We Avgeeks all know how simply awesome the A-10 Warthog is. Here are some things you might not know about the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.
Official US Air Force photograph
One
The Development of the Lockheed AH-56 Cheyenne attack helicopter actually helped to expose the need for a dedicated ground attack aircraft for the Air Force. That first and still only dedicated designed and built for purpose ground attack aircraft became the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II.
Two
The design of the A-10 was developed during the time that the Cessna A-37 Dragonfly was replacing Douglas A-1 Skyraiders as the Air Force’s primary CSAR support and counter insurgency (COIN) platform. The Warthog, while obviously a much more capable close air support (CAS) aircraft than the Super Tweet, owes at least some of its design influences to the tiny but capable A-37.
Official US Air Force photograph
Three
Republic Aircraft of Farmingdale, Long Island, New York, built the two YA-10 prototypes at their factory. The first flight of the YA-10 took place on 10 May 1972 at Republic’s airfield on Long Island. However, production of every one of the 715 A-10s built took place at Fairchild’s factory in outside Baltimore in Hagerstown in Maryland.
Four
The A-10’s General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 millimeter rotary cannon is mounted in the fuselage of the Hog in such a way that the barrel firing is aligned with the centerline of the aircraft. This ensures that when the weapon is fired it does not cause the aircraft to yaw. This is also why the nose gear of the aircraft is offset to the starboard (right) side.
Official US Air Force photograph
Five
When the GAU-8/A is removed from the Warthog for maintenance or replacement, the tail of the aircraft must be supported or it will come to rest on the ground when the jet’s nose tilts up.
Six
The PGU-14/B shells fired by the GAU-8 are only slightly radioactive, no more than most other stones or dirt, but the sub-caliber high-density penetrator inside is extremely dense- adding to the kinetic energy expended when one of the projectiles hits, and usually shreds, its target.
Official US Air Force photograph
Seven
The General Electric TF-34-GE-100 high-bypass turbofan engines that power the A-10 have only been used on one other operational military aircraft- the Lockheed S-3 Viking carrier-based sub-hunter.
Eight
Those engines are mounted where they are on the airframe for two very good reasons- to protect them from debris raised from the ground during taxi, takeoff, and landing, and to place them above the horizontal tail surfaces, thereby better shielding them from infrared (IR) seeking weapons fired from the ground.
Official US Air Force photograph
Nine
Although the A-10 is a close air support (CAS) star, it is not as fast as you might think. With a loaded never exceed speed (VNE) of 450 knots (518 miles per hour) at altitude the Warthog is not going to produce any sonic booms. A cleanly-configured A-10 can reach 381 knots (439 miles per hour) at sea level. Several World War II-era warbirds are just about capable of keeping up.
Ten
The roughly 220 A-10Cs still operational today (as of 2024) were originally A-10As built by Fairchild-Republic, maintained by Grumman after 1987, upgraded by Lockheed-Martin, and many of the A-10Cs in service have been re-winged by Boeing.
This weekend, the aviation world mourns the loss of a pioneer in the industry. Remembering USAF Lt Col (ret) Dick Rutan, an aviation legend and decorated combat veteran.
Rutan passed away on May 3, while battling a severe lung infection. Close friend Bill Whittle said Rutan died on “his own terms when he decided against enduring a second night on oxygen.” Rutan passed away surrounded by friends and family in Idaho.
It all started at an air show
Dick rutan (photo via rutan family)
Like many youngsters, the seed for a life of aviation was planted young when Rutan’s mother brought him to an air show. What really caught his attention was an F-100 Super Sabre, and the pilots who flew it.
“I looked up at the pilot, as a little kid and I thought, man, I would really like to be that, but there would be no fine way I could ever do that,” recalled Rutan during a speech in 2010. “Fighter pilots, they’re a different species.”
He always credited his mother for supporting his dreams and goals. “She admonished me when I said that there wasn’t any way I could become a fighter pilot,” he recalled. “She taught us that if you can dream it, you can do it, and the only way to fail is if you quit.”
Rutan always wanted to be a fighter pilot, so that’s what he did
Richard Glenn Rutan was plane-crazy from that moment on. He earned his private on his 16th birthday, and his driver license (yes he got them the same day). His dream plane to fly, was the F-100 Super Sabre.
So, he joined the USAF Aviation Cadet Program. Rutan became a second lieutenant, earned his navigator wings, and was deployed to Iceland to fly Northrop’s F-89 Scorpion. He then flew the Douglas C-124 Globemaster.
After accumulating 1,900 flight hours as a navigator, he entered pilot training and graduated at the top of his class in 1967.
Lt col (ret) dick rutan with one of the super sabres he flew in vietnam (photo credit national museum of the usaf)
He got his dream jet too, the F-100. However, it would also mean he was being sent to combat in South Vietnam. He started flying ground attack missions, but soon became a forward air controller (FAC) in the Commando Sabre program, more commonly known as the the secretive MISTY program.
Rutan survived being shot down and was highly decorated
Rutan was responsible for loitering over enemy positions ahead of strike packages as “Misty Four-Zero”, marking targets for the strike aircraft to attack.
Photo via Dick Rutan family
Great interview with Dick Rutan
He was shot down on such a mission too, his 325th flight during his third tour. It wouldn’t be his only emergency ejection either. He later had to punch out of another Super Sabre in England when it suffered an engine malfunction.
He received many awards in his time serving, including the Silver Star and the Purple Heart. Rutan was also awarded 16 Air Medals and five Distinguished Flying Crosses.
Rutan’s jet over vietnam in 1968 (top). Painted as it appeared in March 1968 (below), the jet was flown by Rutan & is on display at the National Museum of the Air Force in Dayton, OH (usaf photos)
One of the Super Sabres he flew is now on display at the National Museum of the USAF in Dayton, OH.
Rutan retired and became a test pilot
After retiring from the USAF in 1978, Rutan became a Production Manager and Chief Test Pilot for his brother Burt’s company, Rutan Aircraft Factory.
Photo via rutan family
Dick flew the test flight development programs for several military and civilian experimental aircraft. He also flew air show demos.
However, Rutan still had an itch that needed scratching.
Dick Rutan joined Jeana Yeager to set the last great aviation record to date
He met Jeana Yeager in 1980, and together began pursuing a goal to fly nonstop, around-the-world, without refueling. He resigned from his brother’s company in 1981, and founded Voyager Aircraft, Inc.
Jeana Yeager and Dick Rutan are all smiles after completing a test flight over Mojave in December 1985 (photo via rutan family)
Together they flew the Voyager over 26,000 miles, taking off and returning to Edwards AFB. The plane was designed by his famous brother, Burt.
Dreams however take money, and aviation dreams take a LOT of money. To fund their idea, and bring publicity, Rutan decided to set several aircraft speed and endurance records before his big round the world flight. In 1981 he set a distance record of 4,563 statute miles for an aircraft weighing less than 1,000 kilograms. Soon after, he set a closed-course speed record for both 500 and 2,000 kilometers.
rutan and yeager leaving california on voyager, followed by a chase plane (photo via rutan family)
Rutan was a hot air balloon pilot, too
It would seem that, if it could fly, Rutan wanted to fly it. He earned his balloon pilot’s license in 1995 (Commercial free air balloon; helium and hot air). Of course, he had a record setting vision for hot-air balloons, too.
He attempted the first ever flight around the world flight in a balloon in 1998. He didn’t get very far. The mission ended three hours after takeoff when his balloon’s helium cell ruptured at 30,000 feet. Rutan and his crew bailed out safely at 6,000 ft, before the balloon crashed to the ground and burst into flames.
He vowed to try again, and built a new balloon and capsule for it. Another team, however, beat him to the record in 1998.
Dick Rutan was rescued from the North Pole after his plane fell through ice
No stranger to adventure, Dick Rutan decided to sightsee the North Pole on an airplane trek in 2000. The season however was unusually warm.
Flying a Russian AN-2 Antonov, they landed on what appeared to be good ice. However, it was too thin, and before they could takeoff to find a different location, the plane had already started sinking into the frozen abyss.
Photos via rutan family
The plane was sinking nose first into the water, but its wings held it above the surface long enough for the crew to escape with their survival equipment. Rutan and co were stranded at the top of the world for 12 hours, before being rescued.
More awards and records
While his flight around the world is what Dick Rutan will be most remembered for, his list of accomplishments would continue.
He was awarded a Presidential Citizens Medal, the Collier Trophy, the Order of Daedalians Distinguished Achievement Award, and was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2002.
Dick Rutan conducted the “shortest long-distance flight” ever in 2005, when he broke a world record for the longest distance in a ground-launched rocket-powered aircraft (called the EZ rocket). He flew it about 10 miles.
Rutan was honored with the Howard Hughes Memorial Award in 2021.
