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My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

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My Story Aboard Air France Flight 66–The A380 That Lost An Engine Over The Atlantic

On Sept 30th, Air France Flight 66 suffered a massive uncontained engine failure over the Atlantic Ocean.  The #4 engine on the double-decker Airbus A380 was shredded and the aircraft was at least an hour away from a suitable divert field.  Due to the professional pilots at the helm and the coordinated crew actions, the aircraft made a safe emergency landing at Goose Bay.  All 497 souls onboard were safe.

Rana Landreth was returning home after her father’s funeral. Waking up to a violently shaking jet must have been a scary experience. She details her entire account on her website. We encourage you to check out her full story here.  We had the opportunity to ask her a few additional questions about her experience, especially once the jet landed.

1.) What was the mood like on the jet while you were waiting for the replacement aircraft?

Considering the fact that the plane almost crashed in the Atlantic and for passengers sitting on the side where they were able to see with their own eyes the engine failing and pieces hanging off of it, we were super quiet and calm waiting inside the jet. There were some older people and from what I was able to count 3 babies and their parents trapped among others (I didn’t know exactly what was happening on the upper level since I was in the lower one), but all in all we kept it together. Some bathrooms ran out of water in their faucets, we almost ran out of food until Canadian border came to the rescue with boxes full of sandwiches and some gallons of water. Maybe the fact that they kept promising us rescue is on its way we were hopeful. It was not until a couple hours to the end of the ordeal when an old lady had a meltdown, and then 2 other ladies who were begging for straight answers and how it wasn’t acceptable all this mistreatment and entrapment and how come they didn’t provide us with rooms or the ability to step outside the craft.  Bottom line, we kept our cool but I feel like they somehow took advantage of it.

2.) Tell us about the journey home after Goose Bay.  Was Air France helpful?

It took almost an hour for the crew to board between 395 to 400 passengers, then another hour for the plane to take off, at that point I think I was numb and waiting was something I got used to! I really wanted to grab my camera to capture dawn breaking and that beautiful pink shade in the sky but I couldn’t, I was just looking forward to leave. Also it wasn’t until we were ready to take off until they announced we were headed to Atlanta not LAX, that’s when a few passengers whom last destination was LAX started breaking down in tears, it was just too much to bear. The new Air France crew was somewhat helpful.

3.) What advice would you give for people who face an incident in the air like the one you dealt with this weekend?

My personal advice is to hold on to your seat, be positive and focus on one thing “ the plane is going to touch down safely”.  Although it was traumatizing, I mean hearing the lead crew saying in French “preparez toboggans” that alone is something I will never forget, then we knew how bad the situation was and what the pilots are trying to do to land us safely and when they assured us they were able to stabilize the plane for now, I sat put in my seat, listening to music watching us moving on the map over the Atlantic thinking I won’t be safe until those wheels touch the ground. And when they finally did, people were clapping crying from joy (little did we know we had to wait eternally for a rescue plane).

Quite an experience! Thanks, Rena for sharing.

Audio of Air France flight 66’s final approach is below. Thanks to VASAaviation for the audio clip.

Douglas Produced Lots Of Great Aircraft But Their A2D Skyshark Wasn’t One Of Them

Bill Walton
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Douglas Produced Lots Of Great Aircraft But Their A2D Skyshark Wasn’t One Of Them

If You Want To Win At Aviation Trivia You’d Best Study the Skyshark

The Douglas A2D Skyshark is the answer to several aviation trivia questions. What aircraft came between the Douglas AD Skyraider and the A3D Skywarrior? The A2D Skyshark of course. What was the first gas turbine-powered prototype built for use on escort carriers? Also the A2D Skyshark. What Douglas product broke the streak of highly successful Navy and Marine Corps attack aircraft from the Skyraider to the Skyhawk? You guessed it- the Skyshark. But the Skyshark wasn’t a total waste…

Douglas XA2D 1 at Edwards AFB
Official US Navy Photograph

Trying to Compensate for Jet Engine Deficiencies

The A2D was developed in response to a Navy Bureau of Aeronautics (BuAer) request for a turbine-powered, propeller-driven attack aircraft. The request, put forth on 25 June 1945, came in part because BuAer realized that the jet engine designs of the day were far from fuel efficient enough to make operation of aircraft powered by them from aircraft carriers practical. 11 June 1947 was the next significant date in the Skyshark’s development- the Navy gave Douglas an initial order for a total of 12 A2D Skysharks. There was a plan in place to order 331 more of them…but the aircraft had to prove itself first.

