With the mad dog now retired, we remember the good ol’ days of MD-80 and DC-9 powerback from the gate. Watch this AA Maddog skillfully back up and then swing around on his way with ease.
[youtube id=”-Zkxh903s_w” width=”800″ height=”454″ position=”left”]
Back in the day aircraft with tail mounted engines and bucket style thrust reversers (727, DC-9, MD-80, Fokker 100) regularly powered themselves up and deployed those reversers to back out of the gate and simply turn around with no pushback tugs. The procedure saved time, ground personnel, and tugs. The powerback continued all the way up until the mid-2000s. As jet fuel prices climbed, airlines ceased the practice, with American and Northwest being some of the last US carriers to do so. While time efficient, powerbacks proved fuel inefficient. Additionally, many airports banned the practice due to the extra noise and jet exhaust, but as we #Avgeeks know, there’s no sweeter sound than jet engine noise!
If you want to see a powerback today, one aircraft still does them regularly. In particular, Boeing C-17 crews in the U.S. Air Force regularly practice aircraft backing with thrust reversers as a part of their tool kit for use at confined or unimproved airstrips. So if you ever get the chance to go to an airshow with a C-17 performing, you’ll see some backing!
In an accompanying press release, Southwest Airlines morned their leader with the following statement:
“We are deeply saddened to share that Southwest Airlines Founder and Chairman Emeritus Herbert D. Kelleher passed away today at the age of 87.
Herb was a pioneer, a maverick, and an innovator. His vision revolutionized commercial aviation and democratized the skies. Herb’s passion, zest for life, and insatiable investment in relationships made lasting and immeasurable impressions on all who knew him and will forever be the bedrock and esprit de corps of Southwest Airlines.
The entire Southwest Family extends our deepest sympathies to Herb’s wife, Joan, and his entire family.”
– Southwest Airlines Press Statement
Herb Kelleher was born in New Jersey in 1931. He was serving as a lawyer in San Antonio in the late 1960s when one of his clients, Rollin King, requested help to liquidate his small airline known as Wild Goose Flying Service. Herb Kelleher struck up a relationship with King. Over whiskey and robust discussion, they mapped out a plan for intra-Texas air service in 1967. Thus Air Southwest (which later became Southwest Airlines) was formed.
It wasn’t until four years later that Southwest started service out of Dallas Love Field with service to Houston and San Antonio with just three jets. The little airline overcame a myriad of challenges. From lawsuits, to predatory pricing, to market downturns, Southwest Airlines prevailed through every storm. Over the next 37 years, Kelleher would command his ‘red-bellied warriors’ as they brought low cost service to destinations across the country. He grew Southwest into a major industry player and the most consistently profitable airline ever before stepping aside in 2008 as his final role as Chairman. While serving as CEO, Kelleher said,”
It is my practice to try to understand how valuable something is by trying to imagine myself without it.
His original legal secretary (from when Southwest Airlines was formed), Colleen Barrett, succeeded him as CEO. When she retired, Gary Kelly took the helm. He continues as a CEO today, leading the company that Kelleher built.
Today, Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest airline in terms of domestic passengers flown. It employs over 58,000 employees and flies to 99 destinations and is frequently a leader in the least amount of passenger complaints amongst all US airlines.
Source: Southwest Airlines
More so than just creating an airline, Herb Kelleher was a legendary leader. He had a very serious focus on taking care of his people and leading his airline. But he never took himself too serious. In his 1994 book ‘Nuts’, Herb wrote of the importance of taking care of your people and putting employees first. It was through this principle that employees would then take care of customers and thus the company as a whole would succeed. Herb Kelleher never furloughed an employee during his tenure.
Kelleher is survived by his wife Joan and three children.
Jetpacks were once thought to be science fiction. How could a man fly without a vehicle? Then the 1984 Olympics came along. Rafer Johnson flew into the Los Angeles Coliseum on a jet pack. With Rhapsody in Blue playing and President Reagan in attendance, the a flying man soared into the arena. It was a triumph of the free world over evil communism at the height of the cold war. As seen in this YouTube clip, by the official Olympics channel, the theatrics were pretty impressive, even by modern day standards. But after the games concluded, the allure of a jet pack largely faded away. The technology that powered man’s flight was primitive, dangerous, and had limited use.
Jet packs emerge again (and better than ever)
The good news for all freedom loving people is that jet packs are back. A company appropriately called JetPack Aviation is set on making jet packs more mainstream. Jet pack aviation prides itself on designing and deploying the first personal VTOL (vertical takeoff and landing) craft that has received FAA approval to operate. According to their site, they have flown flights for sporting and publicity events and even worked with the military.
In the video below, Jet Pack Aviation released a video showing two jet packs flying in close proximity for the first time together. The goal is to eventually host jet pack racing with electrically-powered jet packs. According to New Atlas, the racing will be similar to Red Bull racing focusing on skill, speed, and agility. New Atlas added in an interview with the owner that head-to-head racing is the goal but they will initially start off with a timed course as they pursue approvals for head to head flying.
What are your thoughts? Is this just another fad? Or will jet pack racing and flying finally take off? Leave a comment below.
In the late 20th century, the Boeing 737-200 and the Douglas DC-9 were the workhorses of North American-based airlines. They were so ubiquitous to short-haul routes that the only way most non-avgeek passengers could tell them apart was if they were flying on a jet with 5 seats across or 6 seats across.
The Boeing 737-200 was of course the wider jet with 6 across seating similar to the larger 727-200 and 707. The ‘baby’ Boeing 737-200 featured two long ‘cigar-like’ engines slung under the wing. One other distinctive feature of the Boeing 737-200’s engines were the clamshell thrust reversers that deployed after touchdown. The TRs on the JT8D formed a clamshell to divert the thrust down and forward in order to aid stopping after landing.
