On November 3rd 2017, Emirates reached a milestone as it received its 100th A380 at a special ceremony at Airbus’ delivery centre in Hamburg, Germany.
The ceremony was officiated by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, Emirates’ Chairman and CEO. According to Sheikh Ahmed, this is a tremendous moment for Emirates, Airbus and for their many partners involved in the A380 program. According to Al-Maktoum, theA380 brought the flying experience for Emirates’ customers to the next level. It’s the world’s largest commercial passenger jet and a showpiece of engineering as it’s both quiet and efficient. Emirates utilized the onboard real estate to redefine the thinking around inflight products and experience. The flight crew and the customers both love to fly on it.
The Emirates Chairman also stated that the A380 has been a success for Emirates. Emirates has been able to utilize it at slot-constrained airports, as well as at regional and ‘secondary’ airports, where there is a growth of passenger demand. When an A380 is being deployed onto a route, it stimulates further traffic and demand as travellers are attracted by the Emirates’ flagship experience. The U.A.E. based airline remains committed to the program and will work closely with Airbus and their partners to continually enhance their A380 product as they look ahead to receiving their remaining 42 aircraft order.
Airbus depends on Emirates to keep the program aloft
Airbus is extremely proud of their long-standing relationship with Emirates. It has been a partnership that’s integral to the A380 program. Airbus really lucked out that such a visionary airline has always believed in the A380 from the beginning and chosen it as its flagship and the backbone of its fleet.
Airbus is very proud to be powering Emirates’ 100th Airbus A380 and they look forward to building on their strong relationship in years to come.
Emirates’ 100th A380 is powered by Rolls-Royce engines and configured in three cabin classes, with 14 private suites in First class, 76 seats in Business and 426 seats in Economy. It also features the airline’s newly revamped Onboard Lounge. It will be on display at the upcoming Dubai Air Show and will enter service afterwards.
Year of Zayed tribute
Emirates unveiled a special tribute to the late HH Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the United Arab Emirates, with a special livery for its 100th A380.
2018 is the “Year of Zayed”, marking 100 years since the birth of the country’s founding father and celebrating his legacy. Emirates is proud to launch its tribute to the man who has been instrumental to the UAE’s formation and development, at the milestone delivery of the 100th A380. Sheikh Zayed was a true pioneer and visionary. Bringing his message of inspiration, daring and determination to the world as Emirates flies the A380 around the globe, it is an apt way for the airline to celebrate his amazing legacy.
The Future of the Airbus A380 and Emirates
The A380 has enjoyed success, due in large part to Emirates. Airbus unveiled the updated A380plus at the Paris Airshow last June. The new version of the iconic Superjumbo has a host of upgrades, which should offer airlines better economics and improved operational performance at the same time.
Airbus claims the new airliner has upgraded the giant aircraft in five main areas including fuel efficiency and passenger capacity. The aircraft manufacturer hopes the new development will make the A380–which hasn’t generated a single new order in more than a year–more financially attractive for airlines. Airbus states that this is the needed next step for their iconic aircraft to best serve worldwide traffic growth and the evolving needs of the A380 customers. The most obvious upgrade made to the A380 is the addition of a set of split winglets that are designed to curtail the effects of induced drag and wingtip vortices. Airbus claims the improved aerodynamics created by the winglets will boost the plane’s fuel economy by 4%. According to Bloomberg, Airbus is negotiating with Emirates for the order of 20 A380plus aircraft.
Video courtesy of Jerry Taha Productions. (Notice the most obvious upgrade on the new Airbus A380plus, its split winglets)
About Emirates
Emirates is the world’s largest international airline. It operates a technologically advanced fleet of over 260 wide-body aircraft. The airline creates economically valuable air links that connect Dubai to 156 cities in 84 countries, and connect the world through Dubai. Emirates has earned a global reputation for service excellence, and has won numerous international awards for service and innovation.
About the Airbus A380
The A380 is the world’s largest, most spacious airliner that offers passengers the smoothest, quietest and most comfortable ride. With two full widebody decks, offering widest seats, wide aisles and more floor space, the A380 has the unique capability to generate revenue, stimulate traffic and attract the passengers, who can now specifically select the A380 when booking a flight via the iflyA380.com web site. Thirteen Airlines fly 218 active A380s on 60 destinations. Currently, 240 airports can accommodate the A380 around the world.
