.
This video is bittersweet. Just a few months later, Captain Jeff Kuss who flew Blue Angel #6 would crash shortly after takeoff as he flew in preparation for an airshow in Tennessee.
Later today, the Thunderbirds will take the the skies over Houston as they perform the flyover for Super Bowl 51 at NRG Stadium. Take a moment to appreciate the sheer difficulty of those pilots as the make a very performance (that includes a challenging timing exercise) appear routine.
Note: Photo By Steve Jurvetson (Flickr) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
The Tybee Bomb Has Resisted All Efforts to Locate It. So Far.
On February 5, 1958 a United States Air Force Boeing B-47E Stratojet, 51-2349A, callsign Ivory 2 of the 19th Bomb Wing flying out of Homestead AFB, Florida collided at approximately 0200 local time with USAF North American F-86L Sabre, 52-10108 of the 444th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron, Charleston AFB, South Carolina. The two aircraft were flying a simulated combat mission near Sylvania, Georgia. The B-47 had been flying at 38,000 feet when the collision occurred.
Atomic Bomb Jettisoned to Save the B-47 Crew
USAF Major Howard Robinson, the pilot of the B-47, lost control of the aircraft after the collision and it lost roughly 18,000 feet of altitude before control was regained. The bomber sustained heavy damage to its right wing and right outboard engine. To ensure the 7,600 pound bomb would not detonate in the event of a crash while attempting what was sure to be a difficult landing, the B-47E jettisoned its unarmed Mark 15, Mod 0 nuclear bomb training weapon casing, No. 47782, from 7,200 feet over Wassaw Sound off Tybee Beach, Georgia.
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
Some Impressive Flying
Major (later Colonel) Richardson was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his skill in bringing the heavily damaged B-47 back and landing it without incident. So the B-47 crew, Richardson along with co-pilot 1st Lieutenant Bob Lagerstrom and radar navigator Captain Leland Woolard, landed and the F-86 pilot survived his parachute landing. All’s well that ends well but the story wasn’t over. In fact it’s still not over. The bomb was never recovered!
Left to right Maj Richardson, 1LT Lagerstrom, and CAPT Woolard. image via us air force
Searching for Decades Without a Trace
Beginning the next day, February 6, the Air Force and Navy began an exhaustive search of the entire area for the missing thermonuclear device. They searched Wassaw Sound for more than two months without finding the bomb. Since then there have been hundreds of attempts to find the weapon via live dives, sonar, magnetic anomaly detection (MAD), and remotely piloted underwater vehicles and drones. No joy!
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
The Likely Story…and a Fake One Too
According to the Department of Energy, the device is most likely buried under several feet of bottom silt somewhere under the waters of Wassaw Sound. Studies of radioactivity in the area and aquifiers associated with the region have found no credible evidence of abnormal radioactivity. A fake news website reported (in error) that the device had been found “by Canadian scuba divers on vacation” in 2015.
Mk. 15 bomb. image via national archives
Conflicting Reports a Surprise?
Reports also conflict regarding the presence of the plutonium trigger in the device. The Pentagon states that the plutonium trigger was not installed in the weapon when it was jettisoned. However, in 1966 at Congressional Hearings, testimony was given that the Tybee bomb did have its plutonium trigger installed.
The Tybee bomb- truly a mystery for the 21st century!
