The first 727 made its last flight today after a long restoration to bring it back to flying condition.. Photo by: Clemens Vasters
A 15-minute flight required two decades of work plus the vision and determination of one man.
Boeing’s first 727 made its last flight Wednesday. N7001U left the Museum of Flight Restoration Center up at Paine Field in Everett, Wash. – its home for the last 25 years – and made a brief return to the skies for the short flight to the Museum of Flight at Boeing Field in Seattle.
This fall, the 727 will move into the Aviation Pavilion, a 140,000-square-foot facility that will house about 20 restored aircraft, including the first 737 and first 747.
Rather than head to the scrapheap like so many other outdated aircraft, this plane is unique. It was Boeing’s prototype 727 and went directly into service with United Airlines.
Bob Bogash, 71, is a former Boeing engineer. Most his retirement years have been spent as the driving force to restore the first 727. He convinced the Museum of Flight that restoring the plane so it could fly to its final destination would be cheaper than dismantling it and moving it by truck.
“My wife calls (historic airplanes) my mistresses,” he said. “They have all the key characteristics of a mistress: good-looking, very demanding, and they cost a lot of money.”
In 1984, Bogash was in charge of the Museum of Flight’s aircraft acquisition team and in 1984 he approached United Airlines about donating N7001U when it went out of service.
In 2004, FedEx donated a 727 that was cannibalized for parts. The restoration cost $500,000 and the donated labor of volunteers is estimated in the millions of dollars.
This 727-22 was delivered to United Airlines and began its commercial service on Oct. 7, 1963. Its last commercial flight was on Jan. 13, 1991 when it was donated to the museum. The aircraft spent over 64,000 hours in the air, made 48,060 landings and carried an estimated three million passengers.
When Boeing stopped making the 727 in 1984, the company had produced 1,832 – the most aircraft in a series it had produced (the 737 eventually broke the record.)
The original Boeing 727
First flight: 1963
Operator: United Airlines
Dimensions: 133 feet 2 inches long, wingspan of 108 feet
Top speed: 632 miles per hour
Passengers: Capacity of about 130; the plane carried nearly 3 million passengers during 27 years in service.
Total 727s produced: 1,832 at the Renton plant from 1962 to 1984.
Whisperjet Meets DreamlinerToday we moved our Boeing 727 prototype at Paine Field for a little photo op with a brand new United Boeing 787. This 727 “Whisperjet” entered service with United in 1964. Next week the Dreamliner flies away to enter service with United, while our bird flies to her new home at the Museum. Today they were United together. The Museum’s 727 Project Manager, Bob Bogash, crewed the 727 during the event. #727finalflight Commemorate the final flight: www.museumofflight.org/727-appeal
Lt. Col. George Watkins, the 34th Fighter Squadron commander, drops a GBU-12 laser-guided bomb from an F-35A Lightning II at the Utah Test and Training Range Feb. 25, 2016. The 34th FS is the Air Force’s first combat unit to employ munitions from the F-35A. (U.S. Air Force photo/Jim Haseltine)
Is the much-maligned and mega-expensive F-35A Joint Strike Fighter moving toward operational reality?
The Air Force announced Tuesday that F-35A JSFs successfully dropped laser-guided bombs during tests last week. The 388th and 419th fighter wings at Utah’s Hill Air Force Base participated in the tests.
“This is significant because we’re building the confidence of our pilots by actually dropping something off the airplane instead of simulating weapon employment,” Lt. Col. George Watkins said in an Air Force statement.
It’s the first time such bombs had been launched with jets designed to deploy after so-called initial operational capacity. IOC is declared when the planes are deemed ready for combat.
The F-35 is also known as the Joint Strike Fighter because it’s intended for use by the Navy, the Marine Corps and 10 foreign countries, in addition to the Air Force. It is designed as an aerial version of a Swiss Army knife and could replace current aircraft like the F-16 and the A-10.