Douglas XA2D 1 at Edwards AFB c1952
Official US Navy Photograph

Intended for Use From CVEs

Another reason for BuAer’s insistence on turboprop power was the requirement for the aircraft to be capable of operation from Casablanca-class escort carriers. The AD Skyraider was underpowered and large for deployment aboard escort carriers. The biggest practical difference between piston engines and gas turbine or turboprop power was power-to-weight ratio. When compared to reciprocating engines like the R-3350, the turboprop engine itself ran at near full power and RPM all the time with delivered thrust being controlled by propeller pitch.

Douglas XA2D 1 with engine running 1950
Official US Navy Photograph

Turbine Power Misapplied

There was certainly a family resemblance to the Skyraider from which the Skyshark was developed, but the Allison XT-40-A2 engine in the A2D, which consisted of two T38 engines linked to a common gearbox, produced more than twice the horsepower of the R-3350 in the Able Dog. The dual 14 foot contra-rotating propellers were required to handle all the additional horsepower and turn it into thrust. The thickness of the A2D wing root actually decreased by five percent and the tail surface area and height increased substantially. The A2D ended up being an almost entirely new aircraft.

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Official US Navy Photograph

The Jets Finally Come Through

It took until 26 March 1950 to get the development of the engine and propeller worked out. On that date the XA2D-1 flew for the first time at Edwards Air Force Base. But only 14 flights totaling 20 hours later the aircraft crashed, killing Navy test pilot Commander Hugh Wood. It would take sixteen months to work through the cause of the crash and engineer fixes for the remaining XA2D-1s. At that time sixteen months was forever in aerospace engineering, and the jet powered aircraft being developed by then effectively shot down the Skyshark.

Douglas XA2D 1 from below c1952
Official US Navy Photograph

There Was No Quit in Douglas

But development of the A2D went on for a time. Allison finally delivered a production-spec engine in 1953. But while testing another XA2D-1 with the production-spec engine installed that Skyshark shed its propellers due to a gearbox failure. When the Navy started mothballing the escort carriers there was no longer any need for the A2D. Work on the Skyshark still continued but when Douglas rolled out a ready-to-fly turbojet-powered A4D Skyhawk in 1954 it spelled the end for the Skyshark program.

Douglas XA2D 1 in flight c1952
Official US Navy Photograph

For Want of a Better Turbine Powerplant

Douglas built 12 A2D Skysharks– the two prototypes and 10 preproduction aircraft. Most were scrapped or destroyed in accidents, and only one has survived. But the Skysharks flew for many months after the Navy formally terminated the A2D program in August of 1954- the same month that saw the first flight of a new turboprop airlifter- Lockheed C-130 Hercules. The following year the Army was watching a demonstration of the first (of many to come) gas turbine-powered helicopter, the XH-40. You know that helicopter today as the Bell UH-1 Huey. And of course Allison went on to produce turboprop power plants for thousands of aircraft.

A2D Skyshark
Official US Navy Photograph

CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Kim Clark
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CAA Issues Warning to Ryanair–Company Failing To Inform Customers Properly

Over 750,000 airline passengers are scrambling to make alternative travel plans since Ryanair has canceled yet another 18,000 flights that had been scheduled for between November and March. This most recent round of cancellations is on top of another 2,100 flights that were abruptly canceled a few weeks ago.

Boarding a Ryanair passenger jet at Krakow airport
Passengers wait to board a Ryanair flight. By Alexandar Vujadinovic (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

The Ryanair cancellations have left many travelers in the lurch since the carrier, based in Ireland, flies more international passengers than any other European airline. Its route network provides service to 34 countries in Europe, as well as Israel and Morocco.

CEO Michael O’Leary has come under fire for his reportedly brash demeanor and seemingly uncaring attitude toward customers and employees. The Economist wrote that Ryanair “has become a byword for appalling customer service.” One of the most notable shortfalls of the customer service department includes poor treatment of disabled passengers that led to a backlash from consumers that the airline just can’t seem to shake.

O’Leary says a change in the protocol that governs employees’ holiday leave is what led to the cancellation announcements. The number of pilots taking leave was not fully anticipated and resulted in the airline not having enough pilots to cover all of the scheduled flights. O’Leary attempted damage control by announcing Ryanair’s recent cancellations will allow the airline to totally overcome staffing shortages before fully resuming regular service on all of the routes in the future. But that statement is falling on deaf ears for some regulators.