Infographic by Emirates.
Jerry’s Take on the A380
When you talk about the A380, it seems like people just hate it or love it. There are the Boeing 747 Lovers and the Airbus A380 Lovers. Although most of us grew up with the beautiful Queen of the Skies, the 747, I learned to appreciate the Superjumbo. In my opinion, the 747 will remain the most beautiful airliner ever, but you still have to admit that it is always a joy to see the monster A380 land.
On Sunday November 5th late in the evening local time a Saudi Arabian military Sikorsky S-70A-L1 (UH-60L) Desert Hawk helicopter carrying a senior Saudi prince and seven other officials crashed near the Reda Reserve close to the Saudi border with Yemen about 837 kilometers (520 miles) southwest of Riyadh. All eight people aboard the helicopter perished in the crash. Prince Mansour bin Muqrin, the deputy governor of Asir province, was returning from an inspection tour of the area when the helicopter crashed. The cause of the crash has not yet been determined but an investigation is underway.
Prince Mansour bin Muqrin. Image courtesy ABC News
The Reda Reserve is located in the Sarawat Mountains about 10 kilometers (6 miles) west of Abha and roughly 120 kilometers (75 miles) from the Yemeni border. Although for more than two years Saudi Arabia has been leading a coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally-recognized government in its war with the rebel Houthi movement, the Saudi government does not believe the crash is related to the Yemeni civil war. On Saturday the Saudis intercepted a missile fired by the rebels at Riyadh International Airport.
Image from Google Maps
Saudi Arabia has recently been undergoing a massive corruption scandal. 14 Princes and 4 current Ministers were detained on Saturday November 4th. Like many similar events there are videos of helicopter crashes being touted as footage of the Prince’s helicopter crash. There’s even one making the rounds showing the Prince boarding a Desert Hawk followed by footage of a daylight Mi-28 Hind crash. Don’t be fooled- the Desert Hawk carrying the Prince and the others crashed at night.
Here’s some classic commercial airliner action shot at San Francisco International Airport (KSFO) in 1973! Shot by Ken Butz, this footage of departures from runway 1R and approaches on runway 28L was originally silent but the uploader of the transfer, Classic Airliners & Vintage Pop Culture, added sound.
Featured Classic Airlines Featured in this Video Shot at San Francisco International
The film features Western Airlines (WA) and Trans World Airlines (TWA) Boeing 707s, United Airlines (UAL) and Pacific Southwest Airlines (PSA) Boeing 727s, WA and PSA Boeing 737s, Pan American (PanAm), American Airlines (AA) and Northwest Orient Boeing 747s, Delta and UAL Douglas DC-8s, AA and UAL McDonnell Douglas DC-10s, and even a Hughes Airwest Fokker F-27A Friendship.
San Francisco International (KSFO) grew over the years into a top 10 domestic airport
Photo courtesy Boeing
KSFO opened for business during the 1930s on the western side of the San Francisco peninsula near San Bruno. United Airlines was one of the original and still most frequent carriers at the airport. Pan Am began flying five weekly flights to Honolulu from SFO soon after the end of World War II.
Like all major airports, SFO has been expanded, modernized, and improved many times in order to accommodate the latest airline equipment and routes.
SFO also starred in the 1968 Warner Brothers drama “Bullitt” starring Steve McQueen and 1973’s Malpaso/Warner Brothers film “Magnum Force” starring Clint Eastwood as “Dirty Harry.” Airlines from Aer Lingus to XL Airways France flew into and out of SFO more than 450,000 times in 2016.
Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a missile aimed at Riyadh’s International Airport on Saturday. Saudi defense forces intercepted the missiles. The video below shows the launch of 4 interceptors followed by the explosion indicating a successful interception. No injuries were reported. There was no disruption to flights in and our of the capital airport.
The missile was Yemeni-built, long-range Burqan 2H. Iran has been a supporter of the Houthi-rebels who have taken over parts of the embattled nation. Iran is a supporter and backer of the Houthi-rebels in the Yemeni civil war.
UPDATED as of Nov 4, 2017 at 8:15PM PT to include a link to the full released accident investigation.
On Friday June 23rd 2017 A United States Air Force (USAF) General Dynamics F-16D Fighting Falcon belonging to the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron (USAFADS- the Thunderbirds) was involved in a mishap at Dayton International Airport (KDAY) in Ohio. The aircraft ended up inverted on the ground in a grassy overrun after failing to stop while landing on a rain-slick runway. The USAFADS was in town to perform two shows at the nearby National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB).