A single-seat, single-engine, all-weather stealth fighter, the F-35 has been plagued by delays, cost overruns and a multitude of other issues. It’s currently four years behind schedule in terms of when the original project was started. The current price tag is $400 billion – making it the most expensive weapons
system in American history. It could ultimately wind up costing $1 trillion.
But designing and producing a next-generation fighter that is a jack of all trades isn’t cheap or easy.
The F-35’s aviation technology ranks among the most sophisticated in the world — designed to conduct air-to-air combat, air-to-ground strikes, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
It’s also designed to allow pilots to immediately share data with one another and their commanders; it can penetrate enemy territory without being detected by radar; and its specialized helmet display gives pilots a 360-degree view of their surroundings.
The F-35 has three main models: the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing version that will be used by the Air Force, the F-35B short take-off and vertical-landing version that will be used by the Marine Corps and the F-35C carrier-based version that will be used by the Navy.
American Eagle Embraer ERJ-175LR at Miami International Airport. Photo by: Venkat Mangudi
In the cyclical airline industry, these should be the good times. What gives?
Earlier this week Republic Airlines declared bankruptcy stating that a lack of pilots resulted in lost revenue due to grounded flights. Anyone in the travelling public reading this story must be confused as to how an airline can go bankrupt in this time of cheap fuel. After all, planes are jammed full and stories of record profits being set by airlines abound.
To understand all this, it is important to note that Republic isn’t a “real” airline in the customary sense. That is, you can’t go online and buy a ticket on Republic Airlines. Republic, like most “regional” airlines, is simply a provider of aircraft and crews to their major airline partners. Their aircraft are flown under the banners of American Eagle, United Express, and Delta Connection.
The agreements which bind Republic and other similar airlines to their partners, known as “capacity purchase agreements”, delineate the terms under which aircraft and crews are provided to fill the schedules dictated by those major airline partners. Once signed, as with any contract, the terms are set. And again, as with any business contract, there are likely a host of penalties imposed for non-performance of the terms of those contracts. This is all routine business stuff.
Revenue Restricted but Costs Unbound
The regionals, then, are bound on the revenue side of their ledger by the contracts they’ve signed. They don’t get to raise prices on their flying customers because they don’t really have any. Their customers are the major airlines with whom they have signed contracts. Passengers are the cargo who incidentally happen to be on the airplane. You can easily see how incentives are aligned for the “enhanced” customer experience that most regional airlines provide.
The only way for a regional airline to increase profit, then, is by reducing costs.
One cost input that most likely wasn’t considered highly variable was that of labor, specifically pilots. One of the main reasons the regional airline model even exists is that it functioned as an end run around union contracts at the major airlines. Several decades ago major airline unions (ALPA, APA) allowed loopholes in their contracts allowing their airlines to outsource the operation of smaller aircraft thinking that the amount of flying would remain small.
That was a strategic mistake for the unions as “regional” airlines grew unabated using new fast and capable jets. Regional airline enplanements grew from 27 million passengers in 1985 to about 160 million passengers in 2014 taking a huge bite out of the flying done by the unionized pilots at the major network carriers. The reduced costs from the regional airline operations also allowed the major airlines to field a competitive response to the explosive growth of younger low cost carriers (LCCs), notably Southwest.
The Model Breaks Down
That model more or less worked because younger pilots were willing to accept the low wages offered by the regional carriers in exchange for the flight hours they needed to apply for a job at the major airlines where the money is. In a sense it was a deal with the devil because the existence of the low paying regional jobs came at the expense of the higher paying flying at the majors. It might have been considered an industry wide “B” scale, but the model persisted.
With the crash of Colgan 3407 and the subsequent legislation which raised the minimum hours required for any pilot to work at a regional by five times, the wheels have apparently come off. Any pilot who wishes to work for any commercial airline must now have a minimum of 1500 hours.
