These Airborne HD Videos Will Give You a New Appreciation for the Art and Science of Fireworks Displays
Everybody loves fireworks. Well, animals and some folks maybe not so much, but they do entertain and enthrall us. Invented thousands of years ago in China, fireworks today often highlight events celebrating Independence Day and New Year’s Eve in the United States as well as other national events around the world. The sophisticated chemistry involved in making the different colors and explosive behaviors of fireworks are seldom appreciated by the “ooh aah” crowds attending the displays, but suffice it to say that if you know, you know, and if you don’t, the show will still be impressive. However, fireworks can be even more impressive when viewed from above, or level with, the “bombs bursting in air.” Enjoy these looks at fireworks displays as seen from the Avgeek’s perspective.
210704-A-AD638-0001 imagevia us air force
Fireworks Filmed With a Drone
Perhaps a little bit too close for comfort- think colorful flak or AAA! The video was uploaded to YouTube by AlteredStates.
Like many iconic airlines of the past Braniff is one I really wish was still around. Braniff started its journey in 1928 by a (World War I) aviator named Paul Braniff and his brother Thomas Braniff. Their first route was between Oklahoma City and Tulsa operating a Stinson SB-1 Detroiter, that only carried 5 passengers.
Stinson SB-1 Detroiter – used to fly between tulsa and oklahoma city, ok
The airline continued to grow, re-organize and acquire other airlines until its unfortunate shutdown in November 1989. During its 60 years Braniff flew over 420 planes consisting of 23 different types. Still today there are some ex-Braniff aircraft flying around the globe.
Starting with the oldest currently in service the Douglas DC-3 tops the list. Braniff had a fleet of 54 Douglas DC-3 (C-47) aircraft. During WWII Braniff used the majority of these for transporting troops and cargo. After the war many of these were returned to service with Braniff and became a workhorse of their fleet.
Braniff Douglas DC3 – Chicago Midway Airport (1949) (source Wikipedia Commons)
Sadly, today there appears to be only one airworthy ex-Braniff DC-3 and it was last seen flying in 2019 around Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
Douglas DC-3A (1940) currently N61981 (#2216) Braniff = N25685
The Jet Age
Next up is the Douglas DC-8 (quad-jet). Braniff had 21 of these planes and used them mostly for long-haul routes into South America.
Currently the only ex-Braniff DC-8 still flying is owned by NASA and regularly flies out of Palmdale, California.
Douglas DC-8-72 (1969) currently N817NA (#46082) Braniff = N801BN
Braniff flew 19 Boeing 707s but there is only one of these still flying. The one remaining is the infamous 707 that was purchased in 1989 by John Travolta and named Jett Clipper Ella after his children with a nod to Pan Am.
In 2017 this airplane was donated to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society and is currently stored in Georgia (KBQK). There are plans to return this airplane to Australia but COVID and other things have delayed this from happening.
Boeing 707-138B (1964) currently N707JT (#18740) Braniff = N108BN
Braniff also operated the popular Boeing 727 and at its peak had around 130 of these aircraft. They flew both the 100 and 200 series, as well as a combo cargo version.
There are currently two known ex-Braniff 727s that are still flying.
Boeing 727-227 (1973) currently N422BN (#20735)
Boeing 727-227 (1976) currently N794AJ (#21243) Braniff = N442BN
After Braniff closed its doors most of the Braniff 727 were transferred to FedEx for cargo operations. But there were some others that flew for the airlines including with American Airlines and Delta Airlines. Those aircraft have all been retired.
Braniff III: A Couple Jets Soldier On
Braniff III was the final attempt to restart the iconic airline’s name. It was riddled with issues and did not succeed. Before their shutdown in 1989 Braniff took delivery of 5 (brand new) Airbus A320s.
These A320s were all transferred to America West Airlines (AWE) and 2 are currently still in service with Lift Airlines (GBB) in South Africa.
Airbus A320-231 (1989) currently ZS-GAR (#053) Braniff = N901BN
Airbus A320-231 (1989) currently ZS-GAL (#064) Braniff = N905BN
Other Notables
This article would not be complete if it did not mention some of the other cool aircraft that Braniff flew over its year. Some of them have been preserved so you can still see them.
Braniff became part The “Super Sonic” Transport (SST) days with an arrangement they made with Air France and British Airways offering Concorde service from Dallas to Washington DC. For about 1 year, they flew 9 of these aircraft, but were limited to subsonic speeds (below Mach 1) while transiting the United States. Today, there are 8 of these aircraft preserved at various locations around the globe.
Braniff also flew the Boeing 747 (100, 200 and SP series) currently none appear to be flying they are stored and still intact. They include: N747A (#21992) and A4O-SO (#21785)
Although Braniff is sadly not flying anymore there are lots of fans and memorabilia to keep the airline alive. One place to go back in time is the Braniff International website. Also, on Twitter checkout the https://twitter.com/BraniffIntl account for a great collections of photos. Last, but not least there are also lots of cool collectibles to be found on the internet and a dedicated Braniff Boutique to purchase Braniff items!
Byron Hukee shares the story of his career as an Air Force pilot. He flew everything from the F-100 Super Saber to the F-16. The first part of his series is here.
Following a looooong year at Webb AFB for UPT, I was heading to Luke AFB in Phoenix, Arizona for my first “real” Air Force assignment to learn to fly the F-100 Super Sabre. The Hun was the first of the Century Series fighters that entered USAF service in 1954 when I was in the third grade, but in 1971, it was nearing the end of its 17 years of service with the USAF, and I was about to get checked out in it with my meager 231 hours of flying time… 30 hours in the T-41, 89 hours in the T-37 and 112 hours in the T-38!
My Career Begins in the “Real” Air Force
Byron Hukee flew the F-100 Super Sabre. This is his story. Image: Byron Hukee
I arrived at Luke with my wife and son who was born in Big Spring, Texas five days earlier. We got settled in and I reported for duty at my new assignment the following Monday. As I was taught at OTS, I was to report to the commanding officer of my new unit, the 311th Tac Fighter Training Squadron, so I did so as soon as I arrived at the squadron.
After knocking on the door of the squadron commander, I entered and snapped a sharp salute. I noticed the name plate on the desk and said, “Good morning Col F_ck Face (I pronounced it fewk fa-say), Second Lieutenant Byron Hukee reporting for duty”, not realizing it was a prank name plate. With that inauspicious beginning, I got unprocessed into the squadron and tried to get my shit together.