Air Force Captain and Thunderbird 8 Erik Gonsalves was flying the jet and Thunderbirds maintainer Technical Sergeant Kenneth Cordova was the passenger.
Official US Air Force Photograph
In typical and expected Air Force understatement, the accident report was released on Friday November 3rd 2017. In short, the cause of the mishap was “Upon landing, the pilot was unable to stop the aircraft on the prepared surface. As a result, the aircraft departed the runway and overturned in the grass. The accident investigation board concluded contributing factors to the accident included: environmental conditions affecting vision, misperception of changing environment, and failure to follow procedures.”
The pilot was a current and qualified USAFADS F-16 pilot with 1,861 flight hours as of the time of the mishap. The mishap resulted in the total loss of the $29 million F-16D jet and injuries to the pilot. The passenger was uninjured. Here’s a link to the USAF News Release.
Official US Air Force Photograph
According to the Air Force Times, the pilot was on his second approach. During the first approach, the rain had obscured the windscreen, rendering the HUD unusable. This problem occasionally occurs on the F-16. Due to a dead spot in the airflow around the cockpit, water can pool on the windscreen during heavy precipitation. On the second approach, the pilot relied on his instrument panel alone since his HUD was unusable due to the limiting forward visibility. The pilot landed over 40 knots fast, landed long, was slow to reduce the throttle after touchdown, and utilized incorrect procedures to stop on a wet runway. He applied forward stick pressure instead of back pressure, reducing braking effectiveness. Captain Gonsalves remains with the USAFADS but has not returned to the cockpit.
United is taking a move from the Delta playbook and is rumored to be eyeing a deal to buy up to 40 used Airbus jets. Purchasing used planes is part of the airline’s plans to slash expenses and regain confidence from investors. Shoring up cost control efforts and spurring revenue growth have been front and center for company executives who took a beating from analysts on the third quarter conference call in October, when they were unable or unwilling to share details about United’s financial recovery plans. Industry leader Delta Airlines has significantly higher profit margins and is well-known for supplementing their fleet with used aircraft in the past, a fact that has apparently not escaped the attention of United’s management team.
Delta’s done this before
Delta acquired a number of used MD-90 aircraft. Photo by Aero Icarus (Wikipedia)
Between 2000 and 2010, Delta augmented its domestic fleet with Northwest’s fleet of DC-9 and acquired additional used aircraft. At the time, other carriers spent billions of dollars on new fuel-efficient Boeing 737s and Airbus 320s as anchors for their domestic fleets. When that happened, the market became over run with older, but still viable, MD80, 717 and MD90 airliners that Delta picked up at rock bottom prices.
Recently, an airline consultant was quoted as saying the purchase of the second-hand Airbus jets would be “a cheap way of bringing in peak capacity” for the ailing United Airlines and would give a much-needed boost to short distance service.
An unnamed source claims that aircraft operated by EasyJet, a discount carrier based in the U.K., are possibly the source of the planes. Most of them are reported to be A319 and A320 single-aisle aircraft. The maximum number of jets to be purchased is set at 30 or 40 at this point in time, according to United pilots. Since there is a ceiling for the number of used planes United will buy, the deal could actually come in for fewer. EasyJet has declined to comment so far.
The planes being purchased are generally used on domestic routes but it is still unclear where United would fly them. Their currently exisiting A319s have 128 seats while the A320s hae 150.
All United CFO Andrew Levy had to say over this past summer is that dipping a toe into the used jet liner market is “an important part of our fleet strategy.” It just so happens that Levy is also a former executive of Allegiant, a discount carrier well known for flying used airplanes.
A way to acquire additional capacity without massive capital expenditures
The market value currently for a used A319 fleet is around $480 million. Compare that to list price of $2.7 billion for new aircraft and United’s motives become clear: to save money, plain and simple. This isn’t the first time United has purchased used aircraft. Back in 2015, the airline bought second hand aircraft from China. This time around, the pilots’ memo disclosing the details did not make clear whether or not this new (or make that, used) batch of planes will be purchased or leased.