This new requirement has effectively shut down the pipeline for new pilots. As the major airlines now must hire thousands of pilots to replace retiring pilots, the regionals are losing pilots faster than they can be replaced causing them to cancel flights for a lack of pilots.
Republic itself was losing around 40 pilots per month and couldn’t cover their schedule. This meant lost revenue. Last year Republic was even sued by Delta for breach of contract in not fulfilling its obligations, the irony being that Delta is hiring away many of Republic’s pilots.
A result of the pilot shortage is a bidding war for the fewer pilots remaining available for hire. One need only click over to the Republic corporate home page to see multiple appeals to prospective pilots. For pilots with the requisite number of hours, it’s a good time to be looking for a flying job.
As far as the Republic bankruptcy is concerned, this is nothing more than a renegotiation opener by Republic to gain more favorable terms with its major partners while avoiding the penalties in its existing contracts. As the pilot shortage worsens, fares will likely increase and service to smaller cities is likely to be curtailed or ended.
Are We any Safer?
A good way to start a bar fight or internet brawl on a pilot forum is to question the need for the higher hours requirement. It should be noted that both the Colgan pilots far exceeded the new hours requirements. The problem in that crash was identified as a weak captain and fatigue. It should also be noted that the Air Force routinely puts its pilots in the seat of advanced fighter and multiengine heavy transport aircraft with only about 200 hours of experience. I know because I was one of them.
That said, it appears to be highly unlikely that the 1500 hour requirement will be relaxed any time soon. The topic is simply too much of a political hot potato. My guess is that we will see more shrinkage and possible bankruptcies of regional airlines along with major airlines bringing some of that flying in-house in order to keep ahold of their pilots.
The Jumbo Jet, aka The Queen Of The Skies, has assumed many forms. As reported recently on Avgeekery.com, the 747 is being phased out by most of the commercial aviation providers. But since its inception in 1970, the 747 has been put to use in a variety of ways. While its beauty is unmatched, its real claim to fame is its versatility.
We’d like to list 747 different ways that the jet has been used…but even The Queen isn’t that versatile. Here are seven different uses in which the 747 has excelled.
SOFIA Observatory in flight. Credit: NASA
Flying Observatory
This month NASA is using a 747 as an airborne platform for SOFIA – Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy. A heavily modified Boeing 747 Special Performance aircraft is able to fly near the edges of the atmosphere, thus providing better visibility than observatories on earth. Cloudy nights prevent and/or limit star gazing.
This 747 carries a 17-ton, 8-foot telescope that is mounted behind a sliding door in the side of the fuselage. The door measures 16-by-23 feet. The fuselage was shortened by 55 feet, which increases its performance capacities.
Its range and ceiling make it perfect for studying the stars and planets. It can stay airborne for over 12 hours and has a range of over 7,000 miles plus a ceiling of 45,000 feet. That allows it to fly above the troposphere. Water vapor obscures infrared light and only .2 percent of the Earth’s water vapor is above the troposphere.
Thus ends today’s science lesson but we still have more unique 747s below!
U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain
Air Force One
Since 1970, a version of the 747 has served as Air Force One, one of the modern icons of America. Currently the Air Force employs two Boeing VC-25A, which are specifically configured and highly customized Boeing 747-200B series aircraft.
The ability to stay airborne and be refueled, along with its size, makes it a perfect mobile headquarters for the Commander in Chief. Plus the 747’s four engines provide a safety margin not found on current the larger two-engine commercial jets.
The two planes currently in use are about to reach the end of their 30-year life spans. In January, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing an initial contract worth $25.8 million to produce the next generation. Boeing will customize its 747-8, its latest model, to become the next Air Force Ones. The new aircraft should be in service by the end of this decade.
The Space Shuttle Atlantis is carried on the back of a 747. Credit: NASA
Space Shuttle Ferry
The end of the space shuttle program in 2011 ended one of the great spectacles in aviation. Space shuttles were launched in Florida but often landed at Edwards Air Force base in California.