I Learn How to Fly the F-100 Super Sabre
We were being trained not only on how to fly the F-100, but more importantly, how to employ it as a weapons system. Our next station of assignment was expected to be Phan Rang AB in the Republic of South Vietnam. All of the instructors in the 311th TFTS had at least one Vietnam combat tour in the F-100, and some had more. They also were long-timers in the aircraft with tours in Europe and elsewhere. For many, this was their retirement assignment and that resulted in an awesome and loose training environment.
The training course consisted of 240 hours of academic training and 120 training flight hours. We had academic training each day, and flew two or three times a week. My assigned IP wan one of the old heads who stated he was the high time F-100 pilot in the world without ever having to jump out of one. I flew both the F-100F and the F-100D models during training. Though he survived our class with his record intact, I later found out that he and his student had to eject from their F-100F when the engine failed during a training mission,
Byron Hukee flew the F-100 Super Sabre. This is his story. Image: Byron Hukee
Going to the Single Seat Version
The first couple of rides in each phase of training were dual in the F-100F. Once we were proficient, we mostly flew the single seat D model. The first phase of training was simply to learn how to fly the aircraft and get it safely back on the ground. My logbook shows I had one “sandbag” ride in the back seat, followed by five rides in the front seat of the F model before I took to the skies alone on 1/28/1971 in F-100D tail number 55-3752. A quick check shows that this F-100D later became a QF-100D so I guess I wasn’t as important as I felt since it obviously could fly without a pilot!
F-100 Was Easy To Fly, Tough To Master
The F-100 was not difficult to fly, but the workload greatly increased during aggressive maneuvering such as during air-to-air combat missions. The aircraft was definitely a “feet on the rudders’ aircraft. Those of us coming out of T-38s had to learn this quickly. During hard turns there was a tendency for the aircraft to exhibit “adverse yaw” which was a tendency for the jet to roll in the opposite direction that was intended.
This had to be countered with “bottom rudder, that is if in a hard right turn, the right rudder had to be blended in to keep the jet turning to the right. The harder the turn, the more quickly you had to get the rudder involved to keep the Super Sabre under control. If you were late with the rudder, you could expect the Hun to roll hard in the opposite direction resulting in uncontrolled flight.
It was not difficult to recover, but one could expect to lose plenty of altitude in the process. We practiced these maneuvers and the recovery at a safe altitude (around 20,000!) To become familiar with the recovery procedure.
And then there were the dreaded compressor stalls. These were most often caused when at high angles of attack and selecting afterburner. I learned this lesson the hard way when I tried to light the burner doing a defensive turn and reversing direction while lighting the afterburner.
Massive Bang!
I saw the flames shoot forward out of the intake followed immediately thereafter by a loud BANG that I felt through the rudder pedals. Seeing this, I unloaded the aircraft (reduced angle of attack) and pulled the throttle back below military power. The engine ran fine after this, but I was forced to “knock it off” and return to base with my IP leading the way.
During training, we flew air-to-air missions and ground attack missions. Instrument training missions and air refueling missions were at the beginning of the course. The F-100 used the probe and drogue method of refueling where the fighter would fly his refueling probe into a 28 inch diameter drogue, aka basket. Let me say, this was the most intriguing and demanding activity I ever encountered.
Consider both F-100 and KC-135 are flying at about 22,000 feet altitude at an airspeed of about 280 KIAS. It is really not that hard assuming you are in smooth air. But add a little chop and all bets are off. My instructor gave me a tip that I never forgot. He told me to take my feet off the rudders and tap my toes. I thought he was crazy, but I tried it and it helped me to relax and it then became a piece of cake.
My More Memorable F-100 Super Sabre Flights
Byron Hukee flew the F-100 Super Sabre. This is his story. Image: Byron Hukee
Some of my more memorable moments came on ground attack missions to Gila Bend range. I was number 2 in a four ship flight of F-100D models… four seats, four engines, four pilots! The lead was a lieutenant colonel who had about 3,500 hours in the F-100. We left Luke AFB to the south, turned east, cancelled IFR, and dropped to about 1,000 feet as we passed the Sierra Estrella Mountains on our right, headed east… no way you could do this now! I swung the turn to the south and set course for Gila Bend Range, now down to about 500’ AGL.
We spread out into a tactical formation about 500’ apart. On the distant horizon we saw the tell-tale black smoke trails of a flight of F-4 Phantoms out of Davis Montham AFB headed home using the same valley we were in. The instructor said calmly,” OK boys, let’s take it down a little, hold your heading.” We were now down low enough to avoid the oncoming Phantoms and the saguaro cactus that were the highest obstacles in our flight path.
Thunderbirds!
At about two miles from the merge, we saw the F-4s abruptly climb in a pseudo bomb burst. One of my fellow lieutenants keyed the mike and said, “Thunderbirds!”. Quite an event that I will never forget.
During our ground attack training, we carried training ordnance that simulated general purpose bombs that were released from a diving delivery and napalm that was delivered from a level delivery at an altitude of 50 feet above the ground at 400 knots airspeed.
When I asked the instructor how we could estimate 50 feet, he said when you pass the flank tower on your run in to the target, that is 35 feet high. If you are level with that tower, just climb it up a bit. Wow, those passes were exhilarating to say the least.
Big News Day
About three months into our training, we received word through our squadron commander that we were to have an important pilots meeting at the Officer’s Club on that Friday… all pilots were required to attend. We had no idea what would unfold, but it was quite a shock when we heard that F-100 operations in SEA at Phan Rang would cease and only the senior class of the three training classes would proceed to their F-100 assignments and head to Vietnam.
The I was in and the one that had just begun training, would get new assignments, but would be allowed to continue to the end of the F-100 course. This was important as it would get us the F-100 fighter qualification that would later transfer to other USAF fighter aircraft.
When the list was read assigning those of us who would not go to Vietnam in the F-100, I was told I would be going to the A-1 Skyraider with the 1st SOS (special operations squadron) at Nahkon Phanom, Thailand. While at Luke AFB, I was promoted to 1st Lieutenant which at this period of time in the USAF was 18 months after commissioning for me, from OTS. If I kept my nose clean, my promotion to Captain would follow in an additional 18 months.