“He played an airplane like someone plays a grand piano.” – Burt Rutan
You’ll get fired up watching this Super Constellation’s exhaust flames as it takes off at twilight.
Flames on an airplane are usually the signal of impending doom. The combustion must remain internal and contained within the engines. But Lockheed’s Super Constellation, the L-1049, was a four-engine aircraft that became a major component in commercial aviation fleets in the 1950s.
Before jet-powered aircraft like the Boeing 707 took over, the Super Constellation was a go-to aircraft. In particular, it became a signature plane for Trans World Airlines.
The “Super Connie” is considered one of the most elegant aircraft ever built. From its sloping dolphin-like nose to its distinctive triple tail, the plane looked sleek and unique.
The accompanying video was taken at the perfect time. The dusk takeoff of this Super Connie shows the four flames being emitted from the four engines.
Why Does The Connie Spit So Much Fire?
Fire spits out of the Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation during departure | IMAGE: YMML Spotting Team via YouTube
Based on this video, you could nickname the Connie, the Spitfire! (We’re kidding, of course)
The L-1049 went through numerous changes and adjustments, but for the most part, the aircraft’s four 18-cylinder radial engines remained the same – versions of the Wright R series.
Most of the Super Connies were powered by R-3350-972-TC18DA-1 turbo-compound engines, which featured Recovery Turbines that allowed each engine’s exhaust gas to flow through three turbines. That boosted horsepower by 550. The drawback was the visible flame from the exhaust pipes.
To prevent the flames from causing catastrophes, two-inch armor plating was placed under the stack. Problem solved. But the flames remained, and that added to the spectacle of seeing a Super Constellation in flight.
Xfinity Ad Shows Pilots Reminiscing On Their Flying Career
A new short film from Xfinity has been released to honor Military Appreciation Month. We have to admit, it’s a good one. This new Xfinity ad reuniting old fighter pilots will bring a tear to your eye.
The veterans served in Vietnam on the USS Saratoga. It was the first time commander Jack RAZOR Gillett, former lieutenant Jim ZEKE Lloyd, and former lieutenant Bill OFFENDER Moir had been face-to-face in 16 years.
New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye 24
They were joined by Elester HOLLYWOOD Latham, who was as a Marine sergeant during the Tet Offensive and became a USAF major.
Zeke was shot down in enemy territory. Razor and Offender Came to Save Him
Zeke was actually shot down on a mission, surviving his way down into enemy territory. He was able to evade the enemy for 6 hours, before fellow pilots Razor and Offender showed up to help rescue him.
Uss saratoga (navy photo)
He was offered the chance to go home. Instead, he stayed where he felt he belonged.
“When I got back to the safety of the fleet, I learned what the Navy did for me,” Zeke said. “So many risked their futures to help secure mine. When I learned that, I couldn’t go home. So, I continued flying until the war ended. The Navy tried to give me easier flights, but we were a northern carrier flying deep in the north, so that didn’t work all the time.”
A granddaughter helps her veteran grandfather and friends to fly again
New Xfinity Ad Reuniting Old Pilots Will Bring a Tear to Your Eye 25
In the film above, a grandfather shares old tales with his granddaughter about flying the A-4 Skyhawk, as they get ready to reunite with his old friends. He shows her his flight gear and photos and belongings from his days flying. Scenes flash back and forth between his past and present, as he takes her on a trip down memory lane.
Anyway, in the film the grandfather wishes he could take his granddaughter flying with him. Inspired by his life, and wanting to fly with him, she decides to surprise them all with VR headsets to help them fly again. Using Xfinity internet.
“The aviators” (xfinity)
“Besides our veterans’ reunion, there’s another connection story happening here. This experience brings them closer together,” said Jim Elliott, executive creative director at GS&P. Elliot was inspired to create the film when he witnessed his sons showing his USAF veteran 90-year old father-in-law how to fly again with a VR headset.
“The truth is, these sorts of miraculous, intergenerational moments of connection are happening every day across the country, thanks to Xfinity,” he added.
An Oscar-winning Director, Cinematographer and Production Crew
“The aviators” (xfinity)
The film was made by a crew of Oscar-winners. It’s directed by Kathryn Bigelow (“The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty”), who brought on two-time Oscar-winning cinematographer DP Greig Fraser.
Three-time Oscar-winning sound designer Paul N.J. Ottosson (“The Hurt Locker,” “Zero Dark Thirty,” “Fury”) also joined, along with the legendary Hanz Zimmer, a two-time Oscar-winning composer.
“It’s a real honor to work with our nation’s veterans,” Bigelow said in a behind-the-scenes documentary (watch above). “They’re special people, who’ve devoted their lives to our security. I feel like it’s my opportunity to give back.”
Xfinity Ad Highlights Pilots, It is also a leading employer of veterans in the country
Xfinity is a leading employer of veterans in the country. Parent company Comcast NBCUniversal was the nation’s No. 1 telecommunications company for veterans in 2022. They claim to have hired 21,000 veterans and National Guard and reserve service members, as well as military spouses, since 2015, gathering more than 9,000 employees in its Veterans Network employee resource group.
VSF-1 A-4C. US Navy photograph
Comcast is launching a new military benefits program for discounts. They are also donating $1 million to nonprofits serving the military community and working toward digital equity for this group.
“We’re a proud military-ready company that honors and celebrates what those who serve, those who’ve served, and their loved ones have done to defend the freedoms we enjoy,” said Mona Dexter, VP of military and veteran affairs at Comcast, a military spouse for over 25 years and a military mother. “Reunions like the kind depicted in the film represent the life-long devotion veterans have toward one another. It’s our company’s privilege to play a part in how these incredible men and women stay connected through technology.”
Following up on the story of the F-5, here are five things you might not know about the F-5 series:
The Iranians Morphed it into a homebrew fighter
1.) The Iranians took an F-5, added twin vertical stabilizers to it, and created a ‘new” fighter they call the HESA Saeqeh (Thunderbolt ). Iran claims the Saeqeh performs like an F/A-18 Hornet.
But even plain old avgeeks like me know that shoehorning some kludgy glass displays into the cockpit and bolting a second fin on to a standard F-5 do not add up to a home-grown Hornet. The Iranians say the Saeqeh maneuvers better than a standard F-5. That’s a long way from performing like a Hornet.
The F-5 Had Multiple Strut Options
2.) In order to get the F-5 off the ground using just a little bit less runway, the nose gear in F-5Es and F-5Fs is equipped with a selectable two-position strut. When in the extended position, the aircraft’s static angle of attack is increased by 3.3 degrees, providing additional lift at takeoff speeds.
F-5 Fact: It inspired the Northrup YF-17 and the F/A-18
3.) Many sources credit the F-5E design as the basis for / starting point for / predecessor of the Northrop YF-17 Cobra, which lost the Lightweight Fighter competition to the YF-16 during the mid-1970s.
The YF-17 came back in a big way, though. Today, you can recognize the family resemblance in the McDonnell-Douglas (Boeing) F/A-18 Hornet. The American version…not the Iranian.
Fact: The F-5 Had a Cool Nickname
4.) Northrop’s original codename for the design that became the F-5 was “Tally Ho”.
The Soviet Union Had Access to the F-5 Too
5.) The Soviet Union acquired captured F-5Cs from Vietnam and F-5Es from Ethiopia. They thoroughly evaluated and tested the F-5s over a period of several years. The Soviets threw the F-5s at MiG-21s and MiG-23s to see how aerial combat might conclude between the dissimilar aircraft.
Supposedly, the data generated during these flights contributed to the designs of the second-generation and much-improved MiG-23MLD Flogger K and ultimately the MiG-29 Fulcrum.
Ironically, the Soviet evaluation of the F-5s roughly parallels the similar American dissimilar aircraft training efforts outlined in our previous story about the development of the MiG-21.
An F-16 Fighting Falcon from Holloman AFB has crashed in New Mexico this afternoon.
The incident occurred near White Sands National Park just before noon local time, according to a statement from the 49th Wing.
The pilot survived, but the cause of the crash is unknown
F-16s and MQ-9 Reapers from the 49th Wing line up on the runway during an elephant walk at Holloman Air Force Base. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Victor J. Caputo)
The pilot was able to eject and survived. They were then transported by ambulance for medical care. It’s unknown whether or not the pilot was injured.
Certain area of White Sands National Park are currently closed, to allow emergency crews to do their jobs and protect the public from potential exposure to hazardous chemicals.
White sands national park, new mexico (national park service photo)
“An investigation conducted by a board of qualified officers is underway to determine the cause of the incident,” said the 49th Wing. “Additional details will be released as they become available.”
