If you could fly or go for a ride in any air craft what would you chose?

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This isn't really a ride story but I think it will fit here.
Several years ago there was an airshow at Dover Air Base while MDRA was having a launch not all that far away.
B2 Spirit did a flyover at the base, continued out over MDRA's flying field and dipped his wings to them.
I almost wish I had been at the launch instead of the airshow, it had to be cool to see.
 
kpotter said:
This isn't really a ride story but I think it will fit here.
Several years ago there was an airshow at Dover Air Base while MDRA was having a launch not all that far away.
B2 Spirit did a flyover at the base, continued out over MDRA's flying field and dipped his wings to them.
I almost wish I had been at the launch instead of the airshow, it had to be cool to see.
Click to expand...

I've been to several Space Shuttle launches. What a sight to see.

No one has mentioned the Shuttle. Afterall, it's not only a spacecraft, but an aircraft too!
 
I've had the controls (backseat) of a P47 Thunderbolt, F4 Phantom, and a small twin engine but I don't remember the type. (Yes, I know the P47 is a single seat, but with the armor gone there is room for a second cockpit. This was probably a trainer.) I've ridden in commercial aircraft, C130, C47, C5. Next, please God, a Tomcat!

Mike
 
In some WWII fighters the area immediately behind the pilot was filled with the era's very bulky radio gear as well as armor. When those are removed there's plenty of room for at least a second seat. There were no trainers for most, this is just a side effect of removing the old electronics. A notable exception was the P-38 Lightning, where a second cockpit was added above and behind the original. This configuration was used both in a training version and a night fighter adaptation.
 
B-1 bomber on the deck at supersonic (flew the simulator at Dyess AFB once). Did get to fly in a B-25 a few years back which was cool as that is what my father flew in WWII.
 
I would like to strap on the jetman wing with the turbins going at full power. There is a vid on youtube but I can't get it to download or show it here. He has one vid with him flying with two F-16 next to him, now that would be a ride.
 
Getmore said:
I would like to strap on the jetman wing with the turbins going at full power. There is a vid on youtube but I can't get it to download or show it here. He has one vid with him flying with two F-16 next to him, now that would be a ride.
Click to expand...

Oo yeah. That does look like fun.. So do those flying squirl suits.. I've never gotten into sky diving for one reason the appeal to go base jumping is far to great and I'd get my self into WAY to much trouble.
 
Back in the mid 70s, I had a 60s era Jaguar XKE convertible. It had two exhaust pipes coming out the back that were tuned. Each time I fired it up, it was a rush and had a sound I have trouble describing. Around that time, I also became a member of the Confederate Air Force. They were working out of a couple of hangars off of Hwy 6, north of I-10 in the far west side of Houston. They called it the West Houston branch of the West Texas Wing.( So what if we were in sout EAST Texas. Sort of like the joke about a Confederate Air Force formation was at least two aircraft going in the same direction on the same day) Regardless, I helped do a top end job on a Rolls-Royce Merlin that was in a P-51D mustang. ( I think back and cry. It was for sale at the time for $275,000 with a spare motor. It was airworthy and headed for Reno) After we buttoned her back up, we rolled her out to the tarmac and hooked up an external battery cart. Then the pilot moved the starter switch and turning that big screw. It took a few minutes to get the Merlin to fire up, with flames coming out of the different stacks. There was a lot of smoke and various flames coming out of each of the twelve exhaust stacks. Finally she catches, the screw speeds up, the roar increases. She settles down and runs smoother. It was an incredible sound that you could feel. The chief mechanic leans over and shouts into my ears, over the roar and says "You know, when these things fire up, it's better than sex!" I have to agree. I will never turn down an opportunity to fly in one. Heck to jsut crawl over one or sit in the cockpit. It reminds me that regardless how I may feel about Tom Cruise, I have to admire him and I am somewhat envious because I have read that he owns tow P-51s. Sort of like John Travolta having a Gulfstream and Boeing 720C. He keeps both at his house in Florida, or at least the photographs from that particular day showed it that way.
 