The Civil Aviation Authority in Great Britain is accusing the airline of not properly informing passengers. The CAA asserts that those passengers are entitled to vouchers for future travel as well as compensation for additional costs incurred, such as newly necessitated transfers due to all of the re-routing. The only problem is Ryanair neglected to mention compensation and vouchers in its cancellation announcements. This omission led the CAA to issue a formal letter to Ryanair executives, warning of possible legal action. Following receipt of the CAA letter, the airline promised to comply with regulations.

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Photo by Adrian Pingstone.

Unlike many passengers, CEO Michael O’Leary remains upbeat. Ryanair says the cost of both rounds of cancellations will cost the airline less than €50m, a drop in the bucket for an international airline that regularly posts yearly profits in excess of €1.5bn. Passengers that fell victim to cancellations affecting travel from October and March will receive a €40 voucher. That voucher amount will be doubled to €80 for those that were planning a round trip.

He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

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He Flew One Of The Last Southwest 737-300 Classics To The Boneyard And The New 737-8MAX In The Same Weekend

In aviation and in life, we love to commemorate firsts and lasts. This past weekend, Southwest Airlines retired their fleet of Boeing 737-300s and two days later inaugurated service with the new Boeing 737-8MAX jet.  Our friend and Southwest Pilot Herb Jackson had the opportunity to fly both.  We chatted with him about his amazing experience.

herb
Herb Jackson Jr. is a captain at Southwest Airlines. This past weekend he flew one of the last 737-300 flights to the Boneyard and also flew one of the airlines first revenue 737-8MAX flights.

Herb, you flew one of the last Southwest 737-300 flights ever. How do you feel about that?

When the opportunity presented itself to fly a Classic to Victorville I put my name in the hat and was selected to fly one from Houston. It’s one of those things that doesn’t occur very often so for me I wanted to participate in a bit of aviation history. I began my career back in April of 1986. The the company I was working for at the time had just begun accepting 737-300 deliveries so I remember when this plane was first placed into service. At that time there was no way I could imagine me flying one of the last ones to the desert.

2.) Tell us about the flight. How is a flight to the boneyard different than a normal flight?

Well logistically there is the aspect of ground handling and transportation, but in terms of the flight, nothing too different. It’s operated under Part 91 and it’s a ferry flight with only the assigned crew allowed onboard. Our Operations control center does a great job in providing us with anything we need and the group at Victorville was top notch. They are well versed in all aspects of aircraft storage.

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Southwest’s ferry flight paperwork commemorated the occasion. They wished tail 602 fair winds on its next adventure (most likely the scrapper).

3.) Will you miss flying the 737-300?

Hmm I’ll have to let you know that in a few years. The -300 was a great airplane to “hand fly” felt nice. But like your old flip phone, technology has made them less desirable and efficient.

4.) What’s your favorite memory of flying the 737-300?

Well considering my first landing ever at Southwest was in a -300, at SAN, my first landing as a Captain on UOE was in a -300, in SEA, and my first landing on my own as a Captain was also in a -300, also at SAN, I’d say the airplane has left me with some of the best memories of my aviation career.

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The steam gauge cockpit of the Boeing 737-300 series. With the retirement of the type, all Southwest cockpits will be glass with LCD screens displaying flight instruments.

5.) Is there anything you won’t miss about the 737-300 ‘Classic’?

As I mentioned earlier technology has improved so much that the “80’s” style technology in the -300 made it less desirable to fly as time went by. No auto throttles,  the air conditioning system was taxed on very hot days, no WiFi for the customers, and you had to work harder to maintain your situational awareness.

6.) After dropping off the -300, you then flew the MAX just a couple of days later. How did the two compare?

Talk about a rare occurrence!! I’m one of a few who were afforded that opportunity and I must say it’s been an emotional last few days. The bittersweet retirement of the 300’s followed by operating the MAX on day one. What really amazed me was the excitement that surrounded both events. I can’t tell you how many “avgeeks” and plane spotters I ran into over the last few days. Their enthusiasm is contagious and it’s enlightening to see the passion they have for aviation. These folks go out of their way to attend these events. Meeting them and seeing the excitement in their faces and hearing how they flew all over, on their own time, to be apart of it all. That’s what makes occasions like these special.  I’m very fortunate to “fly” the plane but don’t think for a second I don’t appreciate those who make flying “cool”!