The 49th Wing is the Air Force’s largest F-16 and MQ-9 formal training unit
The 49th Wing is responsible for training and providing combat-ready F-16 and MQ-9 Reaper pilots and sensor operators. They also deliver Air Transportable Clinics and Basic Expeditionary Airfield Resources, supporting more than 21,000 military and civilian personnel.
Two U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Taylor Crul)
They can deploy worldwide whenever called upon, to support peacetime and wartime contingencies.
Holloman is also home to the world’s longest and fastest (approaching 10,000 feet per second, or Mach 9) test track. The 846th Test Squadron set the world land speed record there for a railed vehicle at 6,453 mph (Mach 8.5).
Today’s incident was the first F-16 crash in the United States since March of 2022, when an Oklahoma Air National Guard F-16 crashed in Louisiana. That pilot also ejected and survived.
Tower Air Provided Poor Service Long Before It Became The Norm In The Airline Industry
Tower Air – If you haven’t heard of that airline before, then consider yourself lucky. Though it may not be the worst airline to ever exist, it is definitely in contention. They’re widely considered to be more of an infamous airline than a true success.
Tower Air proved to be an enigma in the aviation industry. They employed only one type of aircraft: the Queen of the Skies herself, the Boeing 747.
That might sound pretty cool at first, but once it comes to light that they operated some of the rattiest and most beat up 747s, had horrific maintenance practices, and were better known for making customers mad than successfully leaving on time, you realize that this might not have been the best idea.
Foreshadowing
Since the COVID-19 Pandemic has been relaxing regulations (woohoo, no masks!), there has been a massive increase in flying. The downside was the lack of personnel and equipment.
This led to operational meltdowns and crew, along with all the guests, stranded for days in airports. Similar meltdowns were relatively regular for Tower Air.
image via aero icarus
Tower Air Benefitted From Timing
The only thing Tower Air had going for them was the lack of social media and cameras on cell phones to capture the pandemonium. Instead, their disastrous operation was documented on forums, review boards, and by the news channels and newspapers.
Tower Air was essentially a replacement airline for Flying Tigers. Once Flying Tiger Line ceased commercial passenger charters, the president of the passenger portion of the airline Morris Nachtomi met with the Tower Travel Corporation (a travel company that dealt primarily with trips to Israel, the home country of Nachtomi) owner Zev Melamid and got him to buy into the idea of creating an airline to serve the travel company’s primary destination.
The pair then brought on Mordechai Gil and Sam Fondlier to round out the shareholders.
Nachtomi was the lead of the group and was named the CEO since he had 30 years of experience working with El Al and wanted to serve his home country. They officially opened service in November of 1983.
image via aero icarus
Operating a ‘Terminal’ from a Hangar at JFK
Tower Air was based out of John F. Kennedy International Airport in Jamaica, New York. The airline even had its own terminal at the peak of its operation, which was a former Pan Am admin maintenance facility. The operations began working out of Hangar 17 at JFK Airport as their headquarters.
Not Much of a Route Tree
The primary market served was to compete with El Al and British Airways by focusing on the U.S./Israel market. Their main route was New York – Brussels – Tel Aviv. Tower Air then added some charter flights from New York to Frankfurt, Zurich, Rome, and Athens.
They were able to add a New York to Los Angeles route after acquiring a Boeing 747-100 from Avianca.
There’s More to the Story. Bang NEXT PAGE Below for Tower Air’s Demise
This giant RC Concorde is the largest RC plane in the world
The replica is a 1:6 scale model of the real iconic Concorde, with a 6 ft tall tail and wingspan of 13 ft. It’s powered by four JetCat 300 Pro engines. Fully fueled, the plane weighs nearly 330 pounds.
It has pneumatic gears, a fuel tank capacity of 4 x 6 liters, and an air tank capacity of 30 liters. It was designed and built by Steven and Matthew Bishop.
Above, watch a longer video of the incredible RC Concorde in action! Brings a tear to me eye.
The attention to detail and engineering behind the RC plane is really amazing. You can see it in action at various events around Europe.
See a real Concorde on display
While we will never see a Concorde fly again, you can visit some in museums.
Mike killian / avgeekery.com
My personal favorite is the one in Duxford, England, at the Imperial War Museum. Designated Concorde G-AXDN, it was a pre-production model used for the testing and refinement of Concorde. It flew faster than any other Concorde! Its nose still works too! They actually do a nose-lowering demo on the last Sunday of every month.
You’re free to walk below, around, even above the aircraft. Visitors are welcome to go onboard as well. Here’s a video I shot visiting her.
The first Concorde to ever fly is on display at the Museum of Air and Space in Le Bourget, France. Another is on display at the Fleet Air Arm Museum in Yeovilton, UK. More below:
Musée Delta at Orly Airport, Paris, France
Airbus has one in Toulouse, France
Weybridge’s Brooklands Museum in the English county of Surrey
Manchester Airport
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
simultaneous landing of Air France & British Airways Concordes in Orlando, Florida. Photo: Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Museum of Flight in East Lothian, Scotland
Sinsheim Auto & Technik Museum in Speyer, Germany.
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has announced new rules against airlines to protect consumers who constantly feel ripped off by cancellations, delays & fees.
“The rules are part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs,” says the DOT. The new rules follow an Executive Order on Promoting Competition in 2021 that encouraged DOT to take steps to “promote fairer, more transparent, and competitive markets.”
watch Buttigieg outline the new rules
First new rule requires airlines to issue automatic refunds
“This is a big day for America’s flying public,” said Buttigieg. “It represents the latest step – two steps – to deliver the biggest expansion of passenger rights in the Department’s history. Too often, the things we have heard aren’t just irritating inconveniences. They are significant harms, and violations of passengers’ rights. We are here to do something about that.”
The first new rule forces airline who cancel or significantly delay your flight to automatically refund you within 7 days to the credit card used for booking. Additionally, it must be in cash by default unless a passenger actively chooses another form of compensation.
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport once again is the busiest airport in the world in 2023 | IMAGE: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Facebook
“No more defaulting to vouchers or credits when consumers may not even realize they are entitled to cash,” said Buttigieg.
Protecting passengers from surprise fees
The second new rule is expected to save Americans over half-billion dollars annually. Airlines will have to be up front about additional costs. No longer can they surprise consumers with fees for things like checked bags, carry-on bags, change fees and cancellation fees.
“Healthy competition requires that as a consumer you can comparison shop, which means knowing the real price of a trip before and not after you buy,” said Buttigieg. “If something does go wrong and your flight is canceled, the DOT has your back.”
DOT has also launched flightrights.gov, to give passengers easy-to-interpret visuals that lay out what each airline has committed to providing, if they cause a cancellation or delay.
Stepped-up enforcement
Photo credit southwest airlines
Under Biden’s DOT, stiff fines and tough penalties have been dealt to airlines who don’t play nice. Southwest Airlines was hit with a $140 million enforcement action for their 2022 holiday meltdown. That’s nearly double the total amount of penalties in the two decades prior.
Thus far, Biden’s DOT has seen airlines issue over $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements. DOT has also secured partnerships with 18 state attorney generals to help investigate aviation consumer complaints and get passengers results.
photo: mike killian / avgeekery.com
“The level of toughness reflected in the Southwest enforcement is not an exception,” noted Buttigieg. “It’s a new standard for our Department’s enforcement.”
“We want the airline sector to thrive. It’s why we put so much into helping them survive the pandemic, and why we’re being so rigorous on passenger protection,” he added. “This will build confidence in air travel, when airlines need to do more to secure passengers’ trust. This approach of collaborating where appropriate, pushing hard where called for, is working.”
More rules coming
A United Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner | IMAGE: United
Buttigieg and Biden’s DOT are not done yet. More rules are in works. The first would expand rights to protect the safety and dignity of passengers who use wheelchairs.
Another rule in works aims to ban airlines from charging junk fees to sit together as a family.
The Fascinating Story of How the Last British Airliner Clawed Its Way to Success
Avgeekery contributor Brian Wiklem has released a riveting new book that tells the entire story about the BAe 146. The book tells the story behind the people who designed, built, and flew the original regional jet. It is available from LaJetee Press at https://www.lajeteepress.com.
These days, four-engine jetliners are a rarity at local airports. Sure, the Queen of the Skies, the Boeing 747, is still flying and relevant today, along with the Airbus A380 and even the Airbus A340. Those days are quickly coming to an end. But it’s no surprise flying two engines is less expensive than four, with engine and aerodynamic technology continuing to push the limits while requiring less fuel and less maintenance. So why on earth would an aircraft manufacturer begin designing and pitching a four-engine short-haul airliner? It’s complicated.