Graduation and a New Assignment
Our F-100 class graduated in late June 1971. After leaving Luke AFB, I had to complete two survival school courses before reporting to Hurlburt Field, Florida. I first went to Fairchild AFB for Basic Survival School, followed by a TDY (temporary duty) assignment to Homestead AFB, Florida for Water Survival School. I then reported to Hurlburt Field the end of July for my A-1 Skyraider checkout prior to my port call for Southeast Asia in October 1971.
Greyhound Airlines is one of those unique footnotes in North American aviation but it’s an interesting story in Canadian business competition. Back in the mid-1990s, the Canadian aviation market was growing. Upstarts like WestJet and Royal were competing with established brands like Canada 3000, Canadian, Air Canada, and AirTransat for leisure business. New markets that were previously only served by buses and charters began to be connected through new service.
At the time, Greyhound was already a well established bus service in Canada. They saw the market trends and began to feel that their established service was at risk. So they had an idea.
Greyhound said, “What if we started an airline?”
Like most rational businesses, they sought to use their established name and strengths to be a differentiator in the market. In this case, the existing passenger bus network was seen as a potential advantage because they could connect certain cities via both air and ground and speed overall travel for customers. In theory, a passenger could begin their travel at a small town, travel via bus to the nearest city with air service, then travel via air to their final destination. The busses would act as ‘connector’ or ‘express’ service, not unlike American Airlines recently started bus service in the Northeast US.
Greyhound Air began service with a ‘hub’ out of Winnipeg, Canada with service to Vancouver, Hamilton, Edmonton, Ottawa, amongst other cities. Their plan was unique, but their execution was all the more interesting. Greyhound did not have an airline certificate. So they partnered with the cargo airline Kelowna Flightcraft and leased a total of 7 Boeing 727-200s to expedite the start of their service.
Canada has a rule that you can only display the operator’s name on the side of an airliner. In Greyhound’s case, they were not the operator so they couldn’t put “Greyhound Air” titles on the aircraft. The management team came up with a creative solution. They knew that the greyhound logo was already one of the most recognizable logos. So they outfitted the tails of their 727 with a large Greyhound logo and put their 1-800 reservation number on the side of the jet as the title.
Greyhound Air had some creative marketing too
The airline drummed up support with a series of commercials depicting that the new airline was ‘marking its territory.’ The airline featured print and TV ads with a greyhound peeing on the nose gear of a Boeing 727. It definitely generated discussion.
Greyhound service was standard low-frills
Greyhound Air wasn’t a bad airline. Service was standard low-frills for its time with free non-alcoholic drinks and complimentary snacks but no meal service. The cabin was all coach class. No frills, but not quite as tight as what RyanAir and Frontier offer today.
The airline only offered ticket sales via the 1-800 number and through the internet. They eschewed travel agents and other common sales channels of the time. While definitely forward thinking, Greyhound missed out on a significant portion of the population that was still used to booking travel through an intermediary.
Greyhound was sent to the pound
Greyhound Air’s value proposition of connecting air travelers to bus service proved more difficult than anticipated. The combination of traffic on the roads, delays in the air led to cancelled and mismatched itineraries that resulted in a less than stellar operation. Additionally, Greyhound’s parent company was sold to Laidlaw, a large ground transportation company. The new owners didn’t see the long term value of the airline and wasn’t too keen on supporting the airline until it become a profitable venture. Greyhound Air only survived a little over a year.
“My Fighter Career” is a limited series of articles by Byron Hukee. He’s a humble, bad ass, retired USAF pilot who flew everything from the F-100 to the F-16.
Hello, my name is Byron Hukee and I would like to get you to know me better with a bit of my background. I served in the USAF for 24 years and flew a variety of fighters and attack aircraft and finished with 3,100 total hours and 400 combat hours. I attended USAF pilot training at Webb AFB, Texas in the early ‘70s. In order, I flew the F-100D/F, the A-1E/G/H/J, the A-7D, the F-5B/E/F, and lastly, the F-16A/B.
Initial UPT training included perfecting your “Landing” in a Parachute in case you ever had to punch out. Photo: Byron Hukee.
Unlike many of my friends and fellow pilots, I was not someone who “was born to fly.” In fact, I had no intention of serving in the military but fate (and the Vietnam War draft) intervened. I attended college from 1964 to 1968 at a small school in Minneapolis called Augsburg College. I guess all along I thought I would become a teacher so that is what I set out to be. I majored in Biology and got a teaching job in a small southern Minnesota town. During my time at Augsburg, I was given a draft deferment since I was in a student. A man could qualify for a student deferment if he could show he was a full-time student making satisfactory progress in virtually any field of study. But once I graduated from college, all bets were off.
Drafted
It was over Christmas break of that first (and only) year teaching when I returned to my home town to find a draft notice on the refrigerator door, held in place by a magnet advertising the local dairy company. I looked at with astonishment and asked my mother when it had come. She said it was a while ago and she was right as I was to report for my pre-induction physical just after the new year. I passed the physical and was told that since I had a college degree, I could apply for the delayed entry program and I could also contact any branch of the military to see whether I could qualify for their officer programs.
I visited the Air Force recruiter first and was told that yes, they needed officers, especially those who wanted to be pilots. I had no idea whether this was for me, but decided to give it a shot. It certainly seemed better than crawling though rice paddies with a pack and a rifle over my shoulder. I took a test called the Air Force Officer Qualifying Test (AFOQT) that would determine whether or not I was fit to be an officer. I passed and my next hurdle was to pass a flight physical to determine whether I had any physical deficiencies that would disqualify me from flying.. There were none, so seemingly I was good to do. I was allowed to finish the teaching year at my school and it was there that I met and married my current wife so we have made this whole trip together, going on 54 years of marriage. Looks like it will work out.
I departed for Lackland AFB, Texas and AF OTS (officer training school) in August 1969. It was a 90 day program with the first six weeks as a know nothing knuckle head and the next six weeks being part of the harassment team for the new knuckle heads. I rode to Kelly AFB near San Antonio in a KC-97 aircraft from the Minnesota ANG. Quite a noisy ride and horrible vibration the whole way. OTS was a bit intimidating but there was comfort in knowing we all in my class in this together, so cooperate and graduate was the rule of the day.
Near the end of OTS, we were given our base of assignment and I was sent to Webb in Big Spring, Texas. UPT was very demanding, but once I figured out flying was fun and I was good at it, I could relax more and have fun.