The Boeing 737-200 formed the backbone of Southwest Airlines and Aloha Airlines in the 1970s and early ’80s. It also was heavily utilized by United, Delta, and US Air. Airlines like Midway I, Vanguard, Alaska, American, America West, MarkAir, Continental, PSA, PanAm, Braniff, and Piedmont all featured the jets in their fleet at one time or another.
Most 737-200’s are retired
By the early 2000s, the ‘jurassic’ 737-200’s days were numbered. The events of 9/11 and down turn of the economy meant that the less efficient jet was falling out of favor with airlines. The ‘jurrasisic’ jets were supplanted by the growing fleets of 737 ‘classics’ (-300, -400, -500) and 737NGs (-700, -800, -900) along with legion of Airbus A320s and regional jets. Southwest retired their last -200 in 2005. In April of 2008, Aloha Airlines went out of business (see video below of their last flight) and with it, their fleet of -200s were sent to the desert. It has now been over a decade without any scheduled -200 service in the United States.
Today, there are less than 20 737-200s flying in the United States. You can count the average number of daily 737-200 flights in the US on two hands. If you disregard the 5 737-200s owned by Hawaiian cargo carrier Transair, the only -200 flights that the US sees comes from the odd private aircraft or cargo jet.
Across the globe, there are still about 109 -200 aircraft in service. Most are flying either cargo or for airlines in third-world countries. There is one exception to this rule though. Canada remains a relative hotbed for 737-200 activity. But why?
The 737-200 is one versatile and venerable workhorse.
The Boeing 737 was originally designed to fly short-haul flights from small airfields. The -200 even had a special gravel kit option. The engines utilized a small nozzle with bleed air to blow air in front of the inlet. The air reduced the likelihood of ingestion of rocks and dirt. A gravel deflector on the nose gear also reduced the chances of FOD (foreign object debris). The 737-200 features low-bypass engines that can handle rocks better than more modern higher-bypass engines. Combined, these features give the 737-200 a tremendously unique capability to operate on semi-prepared and gravel surfaces. In northern Canada, a number of unpaved fields still exist. The 737-200 is the perfect aircraft for such a field.
Another unique capability of the Boeing 737-200 is that it is one of the few remaining midsize aircraft that has COMBI capabilities. Because of restraint and fire limitations, only ‘jurassic’ and ‘classic’ 737s have been certified as an aircraft that can fly with both passengers and cargo aircraft. Even though its an aging type, the Boeing 737-200 fits two unique niches–it can operate from unpaved fields and fly both people and cargo.
So how can you fly on one today?
In Canada, five airlines still fly the Boeing 737-200. It’s your best chance to fly on a safe, well-maintained baby Boeing jet. Canadian North flies two Boeing 737-200 combi jets on regularly scheduled flights and charters. A recent trip report by Alex Praglowski Aviation shows his awesome experience on a 737-200 in Canada.
Air North has a single 737-200 combi in service. Air Inuit flies regularly scheduled 737-200 service between Montreal and Puvirnituq.
Canadian charter airline Nolinor flies a fleet of 6 737-200 combis. Unfortunately, they only offer charter and on-demand service. Additionally, Chrono Aviation just recently acquired a -200 and retrofitted it with new leather seats and a sleek black paint (see video below). If money is no object and you are interested in chartering a classic jet, these two carriers might be an option for you!
While a career in the airline industry can be very rewarding, the holidays can be tough for pilots and flight attendants. The holiday season is the busiest period of the year for airlines. That means that a majority of pilots and flight attendants will spend some or most of the holidays away from home and their families. Typically only the most senior employees are able to bid off the holiday. Rookie pilots and flight attendants are almost guaranteed to have to work.
One father was determined to spend Christmas with his flight attendant daughter, even though she had to work over the holiday. Hal Vaughan purchased tickets to fly on the same flights as high daughter for two days straight. In total, he flew on 6 flights over Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. In an interview with USA Today, Hal said, “Thinking of her being in that hotel room all by herself on Christmas Day really bugged her mother and I.” He added that his daughter was thrilled to spend time together in the air. What a dad!
LANGLEY, VA — The nation’s popular fifth-generation fighter aircraft will launch into a new air show season in March with a busy schedule highlighted by popular visits across America.
The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team pilot for 2019 is Major Paul “Loco” Lopez. The upcoming air show season will mark his second and final season as the F-22 Demo Team’s commander and pilot.
Major Lopez, will perform a nearly 30-minute flight at the air show sites demonstrating the handling characteristics of the most advanced fighter aircraft in the world.
As a child growing up in Virginia Beach, Maj. Lopez would stand outside his home watching the Navy’s F-14 Tomcats and F/A-18 Hornets train in the skies from nearby Naval Air Station Oceania. As the Raptor Demo Team’s first African-American pilot, he knows that the youth of today look up to him as a role model.
“I always tell (children) to be enthusiastic to learn,” Maj. Lopez continued. “If you are enthusiastic to learn, people will bend over backwards to help you achieve your goals and reach your dreams.”Maj. Lopez will help bring the Air Force past together with the newest fighter aircraft as he performs the crowd-favorite Heritage Flight with the historic P-51 Mustang during many of the air shows the Raptor team attends.
“Every kid dreams about flying a P-51, let alone flying in a formation with a P-51. This was the workhouse of WWII — look at the history of the Tuskegee Airman, flying with the Red Tails,” Maj. Lopez said from the flightline. “It’s just a phenomenal aircraft.”
The business end of the Raptor are twin Pratt and Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines with afterburners and two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles, Maj. Lopez noted. The $145 million (2016) aircraft can carry up to 18,000 pounds of fuel within its internal tanks to fuel up to 70,000 pounds of thrust combined.
The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team poised with a P-51 Mustang in 2018. (USAF)
At many of the air shows the demo team visits, you will likely find Loco walking behind the flightline meeting and greeting guests in the hours prior to his demonstration. The pilot’s social involvement with the crowds is a rare treat which becomes their photo moment of the year for many he meets.