New toy!! The 737 MAX8 ????????‍✈️????

A post shared by Herb Jackson ???? (@herbjacksonjr) on

UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

Bill Walton
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UPDATED: Navy Identifies Two Pilots Lost in East Tennessee T-45 Crash

UPDATED 10/3/2017: This is the latest information provided by the Navy:

The Navy has released the identity of the pilots killed when their T-45C aircraft crashed in Tellico Plains, Tennessee, Oct. 1.

Lt. Patrick L. Ruth, 31, of Metairie, Louisiana, and Lt. j.g. Wallace E. Burch, 25, of Horn Lake, Mississippi, died when their aircraft went down in the Cherokee National Forest in eastern Tennessee. Both pilots were assigned to the “Eagles” of Training Squadron (VT) 7 based at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi.

Ruth had been in the Navy for nine years and was a member of VT-7 since 2015. Burch had been in the Navy for nearly three years and was a member of VT-7 since 2016.

An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the mishap.

Additional information about Ruth and Burch:

Lieutenant Patrick L Ruth, who was 31 years old and a nine year veteran, was from Metairie in Louisiana. He began his Navy career in the Navy Reserve Officer Training Corps at Tulane University. He was commissioned in May 2008 and went through extensive flight training before joining Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE TWO SIX (VAW-126) Seahawks out of Norfolk in Virginia during 2012. Ruth spent three years with VAW-126 before being assigned as an instructor with VT-7 in April of 2015. Ruth earned two Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals during his career.

Ruth and Burch
Lieutenant Ruth (left) and Lieutenant Junior Grade Burch (right). Official US Navy Photorgraph

Lieutenant Junior Grade Wallace E Burch, who was 25 years old and a three year veteran, was from Horn Lake in Mississippi. He attended Officer Candidate School at Newport in Rhode Island during 2014. He was commissioned in January of 2015. Burch reported to VT-7 as a student in the advanced jet training syllabus in 2016.

Previous Information Below-

MERIDIAN, Miss. (NNS) — At approximately 9:40 a.m. Oct. 2, Training Air Wing ONE, based at Naval air Station (NAS) Meridian, Miss., confirmed the T-45 belonging to Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) that went missing yesterday afternoon has crashed in East Tennessee.

Two pilots were aboard the aircraft, an instructor and a student. The pilots did not survive the incident. Names of the pilots are being withheld until 24 hours after next of kin notification.

An investigation will commence to determine the cause of the mishap.

Here is a link to Knoxville news coverage of the crash:  http://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/2017/10/01/monroe-sheriff-plane-crash-reported-tellico-plains/721602001/

On Sunday October 1st 2017, Naval Air Station (NAS) Meridian public affairs personnel reported a McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) T-45C Goshawk jet trainer assigned to0 Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles was missing. The jet, carrying a student pilot and an instructor pilot, was attached to Training Air Wing ONE (TW-1) and based at NAS Meridian in Mississippi. Later on the same day at 1800 local time TW-1 was made aware of a plane crash reported in Tennessee’s Cherokee National Forest located in the far northeastern corner of the state.

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Official US Navy Photograph

TW-1 and the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) have now confirmed the loss of the aircraft and the deaths of both the student pilot and instructor aboard the jet. TW-1 is the parent command for two Naval Training Squadrons, Training Squadron SEVEN (VT-7) Eagles and Training Squadron NINE (VT-9) Tigers. Both squadrons instruct Navy and Marine Corps students in the Advanced training syllabus.

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Official US Navy Photograph

UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

Mike Killian
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UPDATED: Air France A380 Lands Safely After Uncontained Engine Failure Over Atlantic

UPDATE #3 Sept 30 8:10PM PT:  Passengers remained on the jet after landing at Goose Bay.  Air France is sending a Boeing 777 and a 3rd party Boeing 737 to pick up the passengers.  As of 8:10PM PT tonight, the aircraft have not arrived. Below is an additional photo taken by a passenger on the flight.

Additionally, Jacon Soboroff from MSNBC posted this passenger-filmed video of the A380 landing at Goose Bay.

UPDATE #2 Sept 30 5:52PM PT:  ATC audio of the arrival into Goose Bay has appeared on YouTube. Other than the “Mayday” at the end of every call, the approach by Air France 66 seemed very nominal.  One interesting thing to note though is that the jet taxied clear.  This isn’t uncommon after an engine failure.  However, an engine failure as severe as the one AF66 experienced could lead to additional fuel or hydraulic leaks.  Typically rescue vehicles will follow the jet to parking.  It is unclear from the audio if rescue equipment followed the jet to parking.