United is putting the hammer down on cost containment in other ways too. Delivery of the new twin-aisle Airbus A350s has been postponed until 2022. Also, United upgraded to a more fuel efficient verions of 61 Boeing 737s that were delivered in November. These two decisions alone saved the company $1.6 billion in capital expenditures.
When asked directly about the most recent cost-saving measures, i.e. purchasing used Airbus 319s and 320s, United declined to comment on specific acquisition decisions, simply saying by email, “We have made clear that we are going to explore the used market to acquire additional aircraft.”
The FH-1 Phantom Was The Basis For The Improved Banshee And The Grandfather of the Phantom II
The McDonnell FH-1 Phantom piled up an impressive stack of firsts. The FH (initially designated FD) was the first twin jet-powered fighter flown by the United States Navy (USN), the first jet-powered aircraft to land on an aircraft carrier, the first jet aircraft to deploy with the Marine Corps, and the first naval aircraft to exceed 500 miles per hour in level flight. McDonnell’s first jet fighter was developed after their first propeller-driven design, the radical XP-67 Moonbat, made a favorable impression on the decision makers of the day.
Official US Navy Photograph
McDonnell Designs Their First Jet
Three XFD-1 Phantom prototypes were ordered August of 1943. The design was drawn to incorporate the Westinghouse J30 turbojet engine, itself still under development at the time. Though several engine configurations were considered, including six tiny engines mounted three in each wing, twin wing root-mounted engines became the design of choice. The jet would mount four .50 caliber machine guns in the nose and underwing racks for rockets. The Phantom also utilized tricycle landing gear and straight wings with split flaps, had a forward-mounted cockpit with bubble canopy, and featured a high mounted tailplane design with dihedral that would be free of exhaust influence.
Official US Navy Photograph
Flying During January of ’45
The first XFD-1 BuNo 48235) rolled out of McDonnell’s factory in January of 1945. At the time only a single Westinghouse 19XB-2B (J30 prototype) engine was available. After successful single-engine ground runs and taxi tests, test pilot Woodward Burke flew the jet with a single engine on January 26th 1945. Even with the engine challenges, flight tests went well and a contract to build 100 Phantoms was awarded to McDonnell Aircraft on March 7th 1945. When the war ended the contract was reduced to 30 airframes, subsequently increased to 60. The first prototype XFD-1 was destroyed in a fatal mishap on November 1st 1945.
Official US Navy Photograph
Second Prototype Ready for Jet Carrier Ops
The second prototype XFD-1 (BuNo 48236) became the first purely jet-powered aircraft to operate from an American aircraft carrier on July 21st 1946. The jet made four takeoffs and landings from the aircraft carrier USS Franklin D. Roosevelt (CV-42) while the ship was operating in the Atlantic Ocean near Norfolk in Virginia. The size of the Roosevelt, at the time America’s largest carrier, allowed the Phantom to takeoff using conventional deck runs instead of catapults. The second XFD-1 prototype was lost in a mishap on August 26th 1946.
Official US Navy Photograph
Waiting on Sufficient Thrust
After entering production, FH-1 Phantoms were modified to carry a conformal belly-mounted fuel tank, wing-mounted speed brakes, and an improved gunsight. The engines had finally caught up with the aircraft and production FH-1s were powered by the J30 turbojets. The tailplane design was altered as well, resulting in a smaller rudder, reshaped vertical stabilizer, and shorter horizontal stabilizers. The fuselage was stretched nearly 20 inches. The McDonnell FH-1 Phantom gained operational status with Fighter Squadron SEVENTEEN A (VF-17A) Iron Men on May 5th 1948.
Traces of the bacteria listeria, which can cause fatal food poisoning in vulnerable people, was found in the kitchen of a catering facility at LAX. This prompted American Airlines’ decision to stop using Gate Gourmet catering, at least temporarily.
Listeria was found around drains and on the floors but not on surfaces that come into contact with food. Even so, American Airlines spokeswoman Katie Cody said, “Out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision because we felt it was the right thing to do.” Cody said that the airline routinely conducts food safety inspections at all facilities and this is the first time the deadly pathogen was found.
Out of about 1,600 people who get sick with food poisoning from listeria each year, approximately 260 die from listeriosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Those most vulnerable to infection include the elderly, newborn children and pregnant women. No illnesses stemming from LAX have been reported.