“Hopefully, at air shows, we are able to inspire people to pursue their passions, chase their dreams, and turn those dreams into reality,” Loco said with a firm nod. “Hopefully you get a chance to see the aircraft fly.”
2019 Air Force F-22 Raptor Demonstration Schedule:
March 23/24 ………. Davis-Monthan AFB Thunder and Lightning over Arizona
March 31/30 ………. Travis AFB, CA Open House and Air Show
April 27/28 ………… MCAS Beaufort, SC Air Show
May 4/5 ……………… Fort Lauderdale, FL Air Show
June 6 ……………….. Bedford, VA D-Day 75th Anniversary Aerial Tribute (Heritage Flight only)
June 15/16 …………. Whiteman AFB, MO Air Show
June 22 ……………… Fairchild AFB, WA Inland Northwest Skyfest
June 29/30 …………. Traverse City, MI National Cherry Festival Air Show
July 4-7 ……………… Battle Creek, MI Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival
July 4 …………………. Racine, WI (Heritage Flight only)
July 6 …………………. Goshen, IN (Heritage Flight only)
July 13 ……………….. Eielson AFB, AK Open House
July 22-28 …………… Oshkosh, WI (Heritage Flight only)
July 27/28 …………… Milwaukee, WI (Heritage Flight only)
August 17/18 ………. Chicago, IL Air and Water Show
August 24/25 ………. Rochester, NY International Air Show
September 7/8 ……. Chesterfield, MO Spirit of St. Louis Air Show
September 14/15 … Dover AFB, DE Open House and Air Show
September 21/22 … Colorado Springs, CO Southern Colorado Regional Airshow
September 28/29 … Robins AFB, GA Thunder over Georgia Air Show
October 19/20 …….. Fort Worth, TX Alliance Air Show
November 2/3 ……. Moody AFB, GA Open House Air Show
November 15-17 … Nellis AFB, NV Aviation Nation 2019
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
Earlier this year, NASA quietly put their derelict Lockheed C-141 up for sale on a GSA Auction website. The aircraft wasn’t just your average Starlifter. It was a specially modified C-141 with a 36-inch optical telescope mounted on a stabilized platform to serve as a high-altitude observatory. The aircraft was named the Gerard P. Kuiper Airborne Observatory (KAO).
According to the now-removed (due to the government shutdown) auction listing, GSA said, “Aircraft was used as part of the Kuiper Airborne Observatory; the world~s longest-term dedicated astronomical observatory to make routine observations of the infrared sky from a vantage point in the stratosphere. During its operational lifetime, spanning over 20 years, it made many important discoveries, including more detailed knowledge about the atmospheres of planets, the existence of rings around planets other than Saturn, about accretion disks, or proto-planetary systems around other stars, and new insights into star formation. Though it was not the first airborne observatory for astronomy, it was the first to be operated routinely as a national facility. Its predecessors, Galileo I and II, have been scrapped, so it is the only living legacy of the old airborne program.”
The cockpit of NASA’s derelict C-141 that was up for auction earlier this year.
The aircraft was first put up for auction back on August 10th, 2018. By the end of the auction period two weeks later, the high bid was only $8000. The minimum bid was not met. The aircraft is not flyable but surprisingly most of the cockpit looks to still be intact from the photos. The winning bidder would have had to submit a plan to remove the aircraft within 60 days and would have had to gain approval by the DoD as well.
Outdated equipment is inside the cargo compartment of the C-141.
This particular C-141A first entered service in 1971. According to the now removed auction website (taken offline to the government shutdown), the jet was decommissioned back in 1995. It has sat in storage at Moffett Field in California ever since.
American Airlines MD-80 fleet is celebrating its final Christmas in service. For the past 36 Christmases, American Airlines MD-80 have been carrying families to see grandparents over the holidays. The venerable McDonnell Douglas jet has flown for American continuously since 1982.
BriYYZ from Toronto, Canada [CC BY-SA 2.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
Back in the early 1980s, American Airlines took a bet on the MD-80. McDonnell Douglas was desperate for business. American’s CEO at the time (Bob Crandall) negotiated a sweetheart deal. American received a fleet of new MD-80s to try out for a ridiculously low rate. The good news for McDonnell Douglas was that American loved the 5 abreast jet. The updated DC-9 allowed American to grow a fortress hub at DFW and connect Chicago O’hare and the East Coast. American eventually purchased over 200 of the type. After the acquisition of TWA, the fleet grew to approximately 370 in service at its peak. Over the past 5 years, American has been retiring the type. They have been replaced by 737-800 and 737-8MAX jets. Some MD-80s will outlive the aircraft that was supposed to replace the MD-80 as American will begin retiring some 737-800s next year.
American started this year with 45 aircraft. American retired 15 of the jets this year. Today, there are only 30 MD-80s still flying for American Airlines. And only 2 of the jets currently flying were actually procured by American originally. The rest of the MD-80s currently flying were originally owned by TWA. By September of 2019, the remaining aircraft will be retired. Today, most MD-80s are flown out of DFW with only a few originating flights from O’Hare. Your time to fly the Mad Dog with an American logo on the tail is coming to an end. Better book a trip on one before next September!
Check out this video below on the American MD-80 by JustPlanes.
About the MD-80
The MD-80 is twin engine, single aisle, narrow body commercial jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas, and later by Boeing. It is a mid size, medium range airliner. This slender aircraft has a number of variants, including the MD-81, the MD-82, the MD-83, the MD-87, and MD-88. The MD-80 can seat anywhere from 130 to 172 passengers, depending on the variant. Each variant also features upgrades in the cockpit and avionics.
The aircraft took its maiden voyage on October 18th of 1979. However, two MD-80 aircraft were severely damaged during the test flights. Despite the early design issues, the MD-80 underwent improvements. The first variant of the MD-80 was introduced with Swissair in October of 1980. The MD-80 series was eventually modified into the MD-90 series.