UPDATE #1 Sept 30 3:26PM PT: Video has emerged of the arrival into Goose Bay, Canada. In the video, you can see the #4 engine is clearly inoperative after the fan and cowling blew off.

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An Air France A380 safely made an emergency landing in Canada today, after one of its engines failed and came to pieces in flight from Paris to Los Angeles. File Photo: Air France

ORIGINAL REPORT: An Air France A380, flight AF66, landed safely this afternoon at Goose Bay International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada, after suffering an in-flight engine failure where the engine appeared to “blow apart”, according to tweets from passengers onboard.

The incident occurred over the Atlantic, en route from Paris to Los Angeles, and initial images on twitter show parts of the engine ripped off. The flight landed safely an hour later.

Others passengers tweeted hearing a “loud thud and a lot of vibration” before looking out at the mangled engine.

Air France confirmed the incident but offered few details, saying passengers were in the process of being transitioned to new flights to LA.

Another major disintegration issue with an A380 engine occurred in Nov 2010, and a QANTAS Airbus A380 flight with 480 passengers and crew was forced to return to LAX earlier this year after takeoff when it suffered an engine failure on climb to cruising altitude. It is important to note though that the Qantas aircraft flew with Rolls Royce engines.  The Air France aircraft involved in today’s incident flew with Engine Alliance GP7000 engines produced in a joint venture between GE and Pratt and Whitney.

We will update more as details emerge.
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– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

Rob Graves
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How Do Pilots Check the Weather Before Flying?

An old aviation aphorism states that there are old pilots and bold pilots, but no old, bold pilots. Going flying without first checking the weather would be sort of like gambling in a casino but with no way to win and many ways to lose. So it is universally recognized by all pilots that one of the keys to a long and prosperous aviation career involves thoroughly checking the weather before committing aviation.

The methods that pilots have used over the years to investigate the weather along their route and at their destination have been continuously updated over the years through advances in technology. The Weather Bureau, a predecessor to the National Weather Service, first established an aerological department in 1914 to meet the growing needs of aviation.

Since that time, government-provided weather services have been the backbone of aviation weather, but that is changing. With the reality of the internet, aviation weather became more democratized and the advent of wireless connectivity means it has never been easier to have access to high quality weather information and graphics wherever a signal is available.

There are many products currently available for pilots to use as a source for weather information, but one I’ve been using has been a standout. Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service (WIS) is a fully functioned product for presenting a range of weather observations and forecasts to include high quality graphics for pilots. The app is available for both Windows and iOS, but I’ve been using it on an iPad. It is available from the Apple app store and installed easily.

airplane clouds

It’s Fast!

The first thing I noticed about this app is that it’s fast. I mean really fast. I have used many other weather apps and it seems that waiting for a radar picture to load can take forever. That is not the case with WIS. Hit the weather uplink button and your weather data is displayed within less than a second. I realize that this time will vary depending on the speed of your underlying data connection, but the uplink was fast in comparison to other products I’ve used with the same connection.

The data that you get is everything you need to safely plan and fly your trip. Multiple overlays are available on the map display to show as much or as little data as you care to see. Again, toggling overlays on or off is nearly instantaneous with no discernible lag to render graphics. Did I mention that the software is fast?

The available map overlays include terrain, airports, navaids, waypoints, and political boundaries. Most of these are user selectable to provide information when needed or to de-clutter the display when not needed. Another feature of the app that I have really come to appreciate is an automatic map de-clutter feature that displays information based on zoom level.

You would think that such a feature would be standard on most software to be used while performing an intensive task such as flying, but that is sadly not the case. Fumbling through menus to de-clutter a map when you might be trying to avoid a storm is not an optimal use of cognitive resources. The engineers at Honeywell have figured this out, and data such as waypoints, navaids, and airports will automatically change presentation based upon the zoom level. Again, this was quite fast with no lag time for rendering. I found this feature quite useful and it made the software a pleasure to use.

You’re In Control

When flying in challenging weather, knowing what has happened in the past can be just as important as knowing what the current conditions and forecasts are. Honeywell has included an intuitive time slider on the map display which allows pilots to easily see conditions up to three hours old. Historical data can be displayed as an animation or statically.