The Inside Story How BAe 146 Started the Regional Jet Revolution 42
Developing a Viable Four-Engine Short-Haul Airliner
Hawker Siddeley, competing against not only Fokker, Boeing, and McDonnell Douglas but also homegrown manufacturer British Aircraft Corporation, was looking to develop the next generation of short-haul aircraft. For nearly twenty years, many different ideas and iterations of short-haul aircraft bounced around internally, ultimately settling on what would become the HS146, now known as the British Aerospace (BAe) 146 series of aircraft. Hawker Siddeley was working on an aircraft that would appeal to state-owned carriers operating in less than ideal conditions, such as unpaved fields and more rural areas. But rather than a prop aircraft, it was working on a short-haul jetliner.
Image via BAe Systems
The Advantages of Four Burning
This aircraft could operate entirely independently of ground service vehicles. Baggage compartments were waist high for ground crew, and the aircraft could be equipped with airstairs, eliminating the need for additional vehicles and complexity, and operating from remote fields fully contained. And, with four jet engines, a loss of an engine wouldn’t mean an immediate return trip to the airport, nor the concern that a two-engine aircraft (with a loss of engine) would have only 50% power remaining. With four engines, a loss would be mitigated to only 25%.
There was only one problem: these state-owned carriers often didn’t have the financial ability to support buying not only a jet aircraft but a brand-new one. A second problem would burst onto the scene and shut down any airline’s ability to consider a four-engine jet: The oil crisis of 1973.
Oil Crisis Creates a Need For More Efficient Jets
By 1974, the crisis was in full swing because of the support Israel was getting from the United States due to the Yom Kippur War. A barrel of oil tripled in cost by the end of the year, and there was no sign of it slowing down. This was the worst possible time to launch a four-engine jetliner.
Between homegrown political battles to keep the project alive and the manufacturers’ insistence that it be terminated, ultimately, Hawker Siddeley won, and the HS146 was terminated. But in the long run, this came back and bit Britain’s aviation industry hard, with the government fed up with bailing out various aerospace manufacturers, including Rolls-Royce with the RB211 and the Concorde debacle.
Turmoil in the British Aviation Industry
The Queen’s BAE 146.
By 1977, the British government nationalized the aerospace industry under the 1977 Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act in an attempt to save Britain from losing these industries. Enter the newly formed British Aerospace, where the government would fund and ultimately divest itself of its shares, concluding by 1985 its complete divestiture of British Aerospace, which would become a publicly owned and traded entity.
1977 saw the new board of directors argue about restarting the HS146 or continuing with the BAC Two-Eleven. Political considerations at play ensured the HS146 would continue on, and the BAC Two-Eleven would never make it off the drawing board. With the company moving forward with full-scale development and manufacturing, the world would change again, starting in the United States. Enter deregulation, where airlines were now free to fly and charge whatever they wanted.
The Industry Transforms Itself
Over the next ten years, the aviation industry worldwide would begin to shift away from state-owned carriers and move towards a free market, with airlines having to live and die by their own choices, pricing, and quality of service. The very market the HS146 was predicated on was disappearing quickly. Once the BAe 146 took its first flight, it began a tour to the two primary markets originally envisioned and viewed as its golden goose: The Far East (Japan, India, Thailand, Australia, Indonesia, and more), as well as a tour in Africa to numerous countries. These were the countries that BAe and originally Hawker Siddeley saw as customers, with state-owned carriers, rural operating conditions, and the need for a self-contained aircraft that desired jet service.
It was not to be. Not a single order came from the Far East (and it would be nearly eight years before an Australian and a Thailand-based carrier ordered the 146), and only one order came from Africa for a single aircraft. This was far from a sales success.
There’s More to This Story. Bang NEXT PAGE Below for More
There Wasn’t Much the Soviets Couldn’t Hang From This Versatile Bomber.
On 27 April 1952, Soviet test pilot N.S. Rybko flew the prototype that would eventually become the Tupelov Tu-16 Badger for the first time. The Tupelov Design Bureau had been drawing bombers since the 1920s. Old Andrei Tupelov (1888-1972) got his start working from designs penned by noted German designer Hugo Junkers. In fact, Tupelov’s first facility started life as a secret Junkers facility outside Moscow in 1925. Tupelov’s early designs were said to be influenced by Junkers, but it didn’t take long for Tupelov to begin work on some of the Soviet Union’s finest bomber aircraft.
Building a Better Bomber
By June of 1950 the Soviet Union needed a bigger and more advanced jet bomber beyond the Ilyushin Il-28 Beagle. Tupelov’s design, the basis for the Tu-16, was initially designated Tu-88. The aircraft had swept wings and tail surfaces, was powered by two turbojet engines mounted in the wing roots, and boasted high-subsonic speed with 5,000-mile range and 11,000 pounds of payload. Defensive armament included 23 millimeter cannon twin-mounted in ventral, dorsal, and tail turrets. During State trials Tupelov received approval for full production of the bomber, now designated Tu-16.
Based on the B-29?
Although the initial Tu-16 prototype was an impressive aircraft, it was the second prototype that more closely met the design parameters. When first flown on 6 April 1953, again by the noted Soviet test pilot Rybko, the airframe was lighter, the nose was longer, fuel capacity had been increased, and defensive armament had been installed. Trials commenced and were completed a year later, with service acceptance another month after that. Tupelov’s design bureau had produced the Tu-4 Bull, a reverse-engineered version of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. Observers believed the long, thin fuselage of the Tu-16 might have had its origins in the Superfort.
Seeing the Light of Soviet Days
On 29 October 1953, the first production Tu-16 was rolled out at Tupelov’s Kazan factory. Nine Tu-16s flew over the May Day parade in Moscow on 1 May 1954. 40 Badgers flew over the Tsushino Air Show in August of the same year. Once NATO became aware of the new Soviet bomber, it was assigned the NATO reporting name “Badger.” Thus began 40 years of service by the Tu-16 series to the Soviet Union, and later to its individual former states after the end of the Cold War. Including the Tu-104 civilian airliner version, the Tupelov design was adapted into some 30 separate variants.
Jacks-of-All-Trades
A total of 1,507 Badgers were built at three Tupelov factories between 1953 and 1963. Tu-16s became missile carriers, torpedo bombers, inflight refueling tankers, electronic countermeasures (ECM) aircraft, antisubmarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, reconnaissance and maritime surveillance aircraft, and search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. And of course bombers as well. Many of the Badgers built were reworked to perform other or additional roles as their service lives went on. Several Tu-16s were used as experimental testing aircraft and for systems and weapons trials. By the early 1960s the advent of the intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) forced many of the Soviet Badgers into early retirement or career changes.
Equipped as Tasked
The bomber version of the Badger carried a six man crew: The pilot, co-pilot, radar navigator/bombardier, and navigator/gunner flew in the forward fuselage.
The radio operator/gunner and tail gunner flew in the rear fuselage and tail. Badger bombers were used extensively during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. But Soviet bombers had to have range. They developed a way to extend range using inflight refueling, but the implementation was quirky. The tanker aircraft would trail a fuel hose off its starboard side wingtip. The thirsty Badger would try to link up with a receiver in its port wingtip.
The Soviets attempted the American hose-and-drogue method but were unable to make it work at first. They eventually got their own system ironed out, and every Badger was equipped to receive fuel while airborne using the wingtip method. Later, Badger tankers mounted a probe-and-drogue “basket” for refueling probe-equipped Soviet aircraft.
Not Your Father’s Orion
The Soviet navy developed the anachronistic Tu-16T torpedo bomber version of the Badger. Obsolete even before its introduction, most of them were reworked into the first versions of the Badger anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft. Equipped with primitive sonobuoy data processing systems and aerial depth charges, these aircraft eventually carried anti-submarine torpedoes. The Badger made an excellent ASW platform, but the Soviets committed more Tu-95 Bear airframes to ASW than they did Badgers.
Missileers
Many Badgers were used as missile carriers. The early Soviet missiles were large and heavy, requiring a bomber the size of the Badger to get them close enough to their targets (often American aircraft carriers) for them to be effective. The Badger could carry two of the AS-1 Kennel missile, which was a truly huge weapon. Badgers were modified to add radar in the nose and radio antennae to the vertical stabilizer. Use of the Kennel also required another crew member, who rode in a dedicated bomb bay mission pod.
The U.S. Navy has awarded Electra a contract to begin exploring using ship-based eSTOL logistics aircraft in contested environments, to transport supplies and people.
Electra is developing a hybrid-electric, ultra-short takeoff and landing (eSTOL) aircraft to get in and out of small spaces quietly and safely, while flying fast enough to cover long distances. It combines the operational flexibility of a helicopter with the safety and economics of a fixed wing aircraft. Hybrid-electric power provides long ranges without the need for ground-based charging stations.
Filling a unique next-generation capability gap
Electra estol tech demonstrator (credit electra)
The Navy knows they need to address next-generation aviation logistics challenges. The Pentagon also wants options for U.S. forces that can respond to new threats and challenges, while reducing carbon output from flight operations.