First flight in the T-41, a military version of a Cessna 172. Photo: Hukee
First up was the T-41, the military version of the Cessna 172. I went in to my flight training very apprehensive, but confident I could get it done. What I didn’t know was that even though I might have the skills and coordination to fly, I had no idea whether I could keep from getting air sick. We had many in our class get eliminated because they could not fly without getting air sick at some point in their flights. I found that it was never a problem for me, not ever. I completed the T-41 training easily and was among the first in my class to solo. On that flight we took off and did some air work, then came back to the traffic pattern for stop and go landings. After the third landing, the instructor told me to taxi to the side, he opened hid door and got out, saying have a nice flight. Wow! I took off, did two more stop and goes, then a full stop. What a relief!
Pilot Training Begins
The T-37 “Tweet” was next and my biggest worry was air sickness since I knew we would be doing spins and spin recoveries. That can get a bit wild. But there were no problems and the formation flying was fun and I was good at it. I was anxious to get on to the T-38 and that was next.
Flying the T-38. Hero shot of Byron Hukee. Image: Hukee
Everything about the T-38 was amazing. The White Rocket was a real treat after flying the Tweet and once again I adjusted nicely to the added speeds in all phases of flight. Airwork, instrument training, formation flying and landings… I did it all and had no problems with any of it.
Maybe I Was Born to Fly. I Was Doing It.
Wings are the goal. Here’s Byron receiving his wings. Photo: Byron Hukee
I was not the top of my class, but high enough to get a fighter assignment. During that time, some of the top guys wanted to go fly C-141 or other multi-engine aircraft so they could jump to the airlines the first chance they got. Good for them! I’ll go fly fighters! My assignment upon completion of UPT was to the F-100 at Luke AFB. Upon completion, I was told we would be headed to Vietnam to fly the F-100 in combat.
Back in 2016, Alaska Airlines announced that it was purchasing Virgin America. It was a merger that at the time was touted as bringing together two great employee groups to “build on the successes they have achieved as standalone companies to make us an even stronger competitor nationally.” It led to a substantially larger airline but didn’t really set any new standard in airline service or hospitality.
Alaska worked to merge the two airlines together by 2018 with a fast rebrand to avoid paying any additional royalties on the Virgin name that was used by license. Subsequently, Alaska tore down Virgin’s New York focus routes and cut many west coast routes as part of the merger, and downsized their Dallas Love Field focus city significantly. Alaska is also now in the process of divesting of Virgin’s Airbus fleet as part of simplifying their fleet structure back to an all Boeing 737 airline. While our focus of this story is on what we miss, it is pretty clear that the benefits of Alaska’s purchase didn’t all pan out as promised.
#1 – Swanky Check-in experience
The Virgin America Checkin Experience. Image:: Atomic Taco (cc 2.0)
Virgin America was arguably the swankiest airline in the US since the days of Braniff. You knew it was different as soon as you stepped into the terminal. Fresh flowers, purple mood lighting, and swanky music was their signature. Instead of computer terminals and lines, they had a desk with modern (for the early 2010s) monitors to check in and red carpet for first class and frequent flyers with status.
It was different than almost every other airline out there. Alaska adopted few to none aspects of Virgin’s check-in experience. Alaska looks like every other airline and that’s too bad.
#2 The Virgin America Cabin
The Virgin America Cabin. Source: Virgin America
The Virgin America cabin was arguably the most forward thinking cabin of this century. As soon as you boarded, you knew it was going to be a unique experience. The crew had modern uniforms, music played over the speakers, and the clear purple partition was markedly different than any other airline. In first class, it featured white leather seats that were more common on widebody aircraft at the time. The seats reclined to near flat and had plenty of legroom along with footrests and large TV screens. The purple mood lighting set the scene. Coach seating wasn’t anything too special but the all black leather seats were a classy touch.
Alaska incorporated a few of the cabin changes. They have black leather seats and blue mood lighting but that’s about it.
#3 RED Entertainment System
Another reason why we miss Virgin America is their onboard entertainment options. Virgin America had seat back entertainment systems called RED with Live TV, movies, games, music and even the option to chat or play games with other seat mates. It was rumored that quite a few couples met on Virgin America as part of the feature. There were also a few times where a passenger messaged other passengers who did not want or appreciate the communication.
In 2022, this list of entertainment features isn’t revolutionary any more. However, it was fairly rare for narrow body A320s to have this option back in 2007 when it was introduced. Continental was the only major airline that had in-seat entertainment back then. Delta, United, and American–which later took theirs out– added the option on their narrow body fleet in the early 2010s.
One other amazing features included the option of ordering food via the menu at any time via the screen instead of row-by-row service from flight attendants. Virgin America featured local, bay area snacks, wines, and beverages that were pretty gucci at the time.
Alaska adopted only a few of Virgin’s cabin offerings. Alaska said that they improved the onboard experience by offering a bring your own device option. However, they removed the monitors as part of standardizing the now-departing Airbus fleet with the rest of Alaska’s interior refresh. They stated it was to save weight. As part of the merger, Alaska did upgrade their cabins and offer local snacks and treats, primarily now from the Seattle region.
#4 The Catchy Safety Song
I’ll admit that I hated it at the time. However, years have passed and I’m quite nostalgic for Virgin America’s catchy safety video. At Alaska today it’s the industry-standard safety presentation. We kind of miss that ‘up in the sky’ music and goofy video. So we found it on YouTube and are sharing it for old time’s sake.
Nothing is wrong with Alaska, we just miss Virgin
Four Things We Still Miss About Virgin America 19
Bottom line is that there is nothing wrong with Alaska Airlines today. They are making money and provide a solid product. It’s just not as fun or swanky as Virgin America was. The merger took away one of the most unique US travel options out of the sky and replaced it with more of the same. That’s why we miss Virgin America. It was different. What do you still miss about Virgin America?
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) released its Preliminary CY 2021 All Cargo, Rank Order report from ACAIS. ACAIS is the FAA’s Air Carrier Activity database, which is used to determine subsidy apportionment under the FAA’s Airport Improvement Program (AIP). The overall trend continued to show that air cargo is a large growth area for the industry.
The numbers reveal some interesting trends over the past year. Not surprisingly, Anchorage grew as Asian cargo traffic rebounded. Anchorage is strategically located between the US and most common cargo destinations in Asia. These numbers don’t reflect the additional growth expected for Anchorage in 2022 as additional cargo operators now stop in Anchorage due to the restriction of Russian airspace after the war in Ukraine.
