Yes it was. And that's the reason the pilots yanked collective to control the Nr overspeed. They also grabbed some airspeed and were actually discussing an auto as I was wrestling with the two swimmers.
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Best flight ever.
- Thread starter ACowboyinTexas
- Start date
Yes it was. And that's the reason the pilots yanked collective to control the Nr overspeed. They also grabbed some airspeed and were actually discussing an auto as I was wrestling with the two swimmers.
Sub King
Member
Bunk I'm surprised that you can vividly remember something that happened 13 years ago. I went to the boat just 7 months ago and its all a blur now. All I remember is that the boss didn't have to say anything to me and I boltered my last pass(read one less bet won between me and paddles). And although I don't remember any of my passes now, I do remember being disappointed that I accepted a PAR for controller training vice shooting the Coronado visual into 29 (probably about the same thing). Definitely my most memorable flight.....I kept thinking man I wish they'd let me go do that again!
OK first time post but long time lurker from a old Coasty and GA pilot. After reading some of the exploits of the formum members this might not be too thrilling but in the 70's for 19 year old kid with a new Private "ticket" it was a memorable experience for me at the time. Although this is a GA story but is Naval Aviation related...read on and ye' shall see. In 1977 I was a young kid working in Pensacola at Ferguson Flying Service as the "line boy." (I'm sure all you guys are familiar with the little FBO north of NPA) I had just passed by Private check ride and being an employee of "Fergie" I received a few perks...like free flying. Ferguson had a 1946 Aeronica Champ that never got flown much due to him not trusting newly ticketed GA pilots. Why he trusted me I don't know...maybe because he figured that if I broke the little Champ he could take it out of my paycheck. As the story goes I was allowed as much flight time in the Champ that I could stand....equates to about 500 hours in the little airplane. Only problem I was very limited to where I could fly to. In 1946 when building airplanes they offered few amenities for pilot comfort. Very seat of the pants flying. No radio...no electrical system...only engine oil temp and pressure,wet compass with turn and bank indicator,and air speed. Had to hand prop the thing to get it running. So therefor my free flying was limited to the un-controlled airspace over Baldwin County Alabama west of Ferguson. The same area for inspiring Naval aviators. (This is where the Navy part comes in) As a frequent flyer to the airspace over Baldwin County I became VERY familiar with the T-34B's from Saufley and the T-28's from Whiting. On many occasion I would be flying along and look off my wing and...WHOOO where did he come from? Low and behold a T-34 would be flying a very loose form on my wing. After he was aware of my sighting him he would kick the rudder and spin out of sight. After this type of event occurring several times I decided to imitate the maneuver and follow. This activity became common between myself and the different 34's I came in contact with. My biggest wake up was being "thumped" by a T-28. One minute the windscreen is full of blue sky...the next it is full of a BIG red and white T-28 going vertical. I actually heard the big radial engine before I saw the plane. Looking back in retrospect these aerial tactics were not very smart but at 19 you don't have much of a sense of "this might be stupid." I was fortunate to work at a job as a kid where I was given the opportunity to fly and I took every advantage of it. That's my GA/Navy flying story. Not as exciting as some I have read but it is my contribution to the thread.
There was some fill in the blanks....just bits and pieces I remember. Certainly doing poorly, the weather, etc. I can remember maybe a half dozen passes over the years after that. I guess they have to be extremely scary or have some sort of meaning.
I think Bunk has it right. Something different has to happen to make a flight burn in your memory. I certainly don't have the hours some of the other old timers have, but it seems that most of the time it is just ground-hog day.
If something happens like burning the paint off the nose cone by going to fast (another post in another thread) then you remember.
Or take a routine night tanker hop off the coast of South Carolina, nothing but routine, nothing to make it stand out except - Pilot and I talking about the big shiny moon out and that was the night man decided to walk on it that night. that you remember
Unfortunately, the particular pilot in this story is now enshrined on a long black wall in DC - that you also remember.
It is a dangerous business you were in, are in, or hoping to be in.
Stay safe
V/R
Bug
If something happens like burning the paint off the nose cone by going to fast (another post in another thread) then you remember.
Or take a routine night tanker hop off the coast of South Carolina, nothing but routine, nothing to make it stand out except - Pilot and I talking about the big shiny moon out and that was the night man decided to walk on it that night. that you remember
Unfortunately, the particular pilot in this story is now enshrined on a long black wall in DC - that you also remember.
It is a dangerous business you were in, are in, or hoping to be in.
Stay safe
V/R
Bug
sorry for the bump.
loosing your radios does not permit you to squawk 4700? What are you supposed to do in this situation than?
So, second cat shot of the day off CAT 1, right hand clearing turn but there is static?? Yep, my radio shits out. I try everything as I climb through the goo, reaching for VFR on top. Nothing works, squelch on and off, turning my one UHF on and off, switching channels and probably checking the circuit breaker. It's a no go so what do I do in my nervous state? That's right, I squawk 4700and make my calls in the blind. I get to 20 miles from NAS North Island, pure overcast, going to set up for the Tacan when a T-2C screams in front of me and waggles his wings for me to join up. It was the lead safe and we shoot a PAR to a full stop. What's crazy is that the moment I touch down, I get my radio back. Some box perhaps shifted on the cat shot, brought back to life on touchdown, shifting back into place. Don't know...what I do know is I got my ass chewed for squawking emergency vice lost comm. The CO handled the phone call to approach
Got a call from paddles too who basically said I needed to suck less if I wanted to qual.
loosing your radios does not permit you to squawk 4700? What are you supposed to do in this situation than?