To transport the 83-ton spacecraft back to its starting point, two specially equipped 747s were used. Equipped with two additional vertical stabilizers, the 747s flew at 285 mph at 13,000 to 15,000 feet when transporting the shuttle.
Late last month, NASA unveiled an exhibit at Space Center Houston. NASA 905, one two modified 747s that transported the space shuttle, is being displayed at Independence Plaza. On top of the 747 is a replica space shuttle called Independence. Visitors can go inside each craft.
The 747 Supertanker during the 2010 Carmel forest fires in Israel. Credit: ShacharLA
Fire Fighting
Evergreen International Aviation, a company based in Oregon, converted four 747 cargo planes into aircraft that could deliver nearly 20,000 gallons of water and/or fire retardant chemicals. The company hoped to use its big plans to drop big loads to help fight fires.
Last year, Global SuperTanker Services, LLC stepped in and took over Evergreen’s planes and plans. The use and effectiveness of 747 super tankers has yet to be determined.
A 747 Dreamlifter takes off. Credit: Yamaguchi Yoshiaki
If you want to see a tricked-out 747, consider the Dreamlifter, aka Large Cargo Freighter.
The 747 is one of the most recognizable aircraft because of its “bulge” in the fuselage that extends from the cockpit aft. The Dreamlifter accentuated and expanded that bulge for nearly the entire length of the fuselage.
At 65,000 cubic feet (1,840 cubic meters) the cargo hold is the world’s largest. The tail swings open to load cargo. Boeing uses the Dreamlifter to transport aircraft parts for the 787 to its assembly plants around the world. The modified 747 went into service in 2007.
In 2013, Atlas Air Boeing 747 Dreamlifter en route from John F. Kennedy International Airport to McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kan., mistakenly landed eight nautical miles away at Colonel James Jabara Airport.
Airborne Laser Testbed known as the YAL-1A. Credit: US Air Force
Weapons Platform
About 20 years after Star Wars, the U.S. Air Force tried out its own “light saber.” In 1996, funding was approved and tests began to equip a 747 with a nose-mounted laser. The Airborne Laser Testbed was part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s Missile Defense Agency
The 747 was equipped with a chemical oxygen iodine laser that could track and destroy a missile during its boost phase. Six years ago during a test flight the system successfully tracked and destroyed a missile.
However, prohibitive expense of the project and the plane’s limited range led to the project being de-funded and shelved.
Jumbo Jet Gimmicks
The 747 is such an iconic plane that companies and businesses like to come up with ways to garner attention.
A year ago, when Samsung was launching its GalaxyS6 and Samsung Galaxy S6 edge, it wanted to make sure supply would equal demand. The company enlisted a fleet of 747s to get the devices delivered.
Boeing, which manufactures the 747, is based in Seattle and has a long history with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks. The team’s recent success led to Boeing doing special paint jobs on 747s each of the last two years. Last season, Boeing’s Seahawks-themed paint job went on a newly designed 747-8 freighter with an up-graded paint job.
A venerable 727 cargo jet made a safe landing without a nose gear. Video is below.
Asia Pacific Airlines operates a fleet of 3 727-200 cargo aircraft. (Screenshot from website at www.flyapa.com)
If you follow our site closely, you know that we at Avgeekery have a soft spot in our heart for the Boeing 727. There are very few flying examples left. By now, most airlines and major cargo operators have retired them. There are a few operating for smaller outfits around the world though. One of the remaining operators is Asia Pacific Airlines who operates a 727-200 with winglets.
On Feb 26, tail number N86425, a 37+ year old Boeing 727 arrived at Guam International Airport and realized that its nose gear would not extend. After completing a touch and go maneuver (apparently in an attempt to jiggle the nose gear free), the aircraft made a second landing attempt and completed textbook emergency landing. Despite gusty winds, the pilot held the nose off the ground for as long as possible while still ensuring he had elevator effectiveness to slowly and gently lower the nose. No word on damage yet.