In the top three, it was surprising though to see that Memphis, Fedex’s largest hub, actually saw a slight decrease in cargo from 2020. UPS, one of FedEx’s main competitors based at Louisville, did see a 4.47% increase in traffic.
The Preliminary All Cargo report ranks 140 US Airports according to landed cargo weight in US pounds. The top 3 airports in 2021 were:
ANC – Ted Stevens Anchorage showed an 8.69% increase in landed weight, from 22,882,827,499 pounds in 2020 to 24,870,445,702 pounds in 2021. ANC is a major cargo hub midway between Hong Kong and the continental US, used particularly for fuel stops and flight crew changes.
MEM – Memphis International revealed a 1.15% decline, from 25,156,876,655 pounds in 2020 down to 24,867,472,042 pounds in 2021. MEM is home to the Federal Express Superhub.
SDF – Louisville Muhammad Ali increased 4.47%, from 16,756,934,214 pounds in 2020 to 17,506,400,843 pounds in 2021. SDF is home to United Parcel Service’s Worldport.
A couple of surprises
The list put numbers behind a few known trends. The largest trend is that any airport with an Amazon ‘hub’ (as part of a large regional distribution center) saw extensive growth in 2021 as more and more people utilized delivery for common goods. On this list, Toledo (TOL – Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express) is the airport that reported the largest percentage increase, a whopping 483.22%! The airport’s growth put them in the top 100 cargo airports for the first time since BAX Global maintained a hub there back in the 1990s.
Fort Worth Alliance (AFW) also saw a large 45.75% growth, placing it in the top 20 cargo airports for the first time. Lakeland International in central Florida also rose into the top 50 at number 42. They grew cargo service by 263% in 2021 as Amazon ramped up operations at the airport.
The passion for aviation can be enjoyed in many different ways. Some people work on flight crews, ground operations or in other aviation industries. Some people have various aviation hobbies, such as: flying, photography, visiting museums, attending airshows, learning aviation history, and more. But one hobby that includes many aspects of aviation is plane spotting. Plane Spotting can be as simple as going to the airport to watch planes on the weekend to the other extreme of traveling around the world to see, photograph, and log aircraft.
No matter where you are on the plane spotting spectrum, modern software can help you be more informed and aware of where aircraft are located. Below is a listing of 4 applications that can be used to help you find, track, and discover airplanes.
This site and app is incredibly useful and allows you to quickly track aircraft from around the world from over 20,000 ground-based receivers. FlightRadar24 uses various methods to track aircraft including ADS-B, Multilateration (MLAT), radar and satellite to show aircraft position data (see https://www.flightradar24.com/how-it-works). The program also includes additional information such as: photographs, airline information, speed, squawk codes, altitude and more. FlightRadar24 has a free tier as well as two additional paid tiers (see https://www.flightradar24.com/premium for more information on pricing). The Silver plan is great for most plane spotting needs and removes advertisements that are shown on the free plan.
Pros: works on iOS, Android and web-browsers, very nice interface, powerful aircraft alerts Cons: does not show blocked aircraft, requires subscription for advanced features, filtering can be difficult
Next up, is FlightAware, this service has been around for a long time and has the largest reported number (33,000+) of ground stations (see https://flightaware.com/adsb/stats). In addition to showing public information, this company provides data to FBOs and other aviation companies around the world. This service might be one of the more business focused and less AVGeek focused services. But, there is lots of data on this site including photographs and detailed flight information.
Pros: works on iOS, Android and web-browsers, powerful API (requires subscription), community forums Cons: expensive for advanced features, does not show blocked aircraft, application design is a little dated
SAM 28000, “Air Force One” when the President is on board, is one of the two VC-25s (747-200s) presidential aircraft. (U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain)
Similar-yet-different than FightRadar24 and FlightAware, ADS-B Exchange is an open service that allows you to view aircraft around the world from over 8,500 ground-based receivers. Since the program allows tracking aircraft without blocking, I tend to use ADSB Exchange more often than I do FlightRadar24 or FlightAware. The map lets you select an area and view aircraft anywhere in the world. There are some powerful filtering features that help you choose the information to see and options to customize the map and aircraft display. Although this is not a dedicated app many developers have integrated into the ADS-B Exchange data feed, including my favorite Android App (ADSB Flight Tracker).
This is a great mobile application to have on your iOS or Android device. JetTip provides the ability to get notified of unique, diverted, or notable aircraft at selected airports in the United States and Canada. This service costs $5 per month but is worth every penny. There are numerous options to configure that will allow you the ability to fine-tune what notifications you receive.
Pros: helps you not miss an exciting livery or aircraft coming into a nearby airport Cons: limited to the United States, the app filtering can be a little confusing
Bottom line: Just have fun and use the right tools
Summary: Plane spotting is fun and with the help of these applications you can start to recognize types, airlines, or liveries no matter where you are. The 4 applications mentioned above can be used by beginner or experienced plane spotters. All of these services are free or offer a free trial to get started. Each of the above services has something to offer that will help you become a better spotter. I recommend trying all 4 of these services to see which ones make the most sense for your use. Happy Spotting!
If you are a frequent reader of Avgeekery, you know that we have a soft spot in our hearts for the MD-80. Over the years, we’ve covered this tank of an airliner. It was loud, a little cramped inside, but the ride in first class was like a dream with near silence up front as the engines were over 100 feet behind you.
The MD-80 was also way overbuilt and sturdy. This was both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in that the plane was robust enough to crash into trees on approach and still keep its passengers safe. All that structure and age eventually caught up to it as the jets have largely faced retirement over the past few years. Most of the old ‘coal-powered’ MD-80 jets now rest in the boneyard with just a few still flying passengers at niche charter outfits. There was an attempt back in 2008 to extend the life of the MD-80 fleet through a creative modified thrust reverser design.
Dugan Kinetics Attempted to Make The MD-80 Like New
Back in 2008, Dugan Kinetics saw a market opportunity. At the time, over 400 MD-80s were flying daily in the United States. Delta had declared bankruptcy a few years earlier. American was staving off bankruptcy through intense cost cutting and delaying of fleet renewal. Ultra-low cost carrier Allegiant also operated a sizable fleet of MD-80s.
The plan was to market to airlines as a way to extend the operation of their fleet and delay purchase of a new fleet well into the 2020s. With most airlines either struggling financially or recently emerging from bankruptcy, it was a potentially strong play. News articles at the time states that American, Allegiant, and Delta were considering the proposal.