The catering company Gate Gourmet operates at numerous airports all around the U.S. but will take a hiatus from its work for American Airlines at Los Angeles International Airport for a week or more. A Gate Gourmet spokesperson told online news source The Street, who broke the news of the listeria, that American Airlines is the only carrier to halt deliveries from LA so far. National Health Chair for the American Association of Professional Flight Attendants, Kim Coats Tuck said the caterer will continue to provide some snacks, ice and drinks for American at LAX but will not serve prepared meals.
Gate Gourmet issued a statement saying, “As part of routine inspections, we identified traces of listeria in non-food contact areas, primarily floor drains, at our LAX unit. Immediately and in accordance with our protocols, all floor drains and surrounding areas were immediately and aggressively treated. Independent food safety agencies have confirmed that our unit adheres to food safety regulations and we are not aware of any instance where passengers are put at risk. We reaffirm our commitment to food safety and the safety of the travelling public. Our unit is open for business and we continue to cater our other customers.”
The catering disruption could inconvenience a large number of passengers, especially those traveling on long trips who count on the convenience of airline meals. LAX is a major American Airlines hub that has more than 200 departures daily.
The United States Navy (USN) Precision Flight Demonstration Squadron. Otherwise known as The Blue Angels, began flying performances in the Douglas A-4F Skyhawk in 1975. Compared to the McDonnell Douglas F-4J Phantom II aircraft they had flown for the previous four years, the diminutive Skyhawk was a more maneuverable and economical aircraft but lacked the raw power of the Phantom II. There are those who say the Phantoms were hands-down the best airshow performers the Blue Angels ever flew. Others swear by the A-4F Skyhawk. In the film “Portrait: The Blue Angels” uploaded to YouTube by PeriscopeFilm, you’ll see just how impressive the Blues were while flying Heinemann’s Hot Rod.
Official US Navy Photograph
Along with the equipment change the Blues underwent a reorganization which established a commanding officer / flight leader billet and added supplemental support officers. The squadron’s core mission was “redefined” to emphasize support of recruiting, but nobody who ever saw a Blue Angels performance doubted the effectiveness of the Blues in that regard. Though they went from flying the Mach 2.2 Phantom IIto the subsonic Scooter, the Blues still entertained and yes, inspired. They have been doing both since their first performance in 1946.
Flight attendants. We don’t think about them very often unless we’re on a flight relying on them or hearing about some controversial story involving them. The Qatar Airways embroglio a few months ago brought what is largely a thankless job performed by flight attendants into stark relief for a few weeks, but like all such situations, has faded into memory. Unless, that is, you happen to be a flight attendant. This short perspective on the life of a flight attendant was uploaded to YouTube by Haley Corzo, whose mother Kim has been a flight attendant since 1988 and retired (finally) in 2024. Here is Haley’s Blog link too. She’s an excellent young writer.
The first flight attendant was a man named Heinrich Kubis who began serving passengers aboard German Zeppelins in 1914. He was aboard and survived the catastrophic mishap of the airship LZ 129 Hindenburg by jumping out a window. The title of Steward (and the female Stewardess) was first used aboard passenger-carrying ocean liners, but by the 1920s the terms were used aboard the first airliners as well.
Image courtesy Boeing
Ellen Church, a 25 year-old registered nurse, was the first American flight attendant. She was hired by United Airlines in 1930. Other airlines hired nurses as flight attendants and the terms “stewardess” and “air hostess” soon were used interchangeably. During World War II a shortage of nurses on the ground relaxed the requirement for nurses as stewardesses in the air. It didn’t take long for “characteristics” to play an important part during the hiring process either.
Image courtesy Boeing
By the time the “Jet Age” came around, stewardesses were entirely single women (widows and divorcees would be “considered”), minimum 20 years old and maximum 35, and in most cases at least 5’2” but no more than 5’9”. No glasses. Uniforms were tight-fitting and flattering. If a stewardess got married, she lost her job. Simple as that. But by the mid-1960s the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC) removed the “characteristics” restrictions.
Image courtesy Delta Airlines
Today, flight attendants don’t get paid for their time when they are on the ground. They don’t get paid during layovers or ground holds, time at the airport off the airplane, or while they’re waiting along with everyone else for the departure of the flight. Their training requirements are insane and they have to be certified to do everything from rolling the beverage cart down the aisle safely to coordinating an emergency evacuation for every airplane (or equipment) on which they work. And make no mistake about it- they do work.