Electra’s eSTOL aircraft may be the solution to filling unique Navy capability gaps. Electra will work with Navy stakeholders to define specific contested logistics use cases and conduct a conceptual design study to evaluate how its plane can address those gaps.
“With our differentiated combination of hybrid-electric propulsion and a blown fixed wing, we can offer Pacific theater-relevant payloads and ranges, and the ability to operate from rough soccer field-sized spaces as well as many naval vessels and adjacent assets, all from day one,” says Ben Marchionna, Electra’s Director of Technology and Innovation.
Credit electra
“Beyond boilerplate tactical logistics use cases, we also see this as an enabler for expeditionary power generation, mesh networking, and an essential node for Joint All-Domain Command and Control (JADC2) employment,” added Marchionna. “These are all game-changers for force modernization initiatives within the Navy and Marine Corps.”
A plane that can takeoff and land in 1/10 the space required of a conventional aircraft, to access locations only a helicopter can, at a fraction of the energy required
Navy is Exploring Using Ship-Based eSTOL Aircraft 55
The company’s eSTOL plane uses a special “blown lift” aerodynamic technique. It employs 8 electric motors to significantly increase wing lift. This multiplies lift so the plane can takeoff and land at just 35mph.
It only needs a 300ft X 100ft area to takeoff & land, and only produces 75 dBA at 300ft. So it’s very quiet, and can access places most aircraft can’t. It can carry up to 9 passengers, each with a 50 pound bag, and cover 500 miles (with 45 minute reserve).
Electra’s technology demonstrator aircraft is already conducting flight tests
Electra’s technology demonstrator aircraft took to the skies for the first time for an all-electric test flight on November 11, 2023. It was followed by a hybrid-electric flight November 19. The first flight lasted 23 minutes and reached 3,200 feet, flying approximately 30 miles. The tests were conducted at Manassas airport in Virginia.
Electra says their plane will deliver 2.5x the payload and 10X longer range, with 70% lower operating costs than vertical takeoff alternatives. With far less certification risk.
Ongoing flight testing of Electra’s 2-seat eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft showcases its capability to operate as a contested logistics platform with ground rolls as short as 150 feet. Electra’s production aircraft will carry 9 passengers or 2,500 pounds of cargo up to 500 miles. (Credit: Electra)
The Army and Air Force are also interested in Electra’s eSTOL aircraft.
And yes, it’s a fixed-wing. There’s no tilting of the wing or rotors for operation. So, it can be operated with a standard fixed wing pilot’s license.
Electra expects to start flight testing a full-scale prototype in 2026. They hope to bring the new plane to market by 2028, after achieving type certification under FAA’s Part 23 rules.
Manfred von Richtofen’s 80 Victories Was Tops For World War I
On 21 April 1918, German ace Manfred von Richtofen was killed in action. Accounts vary as to whether the “Red Baron” was brought down by British Empire (Canadian) SE5A fighters or by ground fire while engaged in a low-altitude dogfight. Richtofen’s death ended the career of World War I’s leading ace of the Imperial German Army Air Service, with 80 confirmed aerial victories.
Grounded With an Eye on the Skies
After his start in the cavalry, Richtofen began his career in the service as a reconnaissance officer on both the Eastern and Western Fronts, seeing action in Russia, France, and Belgium. Richtofen considered his talents wasted as a dispatch runner and telephone operator. When he was transferred to a supply assignment, he impulsively applied for and received a transfer to the Die Fliegertruppen des deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Army Air Service), later known as the Luftstreitkräfte. Manfred joined the flying service at the end of May in 1915, setting the stage for his future exploits in the air.
Early Unconfirmed Kills
Richtofen scored an unconfirmed kill as an observer, then entered pilot training in October 1915 after meeting German ace Oswald Boelcke. Although he did not initially impress with his flying skills and even crashed on his first attempt, he persisted and gradually became proficient, eventually excelling with the German Albatros fighters. In April 1916, he scored another unconfirmed kill. Later, when Boelcke and Richtofen met again, Boelcke selected Richtofen for one of the first dedicated German fighter squadrons, Jagdstaffel 2.
First Victory and those Silver Cups
Richthofen scored his first confirmed aerial victory on 17 September 1916. This started a 19-month period during which he ordered silver cups engraved with the type of aircraft he shot down and the date of each victory. He collected 60 cups but had to stop the practice due to a silver shortage in Germany. Despite this, he continued flying and accumulating victories. His tactics were considered conservative but effective; he and his squadron typically attacked from above, with the sun at their backs—tactics still in use today.
Needing a More Agile (and Red) Fighter
Richthofen’s victory over British ace Major Lanoe Hawker VC on 23 November 1916 convinced him that he needed a more agile fighter. He flew several versions of Albatros biplanes before flying the iconic Fokker Dr.I triplane. Of his 80 victories, Richtofen scored only 19 in the triplane, and those came after its wings were strengthened. The first time he painted his fighter red was in January 1917.
For the Rest of the Red Baron Story Bang NEXT PAGE Below
The C-82A Packet was a groundbreaking transport, but in the end, it just couldn’t hack it.
When Fairchild began the development of what would become their C-82 Packet to meet a 1941 requirement for a heavy-lift cargo aircraft, they referred to the design as the F-78. Initially, the aircraft was to be built using non-critical materials like plywood and steel (see the Bell XP-77 fighter) instead of aluminum. Fortunately, by 1943, the design specs changed, and the airlifter became an all-metal design. After a mockup of the design was approved in 1942, the Army Air Forces awarded a contract for a single prototype, which was then designated XC-82.
XC-82 “Packet” | Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
The Design Was Definitely Different
Fairchild’s design incorporated a high-mounted wing but with a center-mounted ground-accessible fuselage. Attached to the wings were twin booms, each extending aft and ending in a vertical stabilizer and rudder with a horizontal stabilizer and elevator mounted between the two vertical stabilizers. The wings had a pronounced anhedral angle between the fuselage and the inner booms to allow for manageable landing gear geometry. Power for the airlifter was provided by two 2,100 horsepower Pratt & Whitney R-2800-34 Double Wasp 18-cylinder radial engines mounted to the wings in leading-edge nacelles opposite the tail booms. The aircraft resembled nothing else as much as a squared-off up-sized Lockheed P-38 Lightning.
C-82 Packet | Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
Roomy and Accessible
The fuselage of the XC-82 was roomy- far roomier and easier to access than either the Curtiss C-46 Commando or the Douglas C-47 Skytrain- the workhorses of the USAAF’s Air Transport Command at the time.
The aircraft was equipped with removable clamshell doors at the rear of the cargo hold, which allowed wheeled or tracked vehicles to be driven under the high-mounted empennage straight onto the aircraft via ramps. Personnel capacities were 42 fully-equipped paratroopers, 34 stretchers, or 78 persons in an emergency evacuation configuration.
The flight deck was roomy, too, capable of accommodating a flight crew of five with room to spare- but with no standing headroom. The aircraft was supported by heavy-duty retractable tricycle landing gear.
C-82 Packet | Image via National Archives
Flexible But Flawed
Envisioned as a multi-use airlifter built to execute cargo carrying, troop transport, paratrooper transport/drop, medical evacuation, and even glider towing missions, the Fairchild design was a groundbreaking design method.
Other airlifter designs were in development, but none were more capable or flexible (on paper) than the one from Fairchild. Paratroopers could simultaneously exit the aircraft on both sides of the rear cargo hold. But because the aircraft was conceived, designed, approved, and initially flown during wartime, some inadequacies were bound to be discovered.
And, indeed, some were.
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
First Flight and First Problems
The prototype XC-82A flew for the first time on 10 September 1944. Fairchild began delivering C-82A production models built at their Hagerstown, Maryland assembly plant in June of 1945, but few were delivered before the war ended.
Once the aircraft entered service, those inadequacies became serious problems. The R-2800 engines, famous for powering several of the aircraft that helped win World War II, didn’t provide enough power for the C-82A. Inadequate, too, was the basic structural design of the airframe, especially for the loads it was expected to carry.
Image via National Archives
Best for Large But Lighter Loads
Fairchild named the C-82A the Packet after the small sailing ships that carried cargo between coastal seaports. During their relatively short operational service with Tactical Air Command Troop Carrier squadrons and the Military Air Transport Service, C-82s were used for transporting troops and cargo along with paratrooper deliveries and glider towing.
However, perhaps the C-82’s best contribution was as an outsized cargo hauler flying disassembled trucks and specialized airfield equipment into the Zone during the Berlin Airlift. Four C-82As working the Airlift were fitted with specialized delivery equipment and redesignated as JC-82As. Fairchild only delivered 220 C-82A Packets, all of which were retired by the Air Force by 1954. Although Fairchild’s airlifter saw a short career with the US Air Force, they served in other roles for many years.