Video was posted by KUAM news on Feb 26 (local).
Startling video of the Asia Pacific Airlines cargo plane making an emergency landing at the Guam International Airport, after it’s nose wheel failed to come down.
Posted by KUAM News on Thursday, February 25, 2016
GulfstreamGuy’s photos feature scenes that stir the #avgeek’s imagination.
Everyday, thousands of people post amazing airplane photos on Instagram. But few people are able to take a photo of a flying machine and turn it into a work of art that stirs the imagination. Jason Hamm, aka GulfstreamGuy, has that unique talent for mixing photography and creativity to produce thoughtful scenes combining action figures and airplanes. His popular Instagram account features over 12,000 fans! We recently sat down with Jason to learn more about his aviation passion.
1.) Tell us a little about yourself. When did you first realize you were an avgeek?
My name is Jason Hamm, I’m 42 years old and I’ve been married to my wife, April, for 15 years. I have 2 kids. My daughter, Savanna, is 11 and my son, William, is 7.
I was born in Germany as an air force brat and so I have always grown up around aviation. I can remember waking up to the sounds of local B-52s in Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota doing their morning engine run-ups and I used to LOVE hearing the raw power they filled the morning air with! It was actually so loud I can remember having to yell at my friends while trying to talk to them as they stood next to me!
I always think back to a time while I was in North Dakota and my dad took me down to the flight line fence to see one of the most amazing airplanes I had ever seen in my life. The long sleek black fuselage was unlike I had ever seen before. My dad just kept referring to it as the “Blackbird”! I saw this SR-71 and I KNEW I needed to learn more about aircraft!
2.) Besides taking great photos, what do you do for your day job?
Well, thank you for the compliment! I’m very proud to say I am a ramp agent for Southwest Airlines here in Little Rock at the Clinton National Airport. I’ve been working at the airport since 1993 in some form or fashion. I was a refueler, I worked at a private flight department, an FBO, and I worked for Northwest for almost 10 years before eventually landing my current career at the LUV airline!
3.) Your Instagram account has some of the most unique aviation photos.
Thanks! When I started getting involved with aviation photography I tried doing the “spotting” type of photos. This, of course, being aircraft landing, taking off, and taxiing. I’ve never been able to capture these type of shots with any type of proficiency and there are so many aviation photographers who excel in these type of shots so I set my sites on capturing images that the general public may normally do not get to see. These include ramp shots and up close shots, heck, maybe even shots from WITHIN the wheel well of a 737!!
I also have learned the use of HDR (High Dynamic Range) in my photos of Instagram (Thanks, Snapseed!!) to give many of my photos a certain “painting-like” look to them. HDR, I’ve found, has to be done carefully to avoid giving the photos a over saturated fake look. I am my own worst critic so if the photo pleases me, I will post it. I literally have thousands of photos I will not show anyone because they weren’t up to my standards.
4.) On Instagram, you frequently combine figurines and airplane models while shooting pictures of real jets. Where did you get this idea?
About a year and a half ago I was looking through Instagram accounts and I did a search for Star Wars. I came across this account buy the name of Matt, aka “Captain Kaos” (stuckinplastic.com). His gallery has not only some of the best action figure photography I’ve ever seen but also he incorporates an amazing original story or paragraph to each one. I thought it would be a fun idea to put my love of Lego figures (and eventually Star Wars Black Series figures) together with the aircraft I’m surrounded with for a few shots now and again. The response has been great! I’m always thinking ahead and I look at EVERYTHING around me for ideas.
5.) What’s your favorite #avgeek memory?
I have a few but one of my favorite avgeek memories happened on December 9, 1999. That’s the day I proposed to my wife, April. She had never been on a plane before and I wanted to make her first time special. Thanks to the LIT Southwest Ops personnel, all of the flight crew knew about it in advance and all I had to do was get up in front of everyone during the flight and ask April to come up to the front of the plane as I got on one knee and asked for her hand in marriage. I’m thankful she she said yes!