What the MD-80 Mod looked like
Dugan Kinetic proposed a modified ejector and thrust reverser on the MD-80 JT-8D200. The modifications would provide a number of improvements for operators who selected the upgrade. The mod worked by increasing the mass flow exhausted, and reducing the total average velocity of the final exhaust flow. This unique halo-like design allows engine power reduction for equivalent thrust. A Dugan kit would extend the range of the jet, improving fuel efficiency a promised 9 to 12% and improve takeoff performance for hot and high airfields. The modification would have also made the MD-80 stage 4 noise compliant, making the notoriously noisy jet noticeably quieter. Airlines that purchased the modification would show positive financial returns within 2 years of installation.
It wasn’t just a paper proposal. Dugan actual modified a single MD-80 for testing and FAA approval of a supplemental type certificate (STC). Tail number N789AV, a former BWIA aircraft, received the full kit and underwent two rounds of testing.
It wasn’t meant to be.
The improved ejector eventually did receive approval but it never made it to market. Just 18 months after American Airlines kicked the tires on an EP-80 MD-80 upgrade, the airline made a massive announcement for the largest fleet renewal in airline history. Unfortunately for Dugan, it was for a brand new Boeing and Airbus financed mixed fleet of 737s and Airbus 320s, including a large cache of MAX and NEOs.
An American Airlines MD-80 taxis as it departs one final time for Rosewell, NM. (Photo: Boneyard Safari)
The company never successfully sold the EP-80 modification to any airline. As we extensively profiled, American, Delta, and Allegiant all retired their fleet by 2020.
“It’s the oldest form of human flight, going back to the 18th century, and yet there are all these places in the world where people have still never flown,” said Allie Dunnington. She was smiling against a Zoom background of five hot air balloons rising above Bristol, in the northwest United Kingdom. “It’s funny, when people ask, ‘What’s your profession?’ and I say, ‘Balloon pilot.’ They always ask me, ‘What?’”
Few people know more about globe-trotting and hot air balloons than Allie. A German native now based in Bristol, she holds the women’s world record for the most countries flown in a hot air balloon: 105. Her late husband, Phil Dunnington, still holds the world record for men at 127. In terms of aviation power couples, few rank higher, especially in the world of balloons.
“When I look in my logbook, I started off having the most exotic countries as my first countries, like Fiji, Libya, and Senegal, because Phil had already done Europe,” she said. “Places like France and Spain came as late as entry number 90.”
Around the World in 6,000 Days
Allie and Phil started ballooning together in 2003. At the time, Phil had almost a three-decade head start on the country count. While Allie was brand-new to aviation, he had been flying since his early twenties, ever since he started working as an operations manager at British Airways. Over the next twenty years, Allie and Phil would pilot countless tourists across the United Kingdom, shoot films in sub-Saharan Africa, organize balloon tours around Georgia and Armenia, soar over Mongolian deserts and Sri Lankan jungles, and consult for tourist agencies around the world. Riding with the wind, they never left a moment for standing still.
“Expeditions are always a challenge,” Allie said, “Whatever else happens, it’s either weather or bureaucracy or logistics. How do you get your balloon into the country if there isn’t a balloon already there? How can you link up with local people?”
Allie’s last country in Europe was Malta, a bucket-list item she has had in mind for years and only just completed last fall. “I worked for two years writing official emails to the CAA [Civil Aviation Authority,” Allie said, “begging for permission to do a little hop.” The red tape was a nightmare, but in the end, Allie got clearance for a five-minute flight at 05:00 from Gozo, a four-mile-wide island just northwest of Malta. “In some countries, you just look at the maps and make sure you are flying outside controlled airspace,” Allie laughed. “Sometimes you just find a nice farmer who lets you to take off from his field.”
Taking Flight–on the Third Career
For all her accomplishments, Allie discovered ballooning surprisingly late in life, with no prior background in aviation. “I never ever thought I would get a pilot’s license,” she said, “I grew up in a family with two feet on the ground. In fact, I even hated flying. I always got sick on my scheduled flights.”
Allie studied languages in university at Markgröningen, near Stuttgart, Germany, where she earned her M.A. in Asian Studies and later her PhD in Anthropology. Fluent in Chinese and Japanese, she led tours around Asia and guided hiking trips in Scotland and Cornwall. After twenty years as a tour guide, she decided to get a “proper job” and earned a nursing degree. She had no plans to start what she now calls her “third career” in ballooning until 16 November 2002, when she met a man named Phil Dunnington at the poolside in Bagan, Burma.
“I was actually quite sick,” Allie remembered, “I was guiding a trip in Burma, and had lost my voice, which is obviously the worst as a tour guide. But only because of that, I was at a swimming pool, resting and drinking ginger tea, when I bumped into Phil, who was just starting the balloon business in Burma as a consultant and pilot himself.” Phil and Allie got to chatting.
Allie soon found out that Phil was a balloon pilot and happened to be taking a flight later that afternoon. Three people from her tour signed up, but there was one space left. Phil extended the invitation, and Allie said yes.
“To be honest, it was one of the most magical things that I’ve ever done in my life,” Allie remembered with a smile. “We floated towards the sunset over these 2,000 temples of Bagan and finally landed in a small village. All the children and villagers came running out to the balloon. And then they pulled out the champagne!” Allie laughed. “You do this for a living?” she asked Phil. “This is just amazing. Wow.” After that flight, Allie fell in love with both ballooning and the pilot who introduced her to it.
Up and Away– A Marriage Forged in Flight
“Phil and I didn’t meet up again for a few months,” she said, “but after we did, we were married within the year. It was just a blink!” If they had wasted no time launching a new life together, neither would Allie and Phil have wasted time getting back into the air. Phil was one of the first balloon pilots in the UK and owned a couple of balloons. He gave Allie a go at the burner. “I thought, why not? I can try this,” Allie recalled, “Let’s go!”
Through Phil’s encouragement, Allie earned her private balloon license within the year. She soon followed with her commercial rating and later became an instructor, examiner, and Part 66 inspector. “Ballooning has changed my life, literally,” she said. Allie and Phil started working as commercial pilots in India, Ethiopia, Burma (Myanmar), and across the UK.
