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 5
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.
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
When We Needed a Morale Boost the Most, Doolittle’s Raiders Delivered
The situation in America was looking very bleak during early 1942. Germany’s war machine was running at full power in Europe. To the West, Japan’s conquests were looking extremely daunting as well. The devastating blow by the Japanese to the Pacific fleet at Pearl Harbor meant that any American attack on Japanese territory would be even more difficult. It would require years of hard-fought battles to even get close enough to be able to launch an attack on the Japanese islands. While bleak, the situation was not hopeless.
An Idea Becomes a Mission
One Army Air Corps officer, Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle, had an idea. He hypothesized that a North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber could be lightened enough to take off on a carrier deck and have enough gas to bomb Japan before safely landing in China. This attack would strike fear into the enemy and boost morale at home.
In theory, it sounded great. The problem, though, was that no bomber in the inventory was even remotely capable of taking off in the short operating distances of a carrier deck, nor could the planes carry enough fuel and bombs to make the attack possible.
Doolittle (right center) and his raiders. image via national archives
Against All Odds, the Raiders Delivered
Lt Col Doolittle wasn’t deterred. No matter how many people thought he was crazy, he worked tirelessly to lighten up the aircraft enough to allow for a takeoff on such a short deck. Over time, he refined the procedures, perfected the payload, practiced the mission, and secured the support of his superiors.
On 18 April 1942, Doolittle commanded the first B-25, launching off the aircraft carrier Hornet (CV-8) and flew towards Japan. The 16 aircraft that launched that day successfully dropped bombs on Japanese territory. 15 of the 16 aircraft landed in Chinese territory, while one aircraft crash-landed in the Soviet Union. Through his planning and with a little bit of luck, 69 of the 80 aircrew survived without being captured or killed.
Crew No. 1 (Plane #40-2344, target Tokyo): 34th Bombardment Squadron, Lt. Col. James H. Doolittle, pilot; Lt. Richard E. Cole, copilot; Lt. Henry A. Potter, navigator; SSgt. Fred A. Braemer, bombardier; SSgt. Paul J. Leonard, flight engineer/gunner. (U.S. Air Force photo)
More Than Just Bombs Over Tokyo
While the damage done by the attack was minimal, it demonstrated that Japan was vulnerable and served as a huge morale boost back home. Doolittle’s innovative plan was the catalyst that inspired America in a time of despair. His ingenuity gave a nation hope. His leadership endures as an example of how great leaders should lead in challenging conditions: From the front. Take a moment today to recognize and remember the heroism displayed by the Doolittle raiders.
raiders warming up aboard the Hornet 18 April 1942
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 39
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 40
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 41
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 42
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 43
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 44
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 45
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 46
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 49
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 50
“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
The T-6 Was the Most Important Trainer of World War II
On 1 April 1935, the North American prototype that would become the T-6 Texan first took flight. The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) referred to them as T-6 Texans. The United States Navy called them SNJs. The British Commonwealth called them Yales and Harvards.
More than 17,000 T-6s were built worldwide, and they were used to train hundreds of thousands of pilots. Given that so many of them were built, it’s fitting that more than 550 lovingly restored and maintained examples are still flying today- and their sound is unmistakable. That snarl heard as a T-6 (or more than one) flies past is unique.
Ultimate Sobriquet: Pilot Maker
Because most pilot training began in the cockpits of biplanes like the Boeing-Stearman Kaydets and the Naval Aircraft Factory N3N Yellow Perils, the T-6 was considered an advanced trainer when the first of them were introduced in 1937.
Later, it would become the first aircraft flown by many fledgling aviators before they began flying Beechcraft T-34 Mentors, North American T-28 Trojans, or Beechcraft T-34C Turbo Mentors as they progressed toward earning their coveted wings.
Eventually replaced entirely in the US military pilot training pipelines by those same Mentors and Trojans, Texans remained in use into the 1990s. No matter where it was flown or by whom, no matter whatever else it was called, North American’s T-6 trainer was also called the Pilot Maker.
Copied by the Japanese?
The genesis of the Texan was the North American NA-16 prototype. That aircraft, modified as the NA-26, was North American’s entry for the USAAC’s Basic Combat aircraft competition held during March of 1937. The NA-26 design went into production as the first T-6. From then the aircraft was developed with added features, more powerful engines, different canopy designs, and various armament configurations.
It wasn’t until the NA-78 design that the name Texan was used. Texans were also license-built by Canadian Car and Foundry and Noorduyn of Canada. Even Mitsubishi in Japan looked at building them before the war. Kyushu Aircraft Company used the NA-16 design as the loose basis for a limited-production intermediate trainer, the K10W1 (Allied reporting name “Oak.”)
