Official Aviation Thread...

[BlackbirdM3]

Great shot. Lots of heavy metal there.

Will

[jpod999]

When I lived in Benicia, CA I used to see these (C-5s right?) flying into and out of Travis AFB all the time. It really just looked like they were ready to fall out of the sky!

[M-technik-3]

5 of our formerly 16 fleet. We lost 8 jets due to a partial BRAC/Realignment BS. We were largest unit equipped reserve unit with 16 jets,

[george graves]

SR-71 tour with one of the pilots. Some fun stories that I've never heard before starts at 9:45. The rest is kinda interesting, but I bet most of you have heard it all before - so skip to 9:45 for the interesting bit.

[jpod999]

SR-71 tour with one of the pilots. Some fun stories that I've never heard before starts at 9:45. The rest is kinda interesting, but I bet most of you have heard it all before - so skip to 9:45 for the interesting bit.

Cool video, this sent me into a SR-71 rabbit hole again haha.

[BlackbirdM3]

More from Reno

Will

[BlackbirdM3]

At last I have made my way through all my pics from the Reno Air Races. Have a look. Lots of good stuff.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/47309961@N03/albums/72157677241678995

Will

[M-technik-3]

American hero and a life well lived. Godspeed.

[/QUOTE]

John Glenn 1921-2016 he did it all in my opinion.

[george graves]

And the last....

Eugene Cernan.

Typical hot shot pilot and engineer turned space man. Flew FJ-4 - love that plane.

Cernan was one of only three humans to travel to the Moon on two different occasions

Also the last man on the moon.

Cernan's distinction as the last person to walk on the Moon means that Purdue University currently holds the distinction of being the alma mater of both the first person to walk on the Moon (Neil Armstrong), and the most recent.

[bradmer]

At last I have made my way through all my pics from the Reno Air Races. Have a look.

Beautiful photos you have taken there, love the picture where the 5 planes are coming into the turn.
Thanks

[M-technik-3]

The last USAF C5B takeoff. Dover to Westover. Next flight will be off to RERP and then it will be a C5M 87-0043, it's a noise thing. TF-39 make a distinctive whine.


20170112_134643 by M-technik-3, on Flickr

[LateFan]

History lesson evurbudy!

Lockheed, Boeing, Douglas, the Depression, bankruptcy, metal airplanes, Amelia Earhart, Kelly Johnson, and the Lockheed Electra....

1931: "When it was determined that moisture had weakened the wooden wing of the Fokker F10 trimotor, the public’s faith in biodegradable airliners followed Knute Rockne to the grave. Almost overnight, an airline that did not operate all-metal equipment flew empty airplanes. Sales of new Lockheeds virtually ceased and by October the company was in receivership."

https://tighar.org/Publications/Books/ElectraBook/Electra_Chapter_1.pdf

(These are the guys trying to find Amelia Earhart's plane)


Lockheed Model 9C Orion “Shellightning” flown by Jimmy Doolittle.
Molded plywood, 200mph, 6-passenger - faster than the fighter planes of the time.

[BlackbirdM3]

The last time the world witnessed an SR-71 flight. October 19, 1999 at Edwards AFB. I was lucky enough to be there. I scanned these pics from shots I took that were printed on textured matt paper. I lost a lot of detail cleaning them up digitally.















Never again would the double sonic boom the SR71 produced, be heard. Never again would the worlds fastest air breathing manned aircraft feel the ground fall away below its landing gear. Nasa kept 980/NASA 844 flight ready for another 4 years hoping another contract would come along, but due to budget cuts, and other politics, it never happened. This was the end of an era. It was a sad day. Following this flight, a fuel leak was found and couldn't be repaired in time for the scheduled official final flight that was to take place the following day.

Will

[ThatM20Guy]

In the process of getting my private license before I go off to K-State Salina next year. Regularly flying 2 hours a week and even up to 4 hours. These are just some IPhone pics during an awesome sunset the other day. I just wish the window wasn't so dirty :(

[jpod999]

How has your experience getting the license been? I would love to do the same eventually.