In their time off, they chased the last countries in Europe missing from their logbooks. Light-weight two-person balloon packed in the back of the van, they set out across the far east and north of the continent: Moldova, Kosovo, Albania, Montenegro, Estonia, Norway, and Ukraine. In 2007, they decided to take their globe-trotting to new heights and target a country that had been on both of their bucket lists for years.
“It was both of our dreams to visit Cuba, but there aren’t any balloons there,” Allie said, “It’s not like you drive to Cuba. You can’t even go by ship, really. So the crazy idea was to buy the Beech.” Allie and Phil outfitted a 1954 vintage twin-engine tailwheel Beech 18 (G-BKGM), a classic multi-use aircraft in World War II-era military and civil aviation. They modified their balloon to fit inside. The renovations took almost three years.
At the end of it, Allie, Phil, and their crew flew from the UK to Greenland, with a layover in Iceland, where Allie became the first female pilot in history to do a balloon flight over the country. After a close shave with an iceberg in Greenland, they soared through Canada, down the Eastern Coast of the United States, and then through the Bermudas into Cuba.
“We got the reception of our life,” Allie said, “the whole of the [Cuban] Aero Club, with little kids dressed up with flags, were there when we arrived.” The couple did four breathtaking flights over the limestone Viñales Mountains in western Cuba, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. “It definitely was worth all the money, all the efforts,” Allie reflected, “It was extraordinary.”
Inside the Basket–and the Best Flight
But even the long trek to Cuba takes just a few seconds in Allie and Phil’s two-decade-long highlight reel. “People often ask me, ‘What’s your best flight?’” Allie said, “I mean, it’s so hard to say, isn’t it? Because each flight is so different. Even when I went out this morning, I said to my passengers, ‘Look, I’ve never landed in this field before.’ Because with ballooning, coming even from the same take-off site, you never know where you’re going to end up. Every flight is new and exciting.”
Mechanically, flying a balloon is more like riding an inner tube down a river than jet skiing through a lake. The balloon goes with the flow, literally. But that doesn’t mean pilots are simply along for the ride. “Obviously, we’re a bit more like helicopters than fixed-wing aircraft, since we can land in small, unusual spaces and don’t need a runway or an airport,” Allie explained. “But despite what most people think, we actually can control where we fly and land! It depends on the wind speed and direction at various altitudes. That means choosing a good launch site prior to flight is absolutely essential.”
Controlling the balloon was pivotal the day Allie and Phil took a flight across the Bristol Channel. Low winds forced them to a landing earlier than planned, and Allie, a newly minted pilot at the time, maneuvered the balloon over a motorway and set it down in front of a massive coal heap just in time. The heat from the coals risked deflating the balloon, so Phil and Allie had to pack up quickly. A posh Range Rover cruised over and interrupted the teardown.
“Oh my God, they’re going to put us in prison!” Allie thought. The posh ranger turned out to be the manager of the coal mine. He had never seen a balloon before and was so excited by the story, he wrote an article about Allie and Phil for the coal miners’ magazine.
“It can also be very frustrating because we’re so weather-dependent,” Allie continued, “If there’s no wind, we just can’t move. Especially in the UK, no wind can mean fog, and of course, it’s not safe to fly in poor visibility. We also can’t fly if the wind’s blowing in certain directions, since it could carry you into restricted airspace or out over the sea.” Allie paused, thoughtful. “We have a lot of limitations, so that can be quite frustrating.”
But as in her career, she’s learned to make the most of where the wind takes her. “On the other hand, I always say that as a balloonist, you also become quite philosophical,” she finished, “and good at going down to the pub!”
The Floating Philosopher
Ballooning has been around for over 200 years, ever since Joseph and Étienne Montgolfier launched the first “aerostatic” flight from Versailles Palace in 1783. But even though it’s the oldest form of human flight, most pilots today forget to think about balloons as a mainstay aircraft. The industry now trades almost exclusively in tourism and promotional advertising, highly concentrated in one of the most challenging places on the planet to fly: the United Kingdom.
“People book flights mainly for the adventure and the visual experience,” Allie said. “Like earlier today, when we took a group flying over Bristol, every one of them was saying, ‘Oh my God, I didn’t know this was there!’” The breezy insouciance that makes balloons ill-suited for jet-age transport, it seems, makes them perfect for appreciating the world below.
“And because, of course, we don’t have a screen or an engine, balloons are fantastic for filming and for photography,” Allie continued, “You also can hear the sounds on the ground because we fly really low. You can talk to people, hear the birds, and even smell the grass.”
When asked what fixed-wing pilots could learn from ballooning, Allie waxed both practical and philosophical. “It’s all about the weather and making good, safe decisions,” she said. “Because we’re so affected by weather, we really have to stand back and think: ‘I’m just a small person here.’
Sometimes you have to shrug your shoulders and say, ‘You know, there’s another day, you can’t force nature.” What else? “I think everybody should try other forms of flight,” Allie continued, “It makes you appreciate what other kinds of aircraft have to deal with. Once you’ve got your PPL, you’ve just started to learn, haven’t you? Ballooning relies so much on personal experience that even with your 1000 hours, you’re still learning.”
What’s next for the world-famous balloonist?
What’s left for the world-record balloonist to learn? “I’ve got 105 countries,” Allie said, “So I’m way behind Phil, who sadly passed away last November, but still has the world record at 127.” She’s wasting no time narrowing the lead. Later this year, Allie plans to take another trip down to South America, where she hopes to log flights in Brazil, Paraguay, and Chile, her last countries in the New World.
After that, she’s planning to travel through Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. In between treks, she’ll continue giving talks for the European Balloon Federation, the British Women Pilots’ Association, and various flight schools, inspiring the next generation of pilots. Like the wind, Allie and her balloon never stop moving.
“Phil was twenty years my senior, so yeah, hopefully there’s some time left for me to catch up with him,” Allie said with a twinkle in her eye. “22 countries? The pressure’s on.”
In 1984, Eastern Airlines released a TV commercial touting that it saw the future and it looked bleak showing images of an airline boneyard and stating that “an airline that doesn’t plan for the future, may not have one.” The ad then went on to tout their new Boeing 757 airliner that was more fuel efficient and had greater passenger comfort than their 727 ‘whisperjet’. It was as if their new 757 alone would power them high above the threats of the industry.
Eastern Airlines Commercial predicted the future.