The aircraft I proposed to her on was a Southwest 737-200 (N64SW) that was eventually retired and sent to the desert. However, this 732 eventually was turned into a corporate jet for Sonic restaurants and then sold and re-registered as N500VP. The funny part of that story is on the day we got married, right after the ceremony, we were both starving from not eating all day so we stopped by a Sonic restaurant to get something to eat! I guess some things were just meant to be!
Thanks Jason! If you are an #avgeek with an interesting story to share, send an e-mail to avgeekeryblog@gmail.com.
Now Were Talking Aim-9M’s are standard…and we’ve got Martin Baker Bucket Seats.
Those of us who are old enough to remember know that there’s probably nothing worse than good ‘ole Cal Worthington trying to sell you a used automobile on TV. His commercials were so annoying that they stuck in your head. Well now we’ve uncovered that there might actually be something worse. This skit of an F-4 Phantom pilot trying to sell you a used F-4 while doing an impression of Cal Worthington features horrible acting with terrible camera work, and yet somehow it will still make nostalgic #avgeeks laugh.
YouTube screen capture of video posted by: lugnutsoldcrap
The Cal Worthington impersonator actually appears to be an F-4 Phantom pilot from the 113th Tactical Fighter Squadron that was based at Terre Haute, Indiana. Back in 1991, the base transitioned from an F-4 unit to F-16s. Terre Haute continued to fly the F-16 until 2007 when the flying mission ceased as part of the 2005 BRAC decision. Today, the 181st Intelligence Wing at the base processes UAV data feeds and provides intelligence to support units around the world.
Crazy Cal: A War Hero
While Cal Worthington was best known as the semi-famous owner of the Worthington Auto Group who appeared in countless commercials and died a very wealthy man, he was actually a decorated airman and war hero first. Cal served in World War II. He flew 29 missions over Germany in the B-17. He received 5 air medals and a Distinguished Flying Cross that was presented by Jimmy Doolittle himself.
Air Force displays rendering of new stealth bomber for the first time.
Dear ISIS and other (potential) enemies of America: You mess with the bull, you get the … B-21.
Friday U.S. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James revealed an artist’s concept design and the designation of the next generation long-range strike bomber. James was speaking at the Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla.
James said the B-21 will let the Air Force launch from the continental U.S. and deliver airstrikes on any location in the world.
“The B-21 has been designed from the beginning based on a set of requirements that allows the use of existing and mature technology,” James said.
The new stealth bomber has a designation but not a name. The LRS-B was tagged B-21 because it will be the first new stealth bomber of the 21st century. James is opening up the naming of the B-21 to U.S. airmen.
“So we have an image, we have a designation, but what we don’t yet have, we don’t yet have a name,” James said, “and this is where I’m challenging and I’m calling on every airman today … to give us your best suggestions for a name for the B-21, America’s newest bomber.”
The contract has been awarded to Northrup Grumman, which also built the B-2. Analysts say the program will be worth around $80 billion in total, providing a boon to Northrop and its key suppliers, but the Air Force has said only that it expects to pay $511 million per plane in 2010 dollars.
The contract to build 100 B-21s was awarded in October but the announcement has been held up as federal auditors reviewed a protest from Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The B-21 program also figures to encounter scrutiny from Congress.
The artist rendering of the B-21 closely resembles the B-2 Spirit Stealth Bomber. The plan is for the B-21 to be operational in the middle of the next decade.
So, ISIS, if you’re still around by then … beware.
Avgeekery.com invites you to close out your week and spend some TGIF time getting caught up on some stories of interest that you might have missed over the last few days.
Astronaut Scott Kelly. Credit: NASA/Robert Markowitz
MOST IN SPACE: When Scott Kelly returns to Earth next week, he will come back holding the record for most days in space by a U.S. astronaut. He will have spent nearly a year in the International Space Station. Kelly has been in space four times but this mission has produced some interesting facts and figures.