Image via National Museum of the US Air Force
For the Rest of the Packet Story Bang NEXT PAGE Below
The Blackbirds Inhabited Okinawa for 22 Very Fast and Loud Years
Lockheed’s SR-71A Blackbird flew missions all over the world between its introduction in 1966 and its retirement in 1998. One of the primary locations from which Blackbirds operated was Kadena Air Base (AB) on Okinawa. 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing (SRW) SR-71As began arriving at Kadena, AKA The Rock, on 8 March 1968. The movement of the jets from Beale Air Force Base (AFB) in California to Kadena was code-named Glowing Heat, while actual SR-71A operations out of Kadena were code-named Senior Crown. Watch one of the 9th SRW Blackbirds preparing for blastoff, and then doing just that, from runway 23R in this video uploaded to YouTube by Maximus Aviation.
By 15 March 1968 the Blackbirds were declared operational at Kadena. Six days later pilot Major Jerome F. O’Malley and reconnaissance systems officer Major Edward D. Payne flew SR-71A serial number 61-7976 on the first operational mission from Kadena. At first the operational SR-71A missions were code-named Black Shield, and later Giant Scale. The Blackbirds averaged about one sortie a week for nearly two years. But the SR-71As were averaging two sorties per week by 1970. Incredibly these maintenance-intensive machines were averaging nearly one sortie flown every day by 1972.
image via us air force
The Definition of Futility: Shooting SAMs at the SR-71A
The North Vietnamese fired off more than 800 surface-to-air missiles (SAMs) at the Blackbirds overflying their territory and taking their pictures. While deployed at Okinawa, the SR-71As (and their aircrews as well) were nicknamed Habu by the Okinawans, after a particularly deadly and bad-tempered pit viper indigenous to Japan. 2,410 SR-71A missions were flown out of Kadena over North and South Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, North Korea, the airspace contiguous to the USSR and China, and later four missions (11 hours each!) over the Persian Gulf states during the late 1980s. The last SR-71A left Kadena AB on 21 January 1990.
Five Airlines That Flew Aircraft You Probably Don’t Remember
A recent trend on social media is to ask the question, “Tell me a favorite baseball player who played for an unexpected team.” The answers are pretty entertaining if you are a baseball fan. For instance, did you remember that Ken Griffey Jr. played for the White Sox? Or that Pete Rose was once a Montreal Expo? The posts highlight stints from well known stars like Sammy Sosa, Jose Canseco, and Frank Thomas.
As avgeeks, it got us thinking. What if we asked a similar question about airlines? What airlines flew planes that most of us won’t remember? Here are five we came up with. Let us know how many you remembered and post more of your ‘rare air’ memories in the comments below.
Southwest and the 727
Southwest Airlines 727, operated by Braniff. Photo: Southwest
Southwest is known as a 737 airline through and through. Yet they flew they had 727s in their fleet twice during their half century of operation. The first time was part of a settlement between Braniff and Southwest. Braniff settled the lawsuit by providing a single 727 on lease as payment. (We wrote about it here a few years ago). Southwest also leased 727s in the early 1980s to cover their California expansion before enough 737-300s could be delivered.
American Flew the 737-200
American Airlines Boeing 737-200. Photo by AeroIcarus (CC 3.0)
American Airlines is now a large 737 operator, flying both the 737-800 and 737-MAX8. Back in the 80s though, they primarily flew the 727 and MD-80 for their short and medium stage routes. When American acquired AirCal in 1987, they inherited a fleet of 737-200s and 737-300s. For a time, the 737-200 made its way into the silver bird livery. American sold the 737-300s to Southwest and 737-200s to other various carriers. All American Airlines 737s were disposed of by 1991.
America West and the 747
One of the original low cost carriers was America West Airlines. With deregulation in full swing, they planned an ambitious expansion to Hawaii and Japan with 747-200s. Unfortunately, the first Gulf War and subsequent down turn of the economy resulted in America West scuttling plans for long-haul expansion. They returned to their roots flying just 737s and A320s, eventually merging with US Airways, then eventually merging into American Airlines today.
Ryanair and the ATR-42
Rare photo of a Ryanair ATR-42. Photo by: Torsten Maiwald (Wikipendia: GNU 1.2)
Ryanair is another prolific Boeing 737 operator that flew some lesser known aircraft. Today hundreds of Ryanair 737s ply the skies. They even operate a Boeing 737 MAX in a 200 seat configuration (ouch!). While Ryanair is one of the best known low-fare carriers in Europe today, most don’t realize that the airline started in the early 1980s as a very small carrier on select regional routes. During that time they flew Embraer 110s, BAC 1-11s and even ATR-42s for a year. The ATRs only flew with Ryanair for a year before being dumped in favor of other aircraft.
While Delta was known for its L-1011 and MD-11 operations, Delta also flew the DC-10 for two stints, one from 1975 to 1978 and another time in the late ’80s when they inherited a small DC-10 fleet after their merger with Western Airlines. The Delta Museum did a great writeup on their fleet. You can read more about it here.
What Other ‘Rare Air’ Planes Do You Remember? Post in the Comments Below!
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A new era of human spaceflight began in April 1981, as two NASA astronauts lifted-off aboard the first reusable winged spacecraft to set sail on the ocean of space.
Nothing is more associated with the 1980s as the space shuttle. In fact, Columbia’s maiden launch was the first video ever played when MTV first aired four months later.
Astronauts John W. Young and Robert L. Crippen served as the flight crew for the first space shuttle flight. The historic mission of shuttle Columbia was the first of four test flights to demonstrate a shuttle could perform as planned.
Young was a veteran of two Gemini and two Apollo space missions, and Crippen was a rookie who had supported the Skylab missions. Each had trained for nearly four years in preparation for this flight.
STS-1: Robert Crippen and John Young pose at the Johnson Space Center a few weeks before launch. (NASA)
It was Young who was working on the surface of the Moon in 1972 when NASA informed him that the space shuttle was approved for development. “The country needs that shuttle mighty bad,” Young replied.
“I just thought it was a great first flight, and I was really lucky to have Bob Crippen with me because he knew all the software end to end,” Commander Young said during a NASA interview in 2006. “Of course, the vehicle is totally software controlled, pretty much, and I think there are 500 and something switches that goes through software on the vehicle.”
Historic First Space Shuttle Launch
Originally, lift-off was scheduled for April 10, however a computer software issue late in the countdown scrubbed the first attempt. Two days later, the countdown resumed and the astronauts entered Columbia’s flight deck.
“It was a pure test mission, and all we wanted to do was to prove that the system would work,” Crippen noted during a recent NASA interview. “Our job was to take-off, get into orbit, check out all the systems on (Columbia) and bring it in safely for a landing.”
STS-1: A new era of space flight begins as Columbia lifts-off from the Kennedy Space Center in 1981. (NASA)
Every step of this first launch was just that, a first. The entire space shuttle stack had never been flown together. It was truly a white-knuckle time as the countdown reached one minute.
“It was only when the count got inside of a minute that I turned to John and said ‘I think we might really do it’,” Crippen recalled. “I think it was at that point my heart rate went up to 130.”
At T-6 seconds, Columbia’s three main engines roared to life. The entire space shuttle lurched forward. Water at the base of the launch pad flowed to help dampen the thunderous vibrations in time for booster ignition.
As the countdown clock reached zero, the two solid rocket boosters ignited. A combination of smoke and steam billowed around historic launch pad 39-A, and America’s first space shuttle leapt from her pad.
“We have lift-off, lift-off of America’s first space shuttle,” NASA launch commentator Hugh Harris exclaimed at the moment. “And, the shuttle has cleared the tower!”
Two minutes into the launch, the twin solid rocket boosters separated. Columbia’s three main engines continued to burn for another six minutes.
“It was just like riding on glass,” Young said in 2006 after the boosters were jettisoned. “You could read the instruments while you were flying, so that was pretty good. It wasn’t shaking so bad you couldn’t read the instruments, and you could see, past the solid rocket motor stage, it worked great.”
‘Columbia, You’re Go for Orbit Ops’
Columbia, the gem of the new ocean, arrived in orbit nearly nine minutes after launch. Mission control worked with the astronauts to prepare the spacecraft for orbit operations. The astronauts first performed a burn by the untested orbital maneuvering engines to raise their altitude.
“We had a good time taking it around and seeing what the temperatures were going to be and flying different attitudes,” Young expressed of their time on-orbit.
“Checking those out and opening and closing the payload bay doors, and operating all the systems and firing the orbital maneuvering system’s engines to put us in various orbits, and it worked very well.”
STS-1: A view of Columbia’s aft section and the missing tiles on her OMS pods on April 12, 1981. (NASA)
The shuttle’s two payload bay doors were opened, and a Ku-Band antenna to transmit TV was moved into position.