The irony of the ad is that just 7 years later, Eastern Airlines went belly up. While their 757s were pretty amazing for the time, the combination of a softening economy brought on by a recession, high oil prices caused by Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and tumultuous labor relations at Eastern (we’ve profiled some of the reasons that Eastern failed in an article that highlighted the very challenging labor and leadership situation) all combined to doom the once high flying airline. A shiny jet wasn’t enough to save an airline that helped define air travel in the US for over a half century.
Not the first ironic airline commercial
Maybe the greater irony is that this is far from the first ironic airline commercial. AirTran criticized Southwest’s boarding policy, only to be gobbled up by Southwest Airlines a few years later. American once touted their greater legroom. Today they have some of the tightest seats in the industry. You can see our original article below. Just click on the link next to the “AirTran cows” below:
Eastern might have disappeared but the 757 still soldiers on
The Boeing 757 really was amazing for the time and a jewel in Eastern’s fleet. Even though the design is now over 40 years old, it still is a unique aircraft and used by a number of airlines. It’s overpowered, has beefy landing gear, and range that makes short hops, cross-country, and cross-Atlantic travel possible.
It’s why airlines like Delta and United still fly their 757 fleet even though the youngest jet is now approaching 20 years old. The design was so successful that there is even a new airline that will utilize the 757 for their startup when they commence service later this year.
Call This the Armchair Fighter Jock’s Review of Tom Cruise’s Blockbuster Film
The record-setting debut of Top Gun: Maverick over Memorial Day weekend 2022 comes as no surprise to this Avgeek. Neither do the reviews, which are (almost) universally excellent. Let’s get this out of the way at the outset. Go see the movie. In a theater. With the biggest screen possible and the best sound system to go with it. I saw the movie with my son in a theater with “enhanced audio experience”, which included Dolby Atmos surround sound, about 100 speakers, and probably about that many subwoofers. The overall visual and aural experience was absolutely awesome. The two medium popcorns and two bottles of water we consumed cost considerably more than our tickets did.
image via paramount
It’ll Make You Stand Up and Cheer
But the theater experience really was outstanding. The audience ranged from pre-teen kids to seniors- lots of families too. They cheered several times and gave the movie a standing O at the end. We both muttered “wow” dozens of times both during and after the film. Oh sure- I’ll buy the 4K Blu-Ray when it comes out (along with a 4K Blu Ray player and a 4K TV to watch it on- it’s good to have goals), and it’ll be one of those films I’ll watch (and enjoy) many more times at home with my somewhat anemic home theater sound setup. And just like the original, it’ll be programming I seldom surf past when it appears in the channel guide. So without spoilers, here are some Top Gun: Maverick takeaways.
The opening sequence. Similar but better than the original. When you see (and hear) it you’ll know what I mean. One word: Goosebumps!
The closing sequence. Also similar but better than the original. And when you see (and hear) it you’ll know what I mean. The same one word: Goosebumps!
image via paramount
The soundtrack. IMHO better than the original Top Gun. Not much more I can say without spoilers here. Only a couple of new songs made for the film. The film is about flying, and the soundtrack supported that, never really becoming the focus of the experience. Except for a couple of times that is. Just go see (and hear) it!
Suspension of disbelief. Not really necessary (very often). Sure- some of the maneuvers and a lot of the plot is, in varying degrees, a bit out there, but in the end this movie is, for me at least, more believable than the original Top Gun. Actually putting the actors in the back seat of an F/A-18F Super Hornet and filming them reacting to actual Gs on the jet has a lot to do with this.
image via paramount
Simply the Best
Flying scenes. The best ever filmed. Period. Full stop. The filmmakers clearly strived to make this the hallmark of the film, and they succeeded. There’s more flying in this film than the original too. Even when liberal use of CGI was employed, the movie’s flying scenes were absolutely captivating. And for the most part, completely believable, if not well outside NAVAIR safety parameters. But don’t just take my word for it. Former Naval Aviator Loree ‘Rowdy’ Draude thought so too!
Maverick’s career. Some clarity about how Mav has remained a Captain over all the years since his first three victories over MiG-28s with Merlin in the back seat is provided. But just enough to allow the audience to buy into the idea that Captain is the rank Mav should hold.
Technical accuracy. Observers and critics (people who know) have been calling out technical errors in the film since the first trailer came out years ago. Sure, the ‘salad bars’ on the characters’ chests might not be quite completely cricket. Yes, the radio comms might not be completely accurately portrayed. Switchology and displays in the cockpits are off a bit (there’s an Easter Egg in there). While the movie is certainly not completely accurate from a technical standpoint, the movie is definitely believable. Much of this due to excellent editing. There are very few continuity errors in TG: M. At least Mav doesn’t throttle back to idle and initiate a climb (instead of throttling up) when he goes to help Cougar. Let’s put it this way: This movie didn’t tax the basic tenets of Naval Aviation reality anywhere near as hard as the original Top Gun did.
image via paramount
Yanking and Banking, Twisting and Turning
Twists. Can’t get into too many of them here (without spoilers) but suffice it to say I was surprised by exactly how the aftermath of the strike mission played out. I was expecting the opposite.
Nods to the original film. Obviously the opening and closing sequences, but there are also others. Such terms as hard deck, flyby, discussions with stern (and bald) superior officers, Penny Benjamin, Maverick’s hangar, motorcycles in places they shouldn’t/couldn’t be, and Great Balls of Fire come to mind. The entire film is, in many ways, a nod to the original- but it stands on its own merit.
Wishlist for the Blu-Ray release. Deleted/extended scenes. Interviews with the Navy pilots who flew the actors in the F/A-18Fs. Interviews with the Navy technical consultants to the film. Technical review of how the camera systems in the jets were developed/employed. Shooting site review. And, of course, outtakes and/or gag reel.
image via paramount
Laughs. The film has some genuinely funny moments, and some of them are completely unexpected- IMHO the best kind. The audience laughed out loud several times. Subtle humor also contributes to the enjoyment of the film.
Spoilers? Sorry Charlie. We’ll have to wait a while to do a piece that includes spoilers. We’re not going to pick apart the technical inaccuracies here. Yet anyway. In the final summation, Top Gun: Maverick is a great film. While it helps to have seen the original film to understand all the references to Maverick’s previous experiences, it’s absolutely not required. This film stands on its own as a great film- not just a great sequel. You’ll laugh. You’ll cry. You’ll cheer for the good guys. We give it 5 stars, a must-see grade, and highly recommend seeing it in a well-equipped theater. You’ll know why the first time an afterburner kicks in!