Getmore said:
I would like to strap on the jetman wing with the turbins going at full power. There is a vid on youtube but I can't get it to download or show it here. He has one vid with him flying with two F-16 next to him, now that would be a ride.
Click to expand...

Not F-16 but L 39 Albatros.
 
dlazarus6660 said:
I've been to several Space Shuttle launches. What a sight to see.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Worth the effort to make the trip to see the launches I did.


No one has mentioned the Shuttle. Afterall, it's not only a spacecraft, but an aircraft too!
Click to expand...

Ok, you're technically correct. I did ask Jack Lousma once what he though of its handling performance as a glider and he described it as "quite sporty". :D
 
GuyNoir said:
Agreed. Worth the effort to make the trip to see the launches I did.
Click to expand...
I've missed a day or two of school to make it to night launches-- those were absolutely spectacular!



GuyNoir said:
Ok, you're technically correct. I did ask Jack Lousma once what he though of its handling performance as a glider and he described it as "quite sporty". :D
Click to expand...
Sporty vehicles are often red and bricks are red too which means bricks are sporty, right? :p Really though, I can't imagine that it would have been very maneuverable.
 
kpotter said:
This isn't really a ride story but I think it will fit here.
Several years ago there was an airshow at Dover Air Base while MDRA was having a launch not all that far away.
B2 Spirit did a flyover at the base, continued out over MDRA's flying field and dipped his wings to them.
I almost wish I had been at the launch instead of the airshow, it had to be cool to see.
Click to expand...

You're lucky to have seen one fly! Best I've been able to see was an F-22 F-35.. Never seen any of the first stealth bombers. Was the B-2 loud? I've heard rumors that they are fairly quite.
 
One advantage of living right next door to Edwards, we do get to see interesting things flying around.
 
As far as existing craft it would be the F-4 Phantom II, the F-14 Tomcat, the F4-U4 Corsair, or the Gloster Meteor Mk III or later.
Fictional would be, The VF-1S Valkyre Fighter (Robotech), The Colonial Viper (original series), X-Fighter,Y-Wing Fighter.
Big stuff, U.S.S. Enterprise any of the NCC 1701 series not that trash from the Eterprise series.
 
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I have always wanted to fly in a Jenny. If I had the chance to fly in something higher power, it would be an F -16. I have enjoyed the Thunderbirds since the first time I saw their routine about 25 years ago.

Recently I flew in the jump seat of a CASA 2-212 while they dropped a group of sky divers off. I have also flown in BK117 and Dauphin helicopters. I have been up close to several other aircraft, including the F22 (no pictures allowed by the MP) while working at an airshow.
 
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I can't believe I haven't already mentioned the Waco YMF! One of the most iconic aircraft ever made as well as one of the most beautiful. Just wish they qualified for the Light Sport License....
 
Tarasdad said:
I can't believe I haven't already mentioned the Waco YMF! One of the most iconic aircraft ever made as well as one of the most beautiful. Just wish they qualified for the Light Sport License....
Click to expand...

I've been in one of those. I must be getting old, I can't remember half the airplanes I've been in.
 
Well, I seem to be completely out of step with y'all on this one but.......

This is my idea of flying:
Paraglide.jpg

s6
 
My brother-in-law is into hang gliding in a big way. I'm envious as it is ome thing I would surely love to try. Unfortunately neither my health nor my finances will allow it.
 
A couple of the guys I work with have parafans---1 backpack the other has a seat and landing gear--intriguing to say the least. All that said , my best friend was killed flying an ultralight--flew into some powerlines.
 
cvause said:
This is tough. I've seen Super Toms go faster than heat and I've love to get one more ride in the S-3, but if I could have one last ride, I'd take a real recon run in the Vig. Mach 2 in the weeds.
Click to expand...

A Viggie was fast...but not THAT fast. One of the advantages of flying for a major airline is a chance to fly with folks from all sorts of backgrounds...including former A-5 drivers. If you were slick, and a relatively new airframe, you could exceed Mach 1 in level flight (and routinely outrun earlier Phantoms) in the weeds. And you had tons of range compared to your fighter brethren.

But Mach 2? Not quite.

FC
 

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