Once the crew left their flight seats and moved to the aft-facing bay windows, they became alarmed at what they saw. The vibration of the launch had shaken off several of the heat-resistant white tiles from each of the OMS pods.
Crippen radioed mission control and trained a cargo bay camera on the pods in a live video downlink. Tile experts in mission control quickly dismissed those missing tiles as not critical during reentry.
Behind the scenes at NASA, many worried about the possible loss of critical tiles on her belly. During this flight, there was no way for the astronauts to inspect the underside.
In all, NASA reported post flight that 16 tiles had been lost and 148 were damaged. The space agency added that a strong vibration at booster ignition shook free many of the tiles. The sound suppression water system at the launch pad would later be improved to avoid the tremendous shockwave again.
STS-1: Columbia’s pilot Bob Crippen enjoys microgravity during his first space flight in April 1981. (NASA)
While on orbit, Columbia’s payload bay included an experiments pallet. Scientific research included recording temperatures, pressures, and acceleration levels on and around the spacecraft.
The crew’s food menu was a huge improvement since the Apollo-era. Young and Crippen’s first meal consisted of frank furters and turkey tetrazzini, bananas, and apple juice.
First Winged Spacecraft Comes Home
Following two days in space, Columbia and her crew headed for home. Never had a winged spacecraft left orbit and reentered the Earth’s atmosphere.
The first space shuttle re-entry occurred northeast of Guam at just below 400,000 feet. A 16 minute communications blackout shortly began as Columbia flew an arc north of Hawaii.
NASA had test data from flying the non-space rated shuttle Enterprise during atmospheric flight tests. Enterprise had landed on a runway five times piloted by two separate crews in 1977.
STS-1: The first true space shuttle landing following 54 hours in space on April 14, 1981. (NASA)
Columbia was a glider during her entire landing, and NASA referred to her as a “flying brick”. She had no engines to take her back around if she missed her approach to the runway.
Performing a series of S-turns to slow the spacecraft down, Columbia glided home with her nose pitched down. As Columbia crossed over the coastline of California and 134,000 feet above, Crippen radioed, “What a way to come to California.”
Young manually flew the previously unflown glider beginning at over eight times the speed of sound. Four minutes prior to landing, Columbia began to line up with the runway at Edwards Air Force Base.
Two NASA T-38 chase planes began flying on either side of the orbiter as Columbia dropped below 39,000 feet. The aircraft provided a then-unique live television view of the landing.
Chase one was flown by astronaut Jon McBride with George “Pinky” Nelson in the backseat. This chase called out the altitudes and speeds.
Chase two was piloted by Johnson Space Center pilot Dick Gray and photographer Pete Stanley in the backseat. Each chase aircraft had a back-up aircraft on stand by. All four aircraft had taken off about 45 minutes prior to the first shuttle landing.
During the final 25 seconds, Young pitched the nose up and Crippen dropped the landing gear. The orbiter glided in to a pinpoint landing.
STS-1: Columbia touches down at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Apeil 14, 1981. (NASA)
As thousands of nearby crowds watched, the shuttle’s main gear touched down on the desert runway at 10:20 a.m. PST. Seconds later, her nose was guided down and dust blew up signaling she was home.
Jokingly, Young radioed Houston and asked if he could steer her toward the hanger. Fifty-four hours and 21 minutes after leaving the Kennedy Space Center, Columbia rolled to a stop on the dry lakebed one minute later.
Young left the spacecraft first and was greeted by NASA officials including George Abbey. The senior astronaut then walked around Columbia, and like a new father, was very excited with fists pumping and wearing a big grin.
Columbia had traveled 1.07 million miles and circled the Earth 37 times. Two weeks later, Columbia was back at the Kennedy Space Center following a cross country ferry flight a top a Boeing 747.
“It was a fantastic flying machine, but it was also a fragile one,” Crippen said. “It’ll be a long time before we have a vehicle that’s nearly as magnificent as the space shuttle was.”
“I sure enjoyed it and I appreciate all the work the people did down at the Kennedy Space Center to fix STS-1 to get it ready to go,” Young added. “The vehicle performed just like we thought it would, pretty much. We learned a bunch of things.”
In the summer of 1982, a short IMAX documentary Hail Columbia was released. It play in the theater of the Kennedy Space Center’s visitor’s complex. The film is available through a few online media sites.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
This week, millions of people within a 100-mile-wide path across America witnessed a total solar eclipse. It’s one of the most incredible acts of nature you can ever experience. We wanted to use the opportunity to shine on the men and women serving, and figured intercepting a solar eclipse in T-38s with the USAF might do the trick.
The USAF agreed, so we linked up with the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program (ENJJPT) at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, TX, and began planning the mission.
Training NATO fighter pilots in America
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 92
ENJJPT serves a critical role for NATO. It’s hosted by the USAF and conducted by the 80th Flying Training Wing, but its mission is to train NATO fighter pilots. Students from various nations (currently 14) come to ENJJPT to train alongside allies in the T-6A Texan and supersonic T-38C Talon.
ENJJPT’s integrated structure means, for example, an American student pilot may have a Belgian instructor pilot, a Dutch flight commander, a Turkish section commander, an Italian operations office, and a German squadron commander. The student pilots and staff instructors of today will be the leaders of NATO’s air forces of tomorrow.
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 93
ENJJPT does much more than Undergraduate Pilot Training too. They also conduct Pilot Instructor Training, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, and IFF Upgrade Instructor Pilot training. About 200 students earn their wings at ENJJPT annually after a 55-week, three-phased training regimen. About 80 new instructor pilots are trained annually and up to 150 pilots transition through IFF each year, supported by over 1,400 military, civilian and contract personnel.
Training in Europe can be tough due to weather. North Texas provides ENJJPT with plenty of sun and airspace for the uniquely manned multi-national organization to train regularly.
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 94
Building long-lasting international relationships
There’s also an arguably more important aspect of ENJJPT than the training itself. It’s the relationships and bonds that students build, sharing such a challenging experience.
As the saying goes, it’s a small world, with even smaller Air Forces, so airmen will run into each other while serving NATO. Having that common training and established relationships means they are ready to fly, fight and win together when called upon.
“The relationships made at ENJJPT carry-on throughout their careers,” said USAF Major Doug ‘POISON’ Holland, an instructor pilot and the USAF Senior National Rep (SNR) at ENJJPT. “You’re going to run into the same people again. Having that good relationship already established pays in dividends down the road.”
Some of these people eventually go on to leadership positions in their Air Forces too, bringing with them those bonds and relationships and common training established at ENJJPT.
Totality at 30,000 ft with ENJJPT and the “Boxing Bears”
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 95
We arrived early to ENJJPT on the morning of the eclipse, to undergo the normal routine of medical checks, safety overviews and suit-up. The mission was handed to the 90th Flying Training Squadron, the “Boxing Bears”, with USAF Capt. Zach “JORTS” Trujillo as our pilot and flight leader.
We were joined by 2 other Talons, flown by USAF Capt. Taylor “PETRIE” Bye and Capt. Connor “GUTTER” Sipe. A highly experienced crew of USAF ENJJPT instructors.
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 96
Petrie is the first woman to earn the Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy to recognize her outstanding airmanship when she belly-landed a broken A-10C after a catastrophic gun malfunction in 2020.
The mission would mark Gutter’s 1000th flight hour too. Adventure Journalist Jim Clash from Forbes joined us as well (read his report here).
Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 97
The plan was to takeoff before 1pm to intercept totality NE of Dallas at 30,000 ft. We wanted to avoid most of the predictable congested air traffic around Dallas, but we would soon find out that was easier said than done. Our plan was to hit the northern edge of the eclipse shadow path of totality, as the moon’s shadow overtakes us on its path NE.
Totality was set to begin at 1:42pm, lasting just over 4 minutes. The eclipse was 50% partial when we took-off, giving us some opportunity to view through our solar eclipse glasses while in-transit to the intercept area. As we entered the airspace the lights and shadows in the cockpit took on an indescribable contrast and color, almost like silver, as the 115-mile wide shadow of the moon became visible, racing across Earth at 1,700 mph.
the shadow of the moon visible on the clouds in the background, as totality approachesIntercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 98
There were LOTS of other planes
Our plan was to set the other 2 jets 1500 – 2000 ft away, up high in the totality, to capture zoomed in photos of them with the eclipse. However, a lot of planes were above and below us. ATC could not give us more vertical airspace. They were giving aircraft vertical blocks of just 1000 ft. It seemed every few seconds another aircraft would cross above or below.