Image courtesy Boeing
Flight attendants don’t usually have set schedules and they’re often not guaranteed the equivalent of a “normal” week’s pay. Schedules are flexible, which is a double-edged sword. They almost never spend Holidays at home. Any of them. Seniority helps in that regard but the junior people can go years without being home for Christmas. They’re told what color their nails nave to be and what color hose to wear. Fitness and weight standards are rigidly enforced.
Image courtesy Boeing
Since the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978, which airline unions strongly opposed, fare and route regulation disappeared and fierce competition began. The inevitable results were mergers and bankruptcies, a gradual disappearance of passenger perks, and continual pressure on workers. Since then Delta swallowed up PanAm, Republic, and Northwest, United ingested Continental, and American absorbed TWA and US Airways, which had assimilated America West. Today Delta, United, and American, along with Southwest, JetBlue, and Alaska, control over 80 percent of the United States passenger airline market.
Image courtesy Boeing
Airlines which are unionized like United, American, Southwest and Alaska for example, have distinct advantages over minimally or non-unionized airlines like Delta, Jet Blue, and Virgin. The unionized airlines offer benefits such as negotiated pay increases and bonuses, but the flip side of that is that sub-standard employees are rarely held accountable for poor performance. We’ve all seen both sides of that coin!
Image courtesy Boeing
Flight attendants do get to fly cheaply or nearly-free. Sometimes family members can accompany them for similar discounted fares as well. Flight attendants do visit and experience more of the country and the world than most regular travelers. Layovers, while not paid, can create memories that last a lifetime- especially in someplace like Hawaii or Australia. As with all relationships formed under similar experiences, friendships are quickly made but seldom last- flight attendants don’t work together as teams. Often they don’t see each other for years. So the next time you fly, thank your flight attendants. You’ll be glad you did.
North American’s Intermediate Trainer Was the Right Jet at the Right Time
50 years. That’s how long North American’s T-2 Buckeye intermediate jet trainer served in the Navy’s Air Training Command (NATRACOM). Known at first as the T2J-1 when it entered service in 1959, the Buckeye’s designation changed (along with every other one) to T-2A in 1962. 609 Buckeyes were built at the North American factory located in Columbus, Ohio. Also used by Venezuela and still used by Greece’s Hellenic Air Force today, Buckeyes were easy to work on and great teaching platforms.
Official US Navy photograph
Thousands of Aviators Over Millions of Hours
Nicknamed the “Attack Guppy” and the “Trusty Tubbyjet”, the Buckeye never got much love for its looks, but entire generations of Naval and Marine Corps Aviators and Flight Officers- more than 11,000 of them over 3.4 million flight hours- flew them before they were trusted with more advanced jet aircraft in the fleet. At first powered by a single Westinghouse J34 turbojet engine (T-2A), subsequent variants were powered by uprated Pratt & Whitney J60 turbojets (two of them in the T-2B) and later a pair of GE J85 turbojets in the T-2C. The export T-2D (for Venezuela) and the T-2E (for Greece) were powered by J85s.
Official US Navy Photograph
Like a Jet Trojan. Sort of.
The Buckeye and the Grumman TF-9J Cougar together replaced the Lockheed TV-2/T-33B Shooting Star and T2V-1/T-1A SeaStar, the previous and first generation of Navy and Marine Corps jet trainers. Employing a straight wing design and a cockpit layout very similar to the primary piston-engine trainer of the day, the North American T-28 Trojan, the Buckeye’s performance envelope fit neatly between the Air Force’s Cessna T-37 Tweet and the Navy’s advanced jet trainer, the Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk.
Official US Navy Photograph
Bolt On Some Guns and Let’s Go Shooting
Though not equipped with internal weapons or systems to deliver them, T-2C Attack Guppies could be fitted with a pair of wing-mounted .50 caliber machine gun pods, practice bombs, and small practice rockets with which many a budding attack pilot honed early marksmanship skills. The jet also featured full dual controls with powered assist along with large trailing-edge wing flaps, slab-type air brakes on both sides of the fuselage, and a retractable arresting hook, all of which were hydraulically actuated.
Official US Navy Photograph
One Tough Customer
North American knew how to build tough aircraft for student pilots to fly. The jet was simple, reliable, extremely stable in flight and tough as nails, with wide-track tricycle landing gear and underslung engines for ease of maintenance. In addition to its primary role as the first jet aircraft in which most student aviators made their first carrier landings, Buckeyes were also utilized by adversary training squadrons and as DT-2B and DT-2C drone controller aircraft. The Navy’s Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Maryland employed Buckeyes for spin training.