Almost 1,200 MD-80 aircraft were built between 1979 and 1999, at a unit cost in the 40 million dollar range.
The story of the Tuskegee Airmen is one of courage, persistence, and skill in the face of war and bigotry. Despite being unwelcome, unappreciated, and underestimated the Tuskegee Airmen became heroes of World War II downing more than 100 enemy planes and earning 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses.
In the 1920s and 30s young people everywhere were enamored by the thrill of aviation. For African Americans, the path to the cockpit would come with great obstacles. It was ridiculously held that African Americans did not possess the intelligence or skill to learn to fly and operate a sophisticated aircraft. As the U.S. Army Air Corp (AAC) needs grew and pilot training programs expanded, civil rights groups began to demand opportunities for African American service members to be trained as pilots. In September 1940, President Franklin D Roosevelt responded to activists and announced that the AAC would begin training black pilots.
At the time, the armed forces were racially segregated. An all African American base, in Tuskegee Alabama, was created and the 99th squadron was born. The program trained 1,000 pilots and almost 14,000 other air and ground operations staff. Although they were often tested in ways set for them to fail, the Tuskegee Airmen surpassed all expectations.
After a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt in April of 1941 the Tuskegee program took a great leap forward. She flew with the chief flight instructor, Charles Anderson, and was assured of the superb abilities of the Tuskegee Airmen. This ultimately led to their activation in the war.
The Tuskegee Airmen were first shipped out to North Africa and then Sicily where they flew missions in the P-40. Outmatched by their German opponents, the assigned commander of the 99th squadron complained about their combat performance. Benjamin Davis Jr., commander of the Tuskegee Airmen, had to defend his squadron in front of a war committee. Rather than be deactivated and sent home, the squadron was pushed forward in Italy where they fought alongside a white squadron, the 79th Fighter Group. The Tuskegee Airmen began to prove themselves in combat in 1944. They were attributed with shooting down 12 German fighters in two days. Soon after, other Tuskegee fighter squadrons moved up and were added to the 99th. They became the well known 332nd Fighter Group.
The 332nd began flying P-51 Mustangs and became legendary escorting bombers deep into enemy territory. They were identified by the red paint on the tail of their aircraft, and given the enduring nickname “Red Tails” or “Red Tail Angels”. In an interview with his local news in Sierra Madre California , B-24 Liberator Gunner Ken Anhalt, 90 years of age, shared how they always felt better seeing those red tails out there. They knew they had the best men at their side. He remembers that while other fighter squads would depart before entering the target zone and encountering anti-aircraft fire, the Tuskegee men would remain, keeping their bombers safe.
By the end of the war the Tuskegee Airmen had flown 15,000 individual sorties. They destroyed or damaged German aircraft in aerial combat and 237 on the ground. They also took out nearly 1,000 rail cars and transport vehicles, and a German destroyer.
The persistence and accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen ultimately led to the desegregation of the armed forces in 1948. Their story teaches us to remain vigilant against prejudice, have courage in the face of hate, and believe in yourself even with the slimmest odds for success.
PENSACOLA, Fla. — Jolly ol’ Santa Claus has been busy this month conducting a goodwill tour of America’s military bases delivering holiday cheer and gifts to the families who make the sacrifices as their loved ones serve abroad.
Santa Claus brought smiles to the men and women of all branches of service providing a heart-warming glow on the faces of America’s military personnel and their children. He even arrived into NAS Pensacola aboard a Blue Angels F/A-18D Hornet to greet the Navy’s flight demonstration squadron.
Santa Claus arrives at NAS Pensacola, Fla. to meet with the Blue Angels and their families. (US Navy)
The Air Force 152 Airlift Wing conducted Operation Santa Claus at Reno-Tahoe International Airport in front of several hundred families of the Northern Nevada’s Children’s Cabinet. Twenty aircraft from across the area took part in a parade as they brought in gifts for those less fortunate, Senior MSgt Paula Macomber said.
Santa also visited with the Airmen and their families of South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing. He took time to visit with their children and pose for pictures.
“During his visit, Santa gave special thanks to the children for the sacrifices they make when their parents are away serving on military duty,” 169th FW spokesperson SSgt Megan Floyd said.
Santa Claus arrives with 152 Airlift Wing to Reno on Dec. 8 for an event called Operation Santa Claus where presents were delivered to families with the Northern Nevada’s Children’s Cabinet. (USAF)
Santa and Mrs. Claus later attended a Christmas tree lighting event at Fort Benning, Georgia. The jolly couple were all smiles as they welcomed the children of the military families.
“I feel like we spend so much time away from our families to train trainees, so to be able to come out to an event like this with our families is really important to us,” 46th Infantry Regiment drill sergeant SSgt. Joseph Reap said with a big smile.
In Knoxville, Tenn., it is the Airmen themselves who serve on Santa’s behalf each year as they shop for the sick children in local hospitals. The 134th Air Refueling Wing puts the spirit of Christmas into the hospital rooms of the young children each year.
Santa Claus greets U.S. Marines assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, Calif. (USMC)
“This is not just a 134th SFS event anymore,” 134th SFS unit training manager MSgt. Gabriel Griffin said with a smile of emotion. “This event has turned into a base-wide event because everyone in one way or another, whether its manpower, monetary donations, or fundraiser events, comes together in order to raise the money needed to help the local children and their families.”
As the Air Force Thunderbirds practiced this week across Nellis AFB, Santa arrived via an F-16 Fighting Falcon with his elves. He visited the Airmen and their families bringing holiday cheer for America’s military and their families who sacrifice alot year ’round.
(Charles A. Atkeison reports on aerospace and science. Follow his updates on social media via @Military_Flight.)
PENSACOLA, Fla. — For the Navy’s Blue Angels and Air Force Thunderbirds traveling to an air show site may require performing an in-flight refueling maneuver to trim their flight time.