We shot some wider pics and video clips, and intercepted on time on target, experiencing the eclipse in a way few ever have, or ever will. The crew really showed the professionalism and TOT capability to intercept anywhere, any time they are called on.
cockpit views from another ENJJPT squadron, captured by thompson knox and rico kruijsenmichael libiez captured a photo of us flying THROUGH his shot during totality! Very cool
Another crew captured the first pair of above images, taken by Thompson Knox and Rico Kruijsen. We even photobombed someone’s view from the ground. Not sure which of our crews he captured but it’s pretty cool. Our thanks to Michael Libiez for the shot!
Those 4 minutes felt like 60 seconds, and before we knew it we saw the diamond ring appear in totality and back came the sun. The silver lighting again filled the cockpit as the darkness brightened back into daytime in a matter of seconds.
The folks at ENJJPT are some of the best in the USAF and NATO
Entering totality, note the silver-like coloring of the scene from the 99% eclipsed sun (photo courtesy jim clash / forbes)Intercepting the Solar Eclipse in T-38s with the USAF 99
The folks at ENJJPT are some of the best in the military, and an amazing group of folks. They serve a critical role for the United States and NATO. We can’t thank them enough for the honor to visit and work with them. Especially for such a rare event! Another total solar eclipse won’t cross the mainland U.S. until 2044.
Sheppard AFB will be holding their air show April 27-28, if you’re in that part of the country we strongly encourage you to go! Say hi to the folks at ENJJPT, shake their hands and tell them AvGeekery sent you!
Author: Adam Uhan, Co-founder of The Pilot Network and Avgeekery Guest Contributor
This serves as a no holds barred sales pitch. Why try to couch it in something else? My name is Adam and you have probably never heard of me or The Pilot Network before. I have done the professional piloting thing for 22’ish years now and I have to say, it’s a pretty good gig. But you know that already. Whether you fly for fun or for funds, flying airplanes is something that is an all around wonder of the human race. I mean we went from looking up and thinking ‘what if’ to flying anywhere and everywhere (Antarctica, anyone?). That is pretty mind blowing when you sit back and think on it. Maybe most people don’t feel like we do, but pilots of every walk of life seem to still revel in the magic of flight. At least the ones I know seem to, but I digress. This article is a sales pitch, right?
About 12 years ago I started a group on a large social networking website. It was completely self-serving; can I get hired by a major airline, specifically one that carries boxes? And can I do this a little faster and easier than my predecessors had? I put a few hundred people I ‘knew’ into this group, asked a few questions about all things hiring at the airlines, and gave it a name – The Pilot Network.
Pay It Forward With The Pilot Network 102
There was only one real goal, besides my personal one, for the group: To pay it forward. To take the collective knowledge of us as aviators and pass it along to one another. The idea was to avoid the old way of ‘I had to go through blankity blank, so do you,’ and start to streamline how we do business when we weren’t slipping the surlies. Lots of people liked it. Lots of people thought it was kind of dumb. I didn’t really care. I only wondered if we could, as a group, help each other? Only time would tell.
One of the most unique parts of starting this on an existing platform was that it was pretty turnkey. Unlike the first iterations of forums and other information sharing platforms, we could actually see pictures and names of the people in our group. As a military pilot it kind of felt like how we connected in a military squadron, except online. This was something different and unique. Pretty sweet deal, if you ask me! Thank you enormous social media platform that was pretty much the only one of its kind at the time. After that, the next 12 years pretty much whizzed by.
Pay It Forward With The Pilot Network 103
“Ok, ok…history lessons are neat, but what are you trying to sell me” you may be asking. I guess I am not selling anything really. I just wanted to tell you about our group. Plain and simple. I want you to take away from these words that there is a group of over 30,000 pilots, from aspiring to retiring, who believe in the mantra ‘pay it forward’. What started as a small social media group has blossomed into an organization that wants the best for pilots in every stage of their career. With a podcast, a premium platform, and an annual conference things have changed since the early days of TPN. If we can continue to add fresh perspectives and ideas we can shape the future of aviation. Any which way you slice it, I think our entire aviation loving cohort can achieve a lot together, as long as we continue to work with one another.
A quick shout out to the Avgeekery.com team: They are huge supporters of The Pilot Network. Likewise! We love what Avgeekery does and the unique part of aviation the staff explores. We have tons of their articles posted in our group. Jeff Gilmore, founder of Avgeekery, has attended our expo, TPNx. When I want a fresh perspective on aviation news, history, or events I turn to TPN’s friends at Avgeekery.com. Thanks again for all you do!
The future of piloting airplanes is going to change a lot, and the best thing we can do is support our fellow aviators. I appreciate you taking the time to hear my little pitch. If you’re interested, check us out and let us know what you think. Hit me up at heyguys@thepilotnetwork.com if you want to chat, fire some slings and arrows, or just make a new friend. Fly safe!
PS-I failed with my original intent of The Pilot Network. I never got hired at the box carrying airline. Instead, I get to fly passengers all over the world and it is pretty cool. In fact, it is probably the place that was right for me all along. Who knew?!
The Russians Sure Got the Most They Could Get Out of Them
On 6 April 1938, the prototype Bell P-39 Airacobra lifted off from Wright Field in Ohio for the first time. The P-39 may well be the most under-appreciated American fighter aircraft ever built. This is in large part due to the fact that, as World War II unfolded, other, more advanced and suitable (read better) fighters made their way to American pilots tasked with defeating Axis machines in the air.
That was not the case for allies like Russia, which received thousands of P-39s through the Lend/Lease program and used them to rack up an impressive number of victories over their German opponents. As a ground attack platform and a low-level fighter, the P-39 had few equals.
Back-to-Front and Two Doors
The unusual design of the P-39 placed the liquid-cooled, twelve-cylinder, inline Allison V-1710 engine in the mid-fuselage, behind the pilot, driving the three-bladed propeller via a ten-foot-long drive shaft. As a result, “car” doors with roll-down windows were used to access the cockpit from either side of the aircraft rather than the sliding canopy found on so many of the P-39’s contemporaries.
One of the primary performance handicaps of the P-39 was the lack of a turbo-supercharger, which was a liability when operating above 12,000 feet. A prototype mounted a turbo-supercharger, but the associated large intake and exhaust with ducting induced drag and weight penalties on the Airacobra.
The production aircraft would be equipped instead with a single-speed, single-stage supercharger after Bell elected to retain the aerodynamic efficiency of the design. It was said that the Bell designers regretted the decision to equip the aircraft with only the supercharger. The Airacobra was also one of the first American fighter aircraft to mount tricycle landing gear.
Designed Around a Cannon
One reason the P-39 mounted the engine in mid-fuselage was to utilize space in the nose of the fighter for its primary weapon, that 200-pound 90 inch 90-inch-long Oldsmobile T9 37 millimeter cannon, which fired through the center of the propeller hub. This allowed for the best possible stability and accuracy when firing the cannon.
But like all repeating guns mounted in aircraft, the T9 cannon was limited by minimal space for its meager 30 rounds of ammunition and was prone to jamming when fired as the aircraft maneuvered. Bell designers actually designed the P-39 around the cannon, which was a departure from previous design practice.
Two .50 caliber machine guns were mounted in the nose and synchronized to fire through the propeller blades. Wing-mounted .30 and .50 caliber machine guns, as well as the ability to carry bombs and drop tanks, were also incorporated into the design as it evolved. More about P-39 armament in this video uploaded to YouTube by PeriscopeFilm.
Not Getting to Play
The Airacobra was actually designated P-45 during trials. On 10 August 1939, an order for 80 aircraft was placed with Bell, but the designation was changed to P-39 before the first deliveries.
Experience in European air combat conditions revealed that self-sealing fuel tanks and protective armor (which the original P-39s lacked) were requirements, and the P-39 would have to have them. Therefore, the first score of P-39C aircraft was deemed unsuitable for combat.
The first P-39s to enter service with the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) were the 60 P-39Ds, equipped with protective armor and self-sealing fuel tanks, which were assigned to the 39th Pursuit Squadron, also known as the Flying Cobras, part of the 31st Pursuit Group at Selfridge Field in Michigan.
IMAGE: National Museum of the US Air Force
Far Better Down Low
When the USAAC fighter units arrived in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) they were equipped with Supermarine Spitfire Mark Vs instead of P-39s. The reason was simple and predictable enough.
The P-39’s performance at altitude was simply inferior to the contemporary European fighters. But the P-39 was maneuverable enough, actually capable of out-rolling the Mitsubishi A6M2 Zero, the Grumman F4F Wildcat and F6F Hellcat, and the Lockheed P-38 Lightning at up to 265 miles per hour.
Nothing, however, could be done to improve the high altitude performance of the P-39. There just wasn’t any room in the fuselage to incorporate the turbo-supercharger required to make the Airacobra a better high-altitude performer without severe drag penalties.
For the Rest of the Airacobra Story Bang NEXT PAGE Below
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