EMBRAER ROLLOUT: Embraer’s dominance in small to mid-size commercial aircraft received another boost when the Brazilian company rolled out the E190-E2, the first E2 jet. The aircraft is scheduled to make its maiden flight in the second half of this year and be in service in 2018.
UNION NEWS (NOT DUES):American Airlines pilots formed their own union over 50 years ago but a former union executive thinks that it’s time for the AA pilots to increase their clout by rejoining the larger Air Line Pilots Association.
WHY AIRFARES ARE HIGH: A writer who knows the airlines and travel industry explains why airfares are high even though commercial carriers are raking in profits and benefiting from lower fuel prices.
HARTSFIELD SEMANTICS: Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International is not a favorite among air travelers. Perhaps that’s because it’s the busiest – more flights equal more delays equal more people equal long lines. The airport’s claim as the world’s “busiest” has now been changed to “most-traveled.” That’s probably not gonna reduce the wait time at Starbucks, though.
NEW TERMINAL IN DUBAI:Concourse D opened at Dubai International Airport this week. It cost $1.2 billion and will increase capacity from 75 million to 90 million passengers per year. (By the way, Atlanta, Dubai claims it has the world’s busiest airport.)
DON’T FENCE ME IN: A few weeks ago Avgeekery.com wrote about tips for drone owners. At the recent Singapore Airshow there was talk of installing GPS chips in drones and then using electronic “fences” to prevent drones from flying where they shouldn’t.
RIP: Capt. Eric “Winkle” Brown, who was England’s version of Chuck Yeager, died this week at the age of 97. He was the most decorated pilot in the Royal Navy and held three world records including flying 487 different types of aircraft.
TEEN DIES OF INJURIES:A 16-year-old who was among the passengers in the helicopter crash in Hawaii has died. The copter crashed in the water near Pearl Harbor and the accident was captured on video.
For over three decades, McDonnell’s F-4 Phantom was the world’s most popular fighter-bomber. It made its debut in 1960 and served a prominent role in Vietnam. Over 5,000 F-4s were produced.
Not only was the F-4 a staple for the U.S. military, it was operated by the armed forces in 11 other nations. In Israel, Phantoms were key players in several conflicts and Iran used a large contingent of F-4s in the Iran-Iraq War. Seven countries still use Phantoms in front-line service.
So why was the F-4 such a durable plane that was also popular with the pilots who flew the Phantom? Here are eight reasons:
McDonnell Aircraft, based in St. Louis, was tasked with developing a fighter for the “next war.” The Navy wanted a twin-seat, twin-engine aircraft that could operate at high altitude at supersonic speed. The F-4 was the result. The Phantom like an All-Pro NFL linebacker – rugged size and jaw-dropping speed. It could reach Mach 2.2 and carry more than 18,000 pounds of weaponry.
After becoming operational, the F-4 established its superiority. In just over two years of test flights, the Phantom set 15 world records including speed and altitude.
An F-4 Phantom on a bombing run in Vietnam. Credit: U.S. Navy National Museum of Naval Aviation.
Ironically, the F-4 was a fighter without an on-board gun. It was designed to fire rockets – Sparrows and Sidewinders. Later models added an M61 Vulcan rotary cannon. Because rockets tended to miss their targets, the cannon gave pilots a backup and a security blanket. In dogfights with MiGs in Vietnam, the cannon and the heat-seeking Sidewinders were the only effective weapons.
The F-4 was initially developed for the Navy but the plane was soon in service for all branches of the U.S. military. The versatile Phantom could carry out recon missions, was outstanding in dog fights and could provide air support for ground troops.
The Phantom was packed nose to tail with high-tech gear – radar, missile fire control, advanced navigation systems, an analog air-data computer – and it marked the beginning of the two-seat fighter. The back seater served as fire-control/radar officer, navigator and in later versions of the F-4 with dual pilot controls was also capable of flying the plane.