To get each squadron’s seven jets to an air show site requires their pilot to fly them. If the show site is in excess of their fuel comfort level, they preflight their planned stop at an military base for fuel, or sometimes, the fuel comes to them at nearly 350 m.p.h.
Aerial refueling began 95 years ago as one bi-plane delivered several gallons of fuel to another on a June afternoon. Today, hulking military aircraft are called upon as their sole job to refuel planes across the globe.
https://youtu.be/f0wn8cgsw7Q
The Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker is the military’s largest flying gas station. For 60 years, it has been used to aerial refuel nearly all military aircraft. A typical KC-135 refueling flight carries a pilot, co-pilot, navigator, boom operator, and thousands of gallons of Shell JP-8 fuel stored for delivery.
The Blues Angels F/A-18 Hornet jets can travel approximately 1,000 miles on a full load of fuel without external tanks. For the squadron’s July 2018 flight from Pensacola to Oshkosh, Wisconsin to Fargo, N.D., their refuel arrived in flight.
One KC-135 based at the 434th Air Refueling Wing at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Indiana flew up on a planned rendezvous to load up the Blues thirsty jets. This refueling mission began near Nashville where the Blue Angels received their first refueling.
A KC-135R Stratotanker from Grissom Air Reserve Base, Ind., refuels one of the seven Blue Angels in September 2018. Note the shuttlecock end of the boom fuel line. (U.S. Air Force)
Much like a straw to a mouth, the KC-135’s boom is extended to an opening, and acts like a straw to funnel fuel directly into the tanks. Known as the probe-and-drogue refueling method, the flexible hose trails out from behind the tanker aircraft toward the positioned jet. A basket with a valve fitting is located at the end of the hose to grapple the jet’s fuel port.
In September, as the Blue Angels traveled cross country to California, and two KC-135R Stratotankers from Grissom met up to refuel the Hornets twice. Lying in the prone position, the boom operator carries out the hazardous operation with pinpoint accuracy.
“Normally most of what we do is out of the public eye – refueling aircraft,” Air Force KC 135 pilot Maj. Brandon German said. “But not only did we support the Blue Angels, we interacted with the public by participating in the air show – demonstrating our capabilities.”
The red, white, and blue F-16 Fighting Falcon jets of the Thunderbirds also rely on aerial refueling during extended flights. McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, continues to assist the Thunderbirds several times a year.
The Air Force Thunderbirds are refueled in flight via KC-135 Stratotanker over France in July 2017. (USAF)
“At any given time during their performance season, Team McConnell’s active duty and Reserve aircrews regularly perform aerial refueling for the team during performance season.” McConnell AFB spokesperson SSgt Abigail Klein stated from a windy tarmac preflight. “McConnell’s KC-135 Stratotanker aircrews are regularly part of the (Thunderbirds) worldwide journey.”
During 2019, the Thunderbirds will put some heavy mileage of their F-16s as they travel to 35 show sites, visiting three locations outside the Continental 48 states. In July, the Thunderbirds will travel some 6,440 miles round trip to Rionegro, Colombia for their international air show.
One month later, the Thunderbirds will travel some 2400 miles RT to British Colombia, Canada for the Abbotsford air show. And, the squadron will fly still fly another 6400 miles to San Juan for the Puerto Rico air show.
“The F-16 is one of the easiest of the fighters to refuel, but they also move fast, so it is something you really have to pay attention to,” McConnell KC-135 boom operator MSSgt. James Yokom said.
One example of an in-flight refueling mission occurred in November 2017, as McConnell AFB assisted the Thunderbirds on a 1200-mile non-stop flight from their home at Nellis AFB, Nevada to San Antonio, Texas.
The 121st Air Refueling Wing prepares to fuel the Thunderbirds in June 2017. (U.S. Air National Guard)
“During the more than four-hour flight, the KC-135 aircrew offloaded more than 4,477 gallons of fuel and made 12 successful contacts with the (six) jets,” SSgt Klein explained.
The numbers of each refueling flight varies. In February 2018, the T-Birds traveled from Nellis cross country to Florida for their annual Daytona 500 flyover. High above Mississippi, McConnell’s KC-135 flight crew made some 22 contacts with the boom with the six aircraft.
“The aircrew spent approximately an hour refueling the team, offloading 8,850 gallons of fuel during their five-hour flight to Daytona,” SSgt Klein added.
(Charles A Atkeison reports on aerospace and technology. Follow his updates via social media @Military_Flight.)
American Airlines has applied their resources to many humanitarian projects throughout theirv92-year history. This past November they put forward their largest effort for disaster relief in company history by helping those impacted by the California wildfires.
The Camp Fire in Paradise California, contained on November 25th, is the number one most destructive fire recorded. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), there were more than 150,000 acres burned, over 18,000 homes and structures destroyed. The total death count is at 84, while the missing persons count is at 11.
With thousands of people now homeless, Butte County’s shelters and “homeless camps” are overwhelmed trying to provide basic necessities. On November 28th, American Airlines team members assembled 20,000 American Red Cross hygiene kits at the cargo facility at Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix. Each hygiene kit is equipped with useful items like: liquid hand soap, shampoo, a toothbrush and toothpaste, hand and body lotion, a disposable razor, and deodorant. The kits were delivered to California and distributed by the Red Crosslater that week.
There are still overwhelming numbers of homeless families that need aid. The best way to support them is through monetary donation. Until December 10th, American Airlines’ AAdvantage members can earn 10 miles for each dollar they donate to the Red Cross with a minimum $25 donation. Your donation will be used by the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, relief supplies and health services to all those that are still displaced by the devastating wildfires.
American Airlines’ LA senior vice president Suzanne Boda shared how very proud they are tohave such a long-standing partnership with the Red Cross. They are grateful for the support of the more than 100 team members that volunteered to build the hygiene kits.