Trainers Turned Into Fighters
T-6s were used primarily as advanced pilot trainers, but they also saw use as gunnery trainers, close air-support aircraft, forward air controllers, artillery spotters, crop dusters, fighter-bombers, mail carriers, pylon racers, and experimental testbeds. As forward air controllers during the Korean War, T-6 Mosquitoes flew 40,000 mostly low and slow (and exceedingly dangerous) sorties to find enemy positions and mark them for attention by fighter-bombers. The basic Texan design was also the basis for three fighter designs- the North American P-64 and the Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation (CAC) Wirraway, and, when further modified, the CAC Boomerang.
Over-Engineered For Good Reason
The essential T-6 Texan is powered by a Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp engine turning a two-bladed Hamilton Standard propeller. It’s been said that because the airframe was built by North American, the engine by Pratt & Whitney, and the propeller by Hamilton Standard, the Texan was “the best built airplane that ever was” because those companies were considered to be the best at designing and building their respective products.
Put them all together and you’ve got one very strong airplane.
It’s a common sentiment among T-6 owners and fans that the airplane is (at least) 15% over-engineered- not bad for a design penned more than 90 years ago.
Slap a Tail Hook On There, Dilbert
Navy SNJs trained prospective Naval Aviators to do more than just match their number of takeoffs to landings and fly competently in between them. They also taught them to land on aircraft carriers. The skies over the Florida panhandle teemed with snarling SNJs for many years as future stick jockeys began the process that would eventually lead to flying in the fleet (or ending up “haze gray and underway”).
When carriers like the USS Monterrey (CVL-26) cruised in the Gulf of Mexico off Pensacola, Florida, for carrier qualifications, SNJs with tailhooks bolted on would fill the carrier’s landing pattern. They resembled nothing as much as giant snarling yellow bees flying back and forth between their Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola hive and the carrier deck.
Challenges, Delays, and Shifting Priorities Doomed an Otherwise Interesting Concept known as the XP-77
Bell Aircraft has been around since 1935. The company built the much-maligned (in many ways unfairly) P-39 Airacrobra, the P-63 Kingcobra, the P-59 Airacomet, many of the early X planes, including the Mach meter-busting X-1, X-2, and X-5. During World War II the company also built 668 B-29A and B-29B Superfortress bombers under contract with Boeing. Later, the company branched off into helicopters, giving us the legendary UH-1 Iroquois (Huey) and AH-1 Cobra gunship among others. It would be wildly inaccurate to say that Bell’s designs were all winners, but several of them have made profound impacts on aviation. This story is about one Bell design that might have best been left on the drawing board.
UH-1D Hueys in action. Image via National Archives
A Request is Made Before the War Begins
In October of 1941 the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) approached Bell with a request. The pursuit aircraft of the time were all growing in size, weight, complexity, and cost. A smaller, lighter, more maneuverable (and faster) alternative was the goal of the inquiry. With remarkable prescience, the request also included a materials specification, as in the structure of the aircraft would need to utilize wood instead of “strategic” materials like aluminum. Bell designers drew up a low-wing monoplane made almost entirely of wood equipped with the Bell-trademark tricycle landing gear, a laminar-flow wing, conventional empennage, and a rear-mounted cockpit with a bubble canopy.
wind tunnel mockup of the tri-4. image via NACA/NASA
Designing a (supposed) Stellar Performer
Bell used a designation of Tri-4 for the new aircraft, which was engineer-speak for the 400 horsepower / 400 miles per hour / 4000 pound weight targets for the design. The plane was to be armed with a pair of .50 caliber M-2 machine guns (with only 200 rounds each) mounted in the forward fuselage and synchronized to fire through the propeller. A single 20 millimeter cannon, also forward mounted, was to be fired though the propeller hub in a manner similar to Bell’s P-39 and P-63. Power was to be provided by a Ranger XV-770-9 twelve-cylinder, inverted-V, air-cooled and supercharged engine capable of delivering 500 horsepower to the two-bladed propeller. It was thought that the aircraft would be capable of 410 miles per hour at 27,000 feet.
image via national museum of the us air force
Teeny Tiny Wooden Wonder?
The Tri-4’s outer skin was resin-bonded, stressed plywood that was in turn bonded to the conventional wooden frames using resins, glues, and old-fashioned nails. The fuselage and wing were bonded together using the same methods, as was the engine to the forward fuselage- without a vibration-isolating engine mount. The fuel tank, with a capacity of only 56 gallons, was mounted forward of the pilot with a sealed bulkhead between it and the cockpit. The Tri-4 was only 22 feet 10 inches long and eight feet two inches high. Wingspan was 27 feet six inches with a wing area of 100 square feet. These dimensions made the Tri-4 unique for a fighter design.
image via national museum of the us air force
A Mission and an Answer
The mission for the Tri-4 (later referred to as the D-6 and ultimately Design 32) was to be, in essence, point defense- a single-purpose, specialized weapon. The aircraft would be required to takeoff and climb to altitude quickly, and then intercept and engage enemy bombers raiding the installations under their protection. This assumed the enemy bombers would not be escorted by enemy fighters. Once the United States entered the war and the performance of Axis aircraft like the Mitsubishi A6M Zero-Sen came to light, the Tri-4 was considered to be a potential answer for lightly-built, highly-maneuverable foes.
image via national museum of the us air force
For the Rest of the XP-77 Story Bang NEXT PAGE Below
Lakeland Tower: “SPAR 28, you are cleared for a Practice Instrument Approach to Runway 05, Circle to Runway 09, cleared for the Option.”