Official US Navy Photograph
Dependability Built In
Other trainer aircraft came and went during the Buckeye’s long service career. The radial-engine T-28B and T-28C Trojans were replaced by Beech T-34C Turbo Mentors, which in turn were replaced by an acronym- the Beech T-6 Texan II Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS). The TA-4J Skyhawks were replaced by the McDonnell Douglas T-45 Goshawk. Buckeyes were also replaced by the Goshawk, with the final VT-86 Sabrehawks operational NATRACOM sorties occurring during 2008.
Official US Navy Photograph
Saying Goodbye to the Buckeye
Contract Out of Control (OFC) flight and spin training, chase flights, and weapon trials support flights kept a few T-2Cs in the air but when Test And Evaluation Squadron TWO ZERO (VX-20) Force Aircraft Test retired their last Buckeyes in late 2015 it was goodbye for the Guppy. With so many of the former Navy and Marine Corps trainers relegated to the boneyard at AMARG in Tucson, we can hope that the handful of Buckeyes flying in private hands today is joined by a few more Trusty Tubbyjets.
Official US Navy Photograph
To the Video
BONUS: Here’s a short video clip of a restored and privately-owned Buckeye flying at the 2014 Wings over Waukegan Airshow uploaded by AirshowStuffVideos.
The 2017 airshow season is almost a wrap across the United States, and one of the crowd favorites, the NAVY Tac Demo “GLADIATORS” from VFA-106, paid tribute to the storied career and rich heritage of VFA–15, the “VALIONS”, by flying a specially painted F-18 legacy Hornet at select show sites to honor the squadron’s retirement.
The Valions were decommissioned earlier this year after 75 years of service.
Born on Jan. 10, 1942 as Torpedo Squadron Four (VT-4) aboard the USS Ranger at Grassy Bay, Bermuda, just one month after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the VALIONS flew six different aircraft, operated from fifteen aircraft carriers and made 36 major deployments around the world.
A VFA-106 F/A-18 Hornet in formation with Jim Tobul piloting his F4-U Corsair “Korean War Hero” at the 2017 TICO Warbird Air Show in Titusville, FL. Photo: Mike Killian (Team Aeroshell photo pilot)
They began service flying the TBD Devastator, followed soon after by the TBM Avenger, protecting the sea-lanes between Bermuda and Newfoundlandbefore transitioning to the AD-4 Skyraider in March 1949. They were aboard the USS Ranger when it escorted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and HMS Queen Mary to the Quebec Conference in 1943, where the Allies discussed plans for invading Italy and France.
Sixteen years later they transitioned to the A-4 Skyhawk, before flying the A-7E Corsair II.
Sporting a retro “Seagull” paint job, the F/A-18C Legacy Hornet flown by the VFA-106 demo team this year paid tribute to that Corsair, which the VALIONS flew until 1987 when they transitioned to the F/A-18 and were re-designated from VA-15 to Strike Fighter Squadron Fifteen (VFA–15).
“It’s incredible, it’s an honor and a privilege to fly this and perform in front of people,” said VFA-106 demo pilot Lt. Scott “MacGruber” Lindahl.
VALIONS flew over 2,600 sorties over North Vietnam in the late 60s, and were in the Arabian Gulf in 1980 when Iran released American embassy hostages. They flew some of the first sorties in support of DESERT STORM on Jan. 19, 1991, and carried out strike missions until the suspension of hostilities was ordered a month later.
In the years that followed, they flew over 300 sorties in support of operation ALLIED FORCE, cruised the Northern Arabian Gulf in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, and put bombs on target while patrolling the skies of southern Iraq.
A-7E Corsair II (BuNo 159658) from attack squadron VA-15 Valions on 1 June 1976, armed with ten 227 kg (500 lb) Mk 82 bombs. VA-15 was assigned to Carrier Air Wing 6 (CVW-6) aboard the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66) for a deployment to the Mediterranean Sea from 15 April to 25 October 1976. Photo: USN
The squadron was on their way home aboard the USS Enterprise when they watched terrorists attack the homeland on Sep. 11, 2001. They immediately turned around for the Northern Indian Ocean, and helped bring the tip of the spear into Afghanistan in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM, flying 185 sorties and dropping 232,000 pounds of firepower.