December 6, 2018 a Southwest Airlines flight from Oakland to Burbank overran the runway during a heavy downpour of rain. The 737 was stopped safely though by the Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS) and no passengers or crew were hurt during the incident.
FAANews released the following statement less than an hour after the event: “Shortly after 9:05 a.m PT today, @SouthwestAir Flight 278 rolled off the end of Runway 8 while landing at @fly_BUR Airport in #Burbank, CA, and came to rest in the Engineered Material Arresting System (EMAS). This information is preliminary and may change.”
Burbank Airport had an earlier incident in the year 2000, that prompted the installation of the EMAS. A Southwest Airlines 737-300 approached Burbank too fast, landed long and exited the field, stopping just feet before a gas station.
Southwest 1455 landed long on the same runway back in 2000. At the time there was no EMAS system. 15 people were slightly injured in the accident. The pilots were fired for their negligence because they elected to continue an unstable approach instead of executing a go-around (photo: NTSB).
More recently, in 2017, a Citation 750 also overran the runway at Burbank airport and was successfully stopped by the EMAS.
So what exactly is an Engineered Material Arresting System?
Generally speaking it is a lightweight concrete that collapses under the weight of an aircraft and decelerates roll. The Engineered Arresting System Corporation (ESCO) is one of two manufacturers of the system. According to ESCO the EMAS “is consisted of a bed of cellular cement material manufactured in the form of engineered block components that are strategically placed at the overrun end of a runway.” They are typically the full width of the runway. The length is determined from the airport’s layout and the aircraft that use the runway. ESCO has been manufacturing these systems for military applications for a long time. However starting in the early 1990s they began assisting the FAA in creating EMAS for runways that could not meet the 1,000 foot minimum standard for runway safety areas (RSA).
The FAA reports that to date there have been a total of 13 incidents of overrunning aircraft that were safely stopped by the EMAS.
Updated: President George H. W. Bush was laid to rest today at his Presidential Library today in College Station, Texas. A 21-ship of F/A-18 Super Hornets with tailhooks deployed flew over to honor the late President. Video that was posted by FoxNews anchor Lauren Blanchard (Twitter: @LaurenBlanch12) and Twitter user Debbie Leland (Twitter user: @deblel) is posted below:
Watch this whole thing. A 21-aircraft missing man formation. The end when the aircraft with the name of #GHWB on the side peels off & disappears into the sky gave me goosebumps. pic.twitter.com/dZnnMX7X5G
The 41st President of the United States, George H. W. Bush, will be laid to rest at his presidential library at College Station, Texas on Thursday. As part of the service, the US Navy will fly a special 21 jet salute over the gravesite. The missing man formation will be comprised of F/A-18 aircraft from eight squadrons. The jets departed out of Oceana to prepare for the unique flyover on Tuesday. The flyover will take place on Thursday afternoon after a final funeral service at a church in Houston. The body will then be transported by train to College Station. The internment ceremony is expected to begin at 4:15pm central time.
The flyover is the largest F/A-18 Super Hornet formation flyover ever conducted by the US Navy. It is meant as a special tribute to honor the 41st President who served honorably as a Navy pilot in World War II before continuing on to dedicate his career in public service. President Bush flew the Avenger in combat, surviving a crash landing and earning the Distinguished Flying Cross for his heroism.
While the flyover tomorrow represents the largest F/A-18 missing man flyover formation, it isn’t the first time that such a large missing man formation was conducted for a presidential funeral. In 2006, the US Air Force flew a 21-ship of F-15s over the final resting place of former-President Gerald Ford.
A smaller missing man formation was also flown by F/A-18s for former-President Ronald Reagan’s funeral in 2004.
We will continue to update this story as we learn more.
Was that a tear in my eye? Ok, maybe. Every year, WestJet Airlines puts out an inspirational video. We’ve covered their viral videos every year. In a previous year’s video, the airline set up a Santa Claus video conference where passengers could ask for a gift they wanted, only to be surprised at the baggage carousel by wrapped presents at their destination. WestJet then followed that viral video up with a promise to grant 12,000 people their Christmas wish. Last year, they sponsored a large project to assist families whose homes were devastated by a Canadian wildfire. This year WestJet went for something different and once again, it’s pretty impressive.
WestJet Introduces a global Advent Calendar
This year, their famous Blue Santa will deliver special gifts for a total of 22 days. The theme corresponds with their recent push into providing more extensive long-haul service to Europe and Australia (beginning next year via a code share agreement with Qantas).
According to WestJet, “Over a month, spanning 16 countries and six continents, Blue Santa took to WestJet’s global skies to experience seasonal traditions and to spread holiday cheer. From Dec. 3-25, WestJet’s Advent Calendar will showcase daily his discoveries from around the globe with the help from worldy WestJetters – and may include a few extra surprises in between. WestJet’s Twitter feed and Facebook page will also be updated daily with WestJet’s Advent calendar content.
During his journey Blue Santa also surprised special guests with magical reunion experiences in London, England in WestJet’s Uniting Through Traditions video. The video features heart-warming reunions between Halifax parents and their far away daughter, a fun-loving Grande Prairie duo whose best friends live thousands of miles away and a long-distance couple with a story of true love.
“The storytelling in WestJet’s Advent Calendar and Uniting Through Traditions video underscores that being with the ones you love during the holidays is the greatest tradition of all,” said Richard Bartrem, WestJet’s Vice-President Marketing Communications. “Since our first Christmas Miracle in 2013, WestJet’s tradition has been to celebrate and promote the Christmas spirit with our guests through our caring culture. This year we’re thrilled to be able to take our Canadian spirit to the world through Blue Santa’s travels, while bringing some of the world’s spirit back home with us to share.”
Bush #1 Flew the Turkey Against Japan During World War II
December 7th 1941, “a date which will live in infamy”, was the start of the second world war for the United States and coincidently the public unveiling of the Grumman TBF Avenger. The Avenger, aptly named given the timing of it’s release, is known as the standard torpedo bomber of World War II.