The size, speed and power of the F-4 made it an awesome sight in flight. The Phantom is the only aircraft that was used by the United States’ two flight demonstration teams – the Air Force’s Thunderbirds and the Navy’s Blue Angels.
The popularity of an aircraft can be measured by the nickname(s) given by the men who fly those aircraft. Officially designated as the “Phantom” the F-4 also earned a long list of nicknames. It shot down a number of Soviet-buit MiGs, earning the description as the “World’s Leading Distributor of MiG Parts.” It was also known as Snoopy, Rhino, Double Ugly, Old Smokey, the Flying Anvil, Flying Footlocker, Flying Brick, Lead Sled, The Big Iron Sled, The St. Louis Slugger and Old Bent Wing because of its unique up-angled wing tips.
In the 1960s, NASA needed a chase plane to film rockets they were test launching for the space program. The F-4’s twin General Electric J79 engines enabled the Phantom to track a Titan rocket for 90 seconds as it reached Mach 1. Retired colonel Jack Petry was one of the chase pilots who filmed the rocket launches. “Absolutely beautiful,” Petry told Air&Space Magazine of the experience. “To see that massive thing in flight and be right there in the air with it – you can imagine the exhilaration.”
Artist rendering of the Hybrid Airship being developed by Lockheed Martin and Hybrid Enterprises. Credit: Lockheed Martin.
It can carry more than a C-130 and fly over 1,000 miles at a fraction of the cost.
Everything old is new again. At least, that’s how the saying goes. And that appears to apply to blimps.
Also known as airships, they were on the leading edge of man’s attempts to leave the Earth’s gravitational pull. For most of us, the word associated with “blimp” is “Goodyear.” That company and others have advertised by providing blimps for aerial shots at major sports events, football games in particular.
For the last 20 years, Lockheed Martin and Hybrid Enterprises have been working on making blimps relative for the 21st century. They’ve developed the Hybrid Airship and its purpose could be hauling cargo to and from remote locations.
Two other companies are developing similar aircraft. Hybrid Air Vehicles, based in England, has developed the Airlander 10 and Thales has the Stratobus, a high-altitude blimp that the company describes as an autonomous, stationary stratospheric platform.
Specifically, it’s thought that the Hybrid Airship could unlock resources in Africa that could be worth billions of dollars. The helium-powered blimp can carry up to 20 tons, has a range of more than 1,000 miles and a top speed of 60 knots.
More importantly, it doesn’t need a runway. Unlike other airships, it doesn’t need to be tethered to a mooring tower. The Hybrid Airship has four landing pads similar to a hover craft that allows it to land on a variety of surfaces.
“When you build a project in a remote area, you always have to start with a road, a railway line, and a power line before you build the smelter,” Robert S. Stewart, head of African mining firm Interop AG, told CNN.com. “With an airship you can fly straight in, without even an airport, just an area the size of two or three football fields.”
The new giant blimp has caused the Federal Aviation Administration to redefine the rules for such a craft. Lockheed-Martin and the FAA have worked for more than a decade to define criteria. Last November, the FAA approved a project specific certification plan for the Hybrid Airship.
The FAA’s approval for the certification plan gave Lockheed Martin the green light to start production. Each “super blimp” is expected to cost $40 million. Final FAA certification is needed and Hybrid Enterprises hopes its super blimp will be in operation by 2018.
Those of us at Avgeekery.com hope that the Hybrid Airship’s official debut is accompanied by Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven.”
Real pilots wrote the most ornery songs about pilots, planes, and the daily grind of the Air Force.
The Dos Gringos band are better fighter pilots than singers and song writers. (That’s a compliment, guys.)
They penned this little ditty about their favorite military aircraft. It’s catchy and the singing is above average. (That assessment comes from a below – way below – average singer.) Caution about some of the language – it’s NSFW so either be careful where you watch or plug in your earphones.
As fun as the song is, the aerial footage that goes along with the music is top shelf.