SPAR 28: “Roger. SPAR 28 is cleared for the Practice Instrument Approach to Runway 05, Circle to Runway 09. Cleared for the Option.”
In the Spring of 2002, the 310th Airlift Squadron was busy training new Gulfstream pilots to fly the 4-star military commanders from our home base at MacDill AFB on the south side of Tampa Bay. Each weekday morning a training flight departed at 0800 for two hours of practice approaches at Ft Myers Airport and Lakeland Airport, rather than just beating up the pattern around MacDill. We called this “exporting the noise,” and it allowed our new pilots to train in the relatively new RNAV GPS approaches, as well as older NDB, TACAN, and ILS approaches.
Opportunity for a ‘collab’, but it wasn’t allowed
In late March 2002, Lakeland prepared to host their annual Sun -N- Fun Fly-In, second only to Oshkosh in size and spectators. One morning our Chief of Training, Major Bob Giddings, was conducting a training flight with numerous touch-and-goes and low approaches to the Lakeland runways. One of our favorite training scenarios was to fly the non-precision NDB approach to Runway 05, a fairly short runway, then level off at 500 feet and enter a left downwind for a circling approach to Runway 09. This usually ended in a touch and go landing for a practice short field landing to a full-stop and taxi back for another takeoff before returning to MacDill.
As Major Giddings completed the training profile, Lakeland Tower asked him if MacDill would be sending the new C-37 to the Sun-N-Fun airshow the following month. Bob said he didn’t know about that but would ask the question.
Regs are Regs
Upon landing at MacDill, Bob stopped by my Director of Operations (310AS/DO) office to tell me about his short conversation. Bob and I had both flown the Gulfstream at Andrews AFB prior to moving south a month earlier to create this new VIP airlift squadron. We both knew that our regulations prohibited using VIP aircraft, such as the C-37 (a brand-new G-V), the C-32 (B-757), or any other fancy blue and white aircraft in airshows. Whether it was for security reasons, or not wanting the public to damage our mahogany wood and blue leather interiors, I don’t know. We only knew it was “against regulations.” But Bob is a clever pilot.
“Well, you know Dave, I could file a flight plan with a 20-minute instrument delay at Lakeland and request the NDB to 05, Circle to 09, for a low approach.”
I told him that if the Sun-N-Fun Air Show Coordinator was okay with that request, then I was, too. Bob headed out the door to make some phone calls.
I love it when a plan comes together
Sun n' Fun: You Are Cleared for a PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH-Not a Flyover 67
A few weeks later, as hundreds of general aviation aircraft descended upon Lakeland Airport, Major Giddings prepared for another routine training mission, departing in the afternoon, instead of the usual morning takeoff. VIP pilots pride themselves in on-time arrivals down to the second and Bob approached Lakeland Airport right at the coordinated 3:00 ETA. Ten minutes earlier, the Air Boss directed that all aircraft land for a special inbound fly-over. With the skies now clear of small aircraft, SPAR 28 made its approach request. To cover our bases and prevent any possible accusations, Major Giddings radioed, “SPAR 28 requests a Practice Instrument Approach to Runway 05, Circle to Runway 09, for the option.” This emphatic request was unusual but it was on tape that this was a legal training maneuver and “not an airshow.” Clearance for the option allowed the pilot to land or go around.
Bob’s student descended toward the airport and began the NDB approach to Runway 05, which was now closed and only used to park hundreds of small aircraft. Leveling off at a chosen altitude of 500 feet, Bob and his trainee could see thousands of spectators in lawn chairs or standing alongside the stanchions gazing upward as the gleaming blue and white jet whistled overhead. Passing over show center at 500 feet the C-37 banked left, rolled out briefly, then banked left again, lining up with Runway 09. The sleek executive jet with United States of America painted above the six oval windows descended to 50 above the landing threshold when Bob commanded, “Go Around.”
The trainee thumbed the TOGA button on the autothrottles and the Rolls Royce engines revved up to 14,000 pounds of the thrust each as they pitched to 20 degrees nose high, pointing into the blue Florida sky. After a quick climb to 4,000 feet the Air Force crew thanked the Lakeland Tower for accommodating their ‘training request’ and switched frequencies to Departure Control for the short hop back to MacDill. Who knew training could be such a crowd-pleaser? The things we do for our country.