Up until 1939, the Douglas Devastator had been the Navy’s standard torpedo bomber. However, with the quick development of new aircraft capabilities, the Devastator was already outdated by the time of the attack on Pearl Harbor. To better defend the Pacific, the Navy needed a new aircraft with a top speed of 300 mph, a range of 1,000 miles (fully loaded), an internal weapons bay, 2,000 lbs. payload, and a ceiling of 30,000 feet.
The American Grumman TBF Avenger first entered service in the U.S. Navy at the Battle of Midway. It was not a promising start for the aircraft. Five out of the six in service were easily shot down during the battle by the Mitsubishi Zero fighters. Throughout the war the slow-flying torpedo bombers were used in a variety of other roles like: air support glide bombing, light transport, cargo transport, reconnaissance, and anti-submarine support.
Perhaps the most famous man to fly an Avenger in WWII is the late former President of the United States George H.W. Bush. He was the youngest naval aviator in the war and flew thousands of combat hours in the Avenger. September 2nd 1944 he was shot down when performing a dive bombing mission over Chichi Jima. He narrowly survived the event, while his two crewmen were never found.
Navy Lt. j.g. George H.W. Bush in the cockpit of his TBM Avenger, ca. 1944. (National Archives)
Because it could hold such a heavy payload, after the war the Avenger was converted into a fire bomber. The military equipment and guns were replaced with a large tank in the weapons bay that could hold water or flame retardant.
Bush Was Just a Teenager But Already Had the Heart of a Warrior
With the passing of one of our nation’s most esteemed presidents, we remember the young man that joined the Navy to serve –– duty, honor, country. George Bush was attending Phillips Academy in Andover Mass. when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. At school he was very active with school councils and sports, and was the senior class president. With a bright future ahead – he had already been accepted to Yale – he was advised to let the draft do its job and not enlist.
Bush Portrait via us navy
To War in a Turkey
Forever a servant of this nation, George ignored the wishes of his father and enlisted on his 18th birthday in 1942. His passion to serve was emboldened with a desire to “hold his own” apart from his family name. George worked hard and became the youngest Navy pilot of World War II. He was deployed with Torpedo Squadron FIVE ONE (VT-51) aboard the USS San Jacinto (CVL-30) in the Pacific flying TBM Avenger torpedo bombers at age 19 years and two days- the youngest Naval Aviator ever (at that time).
image via national archives
Fateful Mission
September 2, 1944, LTJG Bush had orders to fly a mission to take out a Japanese radio tower on the island of Chichi Jima. He and a two man crew consisting of LTJG William G. White, USNR, an intelligence specialist flying in the gunner’s position, and regular radio operator ARM 2nd Class John Lawson Delaney, USNR flew a TBM-1C Avenger torpedo bomber into anti-aircraft fire and the plane was hit at 8,000 feet. The aircraft caught fire. He bravely completed the bombing run before heading back to sea, the Avenger still smoking and flaming. Afraid the aircraft might explode at any moment, he decided a water landing was not an option.
Bush in Avenger Cockpit
Bailing Out
Other U.S. Avengers in the area reported hearing Bush’s order to his crewmen to “hit the silk”. George heard no response from his crew but made a steep right bank to lessen the pressure on the rear door, thereby assisting his crew with escaping the stricken aircraft. At least one crew member made it out of the stricken TBM but neither crew member survived. Then George bailed out. He hit his head on the tail of the aircraft. After landing in the ocean he was able to free himself from his chute and swim to his life raft.
TBM Avenger
Rescue From Under Japanese Guns
George’s head was dizzy and bleeding and he was vomiting from taking in seawater. The young George’s fight wasn’t done yet. Japanese gunboats were coming for him now. He desperately started paddling, with his hands, away from his enemies. Fellow airmen, flying TBM Avengers and the Grumman F6F Hellcat fighters, strafed the Japanese boats and returned to the San Jacinto. He floated in his life raft for hours before he was hauled aboard the American Gato-class fleet submarine USS Finback (SS-230).
George H. W. Bush Was a Hero Way Before He Became a President 21
Reflecting on the Loss of His Crew
The following day George wrote this letter to his mother:
“Yesterday was a day which will long stand in my memory….I will have to skip the details of the attack as they would not pass the censorship, but the fact remains that we got hit….There was no sign of Del or Ted anywhere around. I looked as I floated down and afterwards kept my eye open from the raft, but to no avail….I’m afraid I was pretty much a sissy about it cause I sat in my raft and sobbed for awhile….I feel so terribly responsible for their fate, Oh so much right now. Perhaps as the days go by it will all change and I will be able to look upon it in a different light….Last night I rolled and tossed. I kept reliving the whole experience. My heart aches for the families of those two boys with me.”
Bush with his regular crew of radioman john delaney and gunner leo nadeau
Getting Back in the Saddle
After a month aboard the Finback, he got back to his crew on the San Jacinto and continued flying bombing runs through more enemy fire. Throughout Bush’s entire service in the Navy he completed 58 combat missions and flew 1,228 combat hours. He came home a hero and was later awarded the Navy’s Distinguished Flying Cross.
George H. W. Bush Was a Hero Way Before He Became a President 22
Bush Tells His Own Story
Here is an interview with G.H.W Bush uploaded to YouTube by US Naval Institute.
Out of all the risks that pilots can face in the cockpit, one of the oddest challenges can be avoiding wildlife on departure or landing. Collisions with birds are a well known risks. Many airfields have risk mitigation programs in place to reduce the risk. In some cases, aircraft alter their departure times and routes to avoid migrating activities. Yet as we saw with US Airways 1549, the risk is real. Aircraft continue to hit birds and sometimes even larger animals. Between 1990 and 2018, the FAA reports that there have been more than 179,000 wildlife strikes with the vast majority being birds. Over 97% of strikes are birds but the FAA reports that snakes, bunnies, deer, a fish (!!!) and even alligators have collided with aircraft.