And just as the observations time slider allows a look at past conditions, the app also includes a future time slider to display forecasts up to 24 hours ahead of the current time.

The program presents radar, satellite, and lightning data along with available PIREPS in an easily readable and selectable map format. Clicking on any observation or forecast feature will display a window showing the details of that particular area. All of these features worked together to make the product easy to use while flying.

In addition to knowing the “when” of the current and forecast weather, a Flight Level selector lets you control the “where.” Moving this selector will present the clear air turbulence (CAT), winds and icing forecasts for your chosen flight level. Satellite observation is also selectable using this slider. This again reinforces the philosophy of only seeing that information which is of use while not cluttering up the display with extraneous data.

Another powerful tool which I found to be very useful is the Vertical Situation Display (VSD). Showing a vertical slice or profile view of weather along the loaded flight plan, it is easy to determine where icing, turbulence and CB tops lie along your route. These things can be determined without the display, but seeing a graphical display is immensely helpful when planning a route. Again, the Honeywell engineers seem to have really put some thought into how this product will be used.

Flight Plans Made Easy

And speaking of flight plans, WIS makes loading and editing flight plans a snap. Flight plans can be loaded from Honeywell’s GoDirect Services, pasted from the clipboard or entered directly. Once loaded, plans are easily edited. It is important to note that the program accepts routing in standard ICAO terms, so don’t forget to add “DCT” when proceeding directly between fixes. Plans are then rendered as an overlay on the map display.

The program even has an “own ship” centering feature which can access the GPS signal from the device on which it is installed. Tracking your own progress has never been easier.

A related airports list adds easily accessible weather information from selected airports to a side panel. The best part of this feature is that when refreshed, only data for selected airports will be uplinked, thereby saving data costs.

If you are interested in seeing the weather at any one particular airport, just clicking on the airport symbol on the map brings up a window in which the current METAR, ATIS, and TAF can be instantly displayed. This was probably my favorite feature saving me multiple steps in obtaining this information from several separate sources. It’s all conveniently aggregated into one place.

In Conclusion

We are living in a golden age of weather information which is available for pilots to plan and fly. But as with any data stream, the presentation and analysis of that information can be just as important as the data itself. A smart and intuitive interface is essential for proper flight planning and conduct, and Honeywell’s GoDirect Weather Information Service provides that in spades. Equally useful for both pros and recreational pilots, it’s an easy recommendation for me to make.

B-47 Combat Maneuvers Were More Like A Fighter Than A Bomber

Bill Walton
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B-47 Combat Maneuvers Were More Like A Fighter Than A Bomber

When the Boeing B-47 Stratojet bomber entered service with Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1951 it was the first swept-wing jet-powered bomber in service. Originally conceived during World War II, the design morphed several times during development, including the addition of the swept wing. Early on it was discovered that the aircraft was capable of advanced maneuvers previously considered impossible for an aircraft of its size and weight. This video highlights a series of tests flown during 1954 to learn the practical limits of the aircraft’s maneuverability. Thanks to YouTuber ZenosWarbirds for uploading this great look at the B-47 and its ability to fly like a fighter or a strategic bomber.

NNSA NSO 990
Official US Air Force Photograph

The B-47 Needed to be maneuverable

A bomber with the B-47’s maneuverability would be able to deliver weaponry using toss bombing. Essentially, the bomber would approach the target at low altitude and high speed, initiate a steep vertical climb, and release the weapon using its own momentum to “toss” the weapon toward the target.

The bomber would then pull through the vertical and fly the remaining half-loop, ending up on the reciprocal heading used for the bombing run or chosen egress course. Performed at high speed, the egress after a toss-bombing delivery would expose the attacking bomber to the least possible blast effects from the delivered weapon upon detonation. Thankfully, no B-47 ever actually toss-bombed a real enemy target!

Lockheed Marietta B 47E Stratojet 53 1830 parked at Langley Air Force Base
Official US Air Force Photograph

Gunship History 101: Between Spooky and Spectre There Were Shadow And Stinger

Bill Walton
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Gunship History 101: Between Spooky and Spectre There Were Shadow And Stinger

The 1960s Saw the Birth of the Gunship

Essentially all side-firing gunships utilize the same principle. An aircraft flying a fixed altitude banking turn around a point on the ground (read target) can deliver fairly accurate firepower to that target from side-mounted guns firing perpendicular to the line of flight. This concept was first proposed way back in 1926 and demonstrated the next year. However, the concept languished for many years but never completely disappeared. Several airmen later advanced the idea but it didn’t come to fruition until the early 1960s with the Project Gunship I program.