Operations after that focused mainly in support of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as searching for pirates off the Horn of Africa in 2006. Close to 2,000 combat sorties were flown up until December 2011, when VALIONS were deployed aboard the USS George H. W. Bush and maintained a 100% combat sortie completion rate in support of Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and NEW DAWN.
A VALIONS F/A-18C Hornet launches from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77). Photo: USN
The loss of VFA–15 comes as a victim of the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, with the Navy eliminating three squadrons and reducing Carrier Air Wings to nine until the number of deployable carriers can fully support a 10th wing, or until Oct 1, 2025 (whichever comes first), at which time the Navy will return to a strength of 10 Carrier Air Wings.
Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron 112 (VAW-112), an E-2C squadron based at NAS Point Mugu, Calif., and Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 15 (HSC-15), an MH-60S squadron based at NAS North Island, Calif., are also being deactivated.
The names of every VFA-15 commander were on the demo jet. Photo: Mike Killian
“Inside both tails, those are the names of every single commanding officer that has ever commanded VFA–15”, pointed MacGruber as he brought me out to see his demo jet.
A “Don’t Tread On Me” flag is painted on the air brake too, showing nicely when the jet makes its signature “photo pass” for spectators.
To mark the occasion and beginning of the show year, the Navy and Tac Demo VFA-106 team agreed to fly a one-of-a-kind photo shoot that had never been done before, joining formation with the F4-U Corsair “Korean War Hero” and P-51D Mustang “Quick Silver” (piloted by Jim “Torc” Tobul and Scott “Scooter” Yoak).
The VFA-106 demo Hornet’s specially painted “Don’t Tread on Me” airbrake. Photo Credit: Pring Photography
After a through briefing (two actually), we held on the runway until the end of MacGruber’s rehearsal, and proceeded immediately to takeoff heading east towards NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. It doesn’t take long for an F/18 to catch up, and before we knew it MacGruber was in formation and the photo shoot began.
Time is short and so is fuel; in total we had under six minutes to produce images before heading back so another demo could take the airspace.
Navy Legacy formation and tribute to VFA-15, joined by Scott York in his P-51 Mustang “Quick Silver” and Jim Tobul in his F4-U Corsair “Korean War Hero” at the 2017 TICO Warbird Airshow. Photo: Mike Killian (Team Aeroshell photo pilot)
“We were honored to be a part of it, one of my top favorite flights for sure”, said MacGruber. “For me personally, that was the first time I ever joined up with a P-51 or F4-U, and it was incredible. Both of those aircraft I grew up watching at airshows, and that’s really what inspired me not only to be a pilot, but to apply to be a demo pilot as well.”
The VALIONS officially deactivated this past spring, with a ceremony marking the occasion scheduled for May 31 at NAS Oceana, VA. The squadron gave up its last aircraft in December 2016.
“It has been my distinct honor and privilege to be the final (but hopefully not last) commanding officer of the best Strike Fighter Squadron in the Navy”, said VFA–15 CDR Matt “Disney” Stevenson in a recent statement.
The VFA-106 demo Hornet’s specially painted “Don’t Tread on Me” airbrake. Photo Credit: Pring Photography
“They earned the 2016 Retention Excellence Award, the 2016 EAWS Pennant and the 2016 Blue Medical “M”, all while supporting eight detachments in the last year”, he added. “These Sailors have been the epitomy of accomplishing so much with so little and I could not be more proud.”
“They have handled the deactivation and the stormy seas that have come as part of that process with grace and dignity and they continue to produce Full Mission Capable aircraft even today as we help VFA-106 with their maintenance efforts,” he added. “They have humbled me and taught me more than they will ever know.”
ABOVE: Watch the Navy TAC DEMO in action with the tribute F-18 demo jet at the 2017 TICO Air Show on Florida’s ‘Space Coast’.
VALIONS were also ten-time winners of the COMNAVAIRLANT “E” for Battle Efficiency: 1953, 1961, 1962, 1978, 1980, 1983, 1988, 1991, 1999 and 2001; and the Estocin Award winner in 1999, given to the finest strike fighter squadron in the Navy.
“None Finer”
– With thanks to Greg McNeely and Aeroshell Aerobatic Team for flying photo ship