A 2017 article by The Atlantic cites that there have been over 1,000 collisions with deer. While aircraft are much larger than deer, the collision can still be deadly as aircraft attempt to avoid the collision at high speeds. Most major airports limit this problem with extensive fencing (with its primary purpose for security) and the constant roar of loud jet noise. But even then, that is not a guarantee that wildlife won’t encroach near the runway. Last October, an American Eagle CRJ200 hit a deer at a regional airport in Pennsylvania. And in 2017, another American Eagle jet hit a deer on takeoff causing significant damage and resulting in an emergency landing. The ATC video is seen below.
As a passenger, should you be worried? Probably not. The odds of any strike is still really low. But as a pilot, you should always be prepared. And that includes thinking ahead to anticipate what you would do if you encounter wildlife on takeoff, departure, approach, and landing.
A man from Florida – enjoying his first day of vacation in Switzerland – was forced to ‘hang on’ to the Hang glider, after the pilot reportedly forgot to attach him to the aircraft. The incident took place during Chris Gursky’s recent trip to Interlaken, a beautiful city in Switzerland.
When the pilot of the Hang glider took off from a mountainside with Chris on his left side, it became clear that the poor passenger wasn’t attached at all, compelling him to clutch onto the glider with his bare hands for more than 2 minutes. He accomplished this feat at 4,000 feet and at 45 mph+ in order to avoid a certain fatal fall. The pilot made a critical error in the pre-flight setup by not attaching Chris to the glider. The pilot did all he could to get Chris down asap, while flying the glider with one hand and grabbing on to Chris’ harness. Even after the mistake, you have to give credit to the pilot for saving Chris’ life by staying calm and putting all his skills to the test.
Chris himself created a video of the scary incident and shared it on Youtube on November 26. He titled the video “Swiss Mishap” and it has since gone viral with over 7 million views. “My first time Hang gliding had an unexpected twist when I left the ground unattached from the glider,” Gursky captioned the clip of his “near death experience.”
“I just glanced down, and said this is it: I am going to fall to my death,” he said on Fox News’ “Sheperd Smith Reporting”. “It wasn’t my time, I was going to hold on as long as I possibly could.” He was confused as to what was going on initially with the takeoff: “Holding on for my life …Losing grip the whole way down.” “For 2 minutes and 14 seconds I had to hang on for my life!” he says about the scary scene, in which he hangs onto the glider as the aircraft soars at top speeds over a picturesque Swiss valley, before the pilot managed to make an emergency landing.
Because of the accident Chris Gursky tore his left bicep tendon in the crash, and had to have surgery on his wrist. Chris is planning to go Hang gliding again though as he did not get to enjoy his first flight. What a hero.
Christian Boppart, director of the Swiss Hang Gliding Association, said he knew who the pilot was but wanted to respect his privacy as the matter is taken up by authorities. “The pilot knew he made a terrible mistake, but afterward he made a good save,” Boppart said. “The first lesson is that you check before starting that everything is good, and that everybody is attached.” Boppart said serious injuries from Hand gliding in Switzerland are rare.
When we see a Hang glider fly in the sky, many people will probably think of flying paperclips with a man attached to it, right? Not quite. Hang gliding is an air sport in which trained pilots fly a glider using only the wind and thermals to stay in the sky. There is no motor involved, not even to get into the air. The glider is fully controllable. Pilots can land where and when they want and travel big distances. Actually, the world record for straight distance – held by Dustin Martin and Jonny Durand – reached an amazing distance of around 473 miles (761 km). The flight reportedly took 11 hours with an average speed of 43 mph (69 km/h) and it took place on July 3, 2012 from Zapata to Lubbock, Texas. It’s probably the closest experience for man to have, to be flying like a bird.
In the very early days of the sport – the early 1970s – pilots would literally hang by their arms onto the base bar of the glider during very short flights from small hills. But the gliders and the sport developed, where the pilots are suspended securely in a harness, although during Chris’ incident this was not the case at all.
Thank God Chris survived to tell his story. Let’s hope this won’t ever happen again. His video shows us once more why a good pre-flight check is so important in the world of aviation.
Air France has done it again with another fantastic air to air video. A few years back they produced an amazing “Au revoir” video to the Boeing 747 as they retired the fleet. The video showed the Queen of the Skies flying over Paris with the national performance team in tow. This time, Air France is back with a stunning video of the their new Boeing 787-9 aircraft.
Air France’s Dreamliner fleet currently consists of 6 aircraft. Three leased and three owned aircraft. The -9 seats 276 people in three classes. Each 787-9 is outfitted with 30 Business Class seats, 21 premium Economy seats, and 225 Economy seats.
In the video, the 787 flies over the French countryside with some fantastic cloud surfing footage. It truly is some stellar camera work. Check it out for yourself below:
Behind the scenes footage is even more impressive
Making a movie that stunning isn’t easy. It was quite a complex endeavor. The air to air footage was filmed in Ultra 8k by Airborne Films. The team utilized a customized Socata TBM single engine turbo aircraft. Underneath the right wing they added a Shotover F1 gyro stabilized system with a $20k RED Helium camera attached to it. Prior to filming, the crew conducted a series of required test flights to ensure that the unique camera mount wouldn’t interfere with aircraft operations in any phase of flight.
Planning for a shoot like this is much more involved than you might think. Although the final product looks effortless, significant planning was required. In the behind the scenes footage, pay particular attention to the amount of aerial choreography that took place. Every turn and camera position was preplanned. The photo shoot was even modeled virtually on custom software to ensure that the final product was perfect. The video is 13 minutes long, but if you are like us, you’ll watch the entire video a few times just to notice all of the unique details of a complex video shoot like this one. Kudos to the Airborne Films team!