1280px Douglas AC 47D 4SOS in flight 1968
AC-47D Spooky. Official US Air Force Photograph

Gunships Become De Rigueur

The Douglas AC-47D Spooky gunship, better known as Puff the Magic Dragon, proved its usefulness right from the beginning of its use in Vietnam during 1964. In late 1967 the development of the gunship continued with the Fairchild AC-119G Shadow and AC-119K Stinger– both developments of Fairchild’s C-119 Flying Boxcar tactical airlifter.

AC 119G of 17th SOS over Tan Son Nhut Air Base 1969
AC-119G Shadow. Official US Air Force Photograph

Filling a Critical Airlifter and Gunship Gap

The Project Gunship II Lockheed AC-130A Spectre was also in use at the time, but was in short supply due to the Air Force’s need for standard C-130 Hercules airlifters to process the war in Vietnam and meet worldwide airlift commitments. Therefore, the Wright R-3350-powered AC-119 was also selected for the gunship role. 26 of them were converted from Air Force Reserve C-119Gs to AC-119G standard, and heavily utilized in Southeast Asia beginning in 1968.

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Four 7.62 millimeter Miniguns on board AC-119G. Official US Air Force Photograph

A Better Puff with More Dragon Magic

Project Gunship III AC-119Gs took over the combat role of the majority of the AC-47D Puff gunships, which were turned over to the South Vietnamese as they were replaced. A more advanced aircraft than the AC-47D to begin with, the more heavily armed AC-119G Shadow mounted four side firing 7.62 millimeter six-barrel GAU-1/A miniguns as well as an AVQ-8 xenon light, night observation sighting equipment, and an automated LAU-74/A flare launcher. Shadows primarily provided support to troops in contact (TIC) and airborne base defense.

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AC-119K Stinger. Official US Air Force Photograph

The Smart Gunship

The AC-119G was also equipped with a General Precision fire control computer as well as a TRW fire control safety display to prevent friendly-fire accidents. Internal power for all the new equipment was supplied by a Garrett Industries 60 KVA auxiliary power unit (APU)- the same model used in the Boeing 727 commercial airliner. Ceramic armor was added and APR-25 and APR-26 electronic countermeasures (ECM) gear installed for enhanced crew survivability. The AC-119G carried 31,500 rounds of ammunition and 24 flares on a typical night interdiction mission.

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AC-119K Stinger. Official US Air Force Photograph

For More Shadow and Stinger Bang NEXT PAGE Below

WATCH: This is How Boeing Builds Their Veteran 747 Airliner

Bill Walton
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WATCH: This is How Boeing Builds Their Veteran 747 Airliner

Boeing’s 747-8 Requires More Space, More Power, More Materials- More of Just About Everything You Can Think Of

When Boeing Commercial Airplanes builds a 747-8I or 747-8F wide-body airliner the massive scale of the process is a mystery to most casual observers. The sheer size of the aircraft means that processes and procedures used to build smaller aircraft simply will not work. This documentary, produced by the National Geographic Channel, provides details about not only the process of building these massive airliners but also the engineering, testing, and history of the 747. Thanks to YouTubers Documentary Nation for uploading it.

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Image Courtesy Boeing Commercial Airplane Company

The 747-8 was officially announced in 2005. It is the third generation of the 747 series and has a lengthened fuselage, redesigned wings, and improved overall efficiency. The 747-8 is also the largest version of the 747 and the largest commercial aircraft built in the United States.

The 747-8 is the longest passenger aircraft in the world. Built in both passenger (747-8I) and freighter (747-8F) models, the 747-8F was the first model to fly in 2010 and the first delivered in 2011. The passenger version of the aircraft first flew in 2011 and was first delivered in 2012. There are about 150 of these massive airliners on order.

Boeing 747 8 first flight Everett WA
Image Courtesy Boeing Commercial Airplane Company

Lockheed Wants to Put a Base Camp in Orbit Around Mars, Complete With Lander

Mike Killian
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Lockheed Wants to Put a Base Camp in Orbit Around Mars, Complete With Lander

Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) in Adelaide, Australia, officials with Lockheed Martin today revealed their plans for what they believe is a sound, safe and compelling mission architecture to help NASA get humans to Mars within a decade, using a concept centered around an orbiting outpost they call the Mars Base Camp.

“Sending humans to Mars has always been a part of science fiction, but today we have the capability to make it a reality,” said Lisa Callahan, vice president and general manager of Commercial Civil Space at Lockheed Martin.

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“Partnered with NASA, our vision leverages hardware currently in development and production. We’re proud to have Orion powered-on and completing testing in preparation for its Exploration Mission-1 flight and eventually its journey to Mars.”

Plans for building the outpost align with NASA’s skyscraper-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft and the agency’s plans for a Deep Space Gateway orbiting the moon, which will serve as a critical staging point for missions to the lunar surface and deeper into space, such as to asteroids and Mars in the 2030s.

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Mars Base Camp and Lander. Credit: Lockheed Martin

The first launch of an SLS and Orion, Exploration Mission 1 (EM-1), which will be a shakedown flight to the moon and back of the integrated SLS/Orion system, won’t launch until 2019, with the first crewed Orion mission to lunar orbit occurring around 2-3 years later.

Lockheed is also the prime contractor for Orion.

Such a lunar outpost will offer a true deep space environment for astronauts to gain experience and have opportunity to build and test the systems needed for the very challenging missions that will follow, but will also offer the ability for crews to return to Earth if needed in days – rather than weeks or months on missions further into space (such as Mars).

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Credit: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed is actually already developing a prototype habitat for the gateway under a contract with NASA ((which you can read about on AvGeekery HERE), taking the old Donatello Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM), once used in the payload bay of the space shuttles to transfer cargo to the ISS, and refurbishing it to prototype their deep space habitat in the Space Station Processing Facility at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

And although some components of the Mars Base Camp’s architecture will be pre-positioned in Mars orbit ahead of time, the Mars Base Camp would ultimately be built up at the Deep Space Gateway, away from Earth’s gravity, before being deployed to the Red Planet.

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Lockheed’s lander for the Mars Base Camp, called the Mars Accent Descent Vehicle (MADV). Credit: Lockheed Martin

An Orion spacecraft would serve as the heart of the outpost, same as the Deep Space Gateway.

In addition to an orbiting base camp, Lockheed also envisions a reusable, single-stage lander for the outpost called a Mars Accent Descent Vehicle (MADV), using Orion avionics and systems as its command deck and powered by engines using liquid-hydrogen/liquid-oxygen propellant, both of which will be generated from water.

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Above, watch a video animation of it all in action.

The lander would be capable of conducting surface mission as long as two weeks in length, with up to four astronauts, before returning to the orbiting outpost where it would be refueled and readied for another mission.

– Follow Mike Killian on Instagram and Facebook, @MikeKillianPhotography 

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Watch The “Fighting Omars” Simulate The Enemy With Their Skyhawks

Bill Walton
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Watch The “Fighting Omars” Simulate The Enemy With Their Skyhawks

The Navy’s Fighter Squadron Composite TWELVE (VFC-12) Fighting Omars have provided adversary training to East Coast-based carrier air wings since September 1st 1973, when they were established as Fleet Composite Squadron TWELVE (VC-12) at Naval Air Facility (NAF) Detroit. VC-12 then became the Navy’s first Reserve Fleet Composite squadron. The Fighting Omars moved to Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana in Virginia in 1975. In 1988 they were re-designated VFC-12. This video shows VFC-12 flying their Douglas A-4 and TA-4 Skyhawk aircraft at NAS Oceana, NAS Cecil Field, and NAS Key West during the 1980s and early 1990s. Thanks to YouTuber thezipmartin for uploading it.

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VFC-12 TA-4F Skyhawk Taxying at NAS Oceana. Official US Navy Photograph

In 1994 VFC-12 transitioned to flying the McDonnell Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18A+ and F/A-18B Hornet. Their distinctively camouflaged jets now mimic paint schemes used on aircraft flown by the former Soviet Union and other potential enemy air forces. The Fighting Omars have been awarded the Chief of Naval Operations Aviation Safety Award and the Noel Davis Trophy for squadron readiness five times each. The squadron has also received a Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Battle “E”, the Noel Davis award for recognition as the best squadron in its category for Reserve Carrier Air Wing Twenty (CVWR-20), and an Aviation Safety Citation from the Commander Naval Air Reserve Force for several years of Class A mishap-free flying.

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VFC-12 A-4F Skyhawk taking off from NAS Oceana toting a towed target. Official US Navy Photograph

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