Squawk radio failure 7600, instead of intentional OCF/Aerobatics.
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
I've got several memorable flights... From flying 8.0 (7.8 on goggles) in shitty weather to move Iraqi election workers for the first election, to flying in 1/4 mile vis to get an Iraqi family to CSH S for surgery.
Two of the most memorable happened right here in the good ole' USA. Last day of Fleet Week NYC, we had to pick up the crew from the MV-22 that flew over the Mets game and fly them into Laguardia so they could get to the field in time for their little wave on the jumbotron stuff. After we dropped them off, no timeline, no mission, and the sun was setting. Very little helo traffic on the Hudson, we flew down the East River, around the Statue of Liberty, and back up the Hudson. Absolutely gorgeous.
I also got a chance to fly by Mount Rushmore at 500 ft and 1/2 mile. That was pretty awesome as well.
Two of the most memorable happened right here in the good ole' USA. Last day of Fleet Week NYC, we had to pick up the crew from the MV-22 that flew over the Mets game and fly them into Laguardia so they could get to the field in time for their little wave on the jumbotron stuff. After we dropped them off, no timeline, no mission, and the sun was setting. Very little helo traffic on the Hudson, we flew down the East River, around the Statue of Liberty, and back up the Hudson. Absolutely gorgeous.
I also got a chance to fly by Mount Rushmore at 500 ft and 1/2 mile. That was pretty awesome as well.
My favorite flight....most of them. Ok, so I only have about 400 hours on stick....a bunch more SC time.
My first...I conquered my fear of heights and never looked back. I still don't like to stand on tall things, but, I was never afraid to climb in the cockpit again. I puked and told the IP that I would be a bit late for the debrief as I had a mess to clean up. He just laughed and told me that he puked each of the first 7 times in the T-34C. I only puked one other time doing FCLPs at Lemoore; it was the only Hornet flight I never got some stick time on.
My last...I knew it was my last, so, there was an element of bittersweetness. I was lucky in that I knew it was my last.
I still miss it.
By far the most memorable, and most humbling, was a cross globe flight to HI, Kwaj and Midway. On the return to HI, we gassed up at Hickam and I got to see the most humbling sight I have ever seen. The remains of 4 of our guys touching down on US soil for the first time in 40+ years.
My first...I conquered my fear of heights and never looked back. I still don't like to stand on tall things, but, I was never afraid to climb in the cockpit again. I puked and told the IP that I would be a bit late for the debrief as I had a mess to clean up. He just laughed and told me that he puked each of the first 7 times in the T-34C. I only puked one other time doing FCLPs at Lemoore; it was the only Hornet flight I never got some stick time on.
My last...I knew it was my last, so, there was an element of bittersweetness. I was lucky in that I knew it was my last.
By far the most memorable, and most humbling, was a cross globe flight to HI, Kwaj and Midway. On the return to HI, we gassed up at Hickam and I got to see the most humbling sight I have ever seen. The remains of 4 of our guys touching down on US soil for the first time in 40+ years.
Sooooooooooooooo ... no one here has a 'ONE best flight' ... right???
Just a series or a collection of 'memorable flights' ... ???
Some of my friends died on flights ... I saw two of 'em die. It was their 'last flight'. I didn't like it, but I didn't die ...
Mebbe THAT's a 'best flight' ...
Some of you guys .... I mean ... really. :sleep_125
If your criteria for "best flight" is not dying, either everyday must be wonderful, or perhaps just very routine.
I don't know why you've been grumpy this whole thread. Maybe you need some more limes.:icon_zbee He's just asking about people's best days doing their job. If this website were about office workers, maybe we'd remember the day Lumberg liked our TPS report. We're just talking about good flight stories.
People die doing everything, from driving their cars to going out like Elvis while dropping a duece. It doesn't mean I'm insulting the King of Rock 'n' Roll by having a particularly satisfying trip to the can, or that every trip to the toilet without dying is special. Perhaps you'd like me to tell some stories about that!:icon_tong
phrogpilot73
Well-Known Member
Picture to go with my Mt Rushmore experience. I don't have a picture of the Hudson river one, but there's no way a simple photo or words will convey my emotions at that point. It was simply awesome.
I used to make trips with my parents in the family Bonanza back to Iowa every summer, and the only thing I really remember about flying over Mt Rushmore (or the mountains around them) is how freaking incredibly turbulent that leg always was. Normally a mid afternoon takeoff, summertime, Rapid City SD to Billings, MT. There was almost never a moment of that flight where the plane wasn't getting thrown around the sky. Still it was pretty cool to see from the air....it looked a LOT smaller than it does in your pics though....almost indiscernable from the background clutter
Grumpy ??? Who's 'grumpy' ... you say that again, and I'll bite off your ear.
:sleep_125Every flight I've had was better than the last ... especially when I 'didn't die' ...
I guess it's relatively easier to pick a 'best flight' when you have 2.5K hours vice 25K hours in your logbook(s) ... yea-as ??? I've found things like 'best' and 'always' and 'ever' questions are usually relative as they pertain to aviation ... :icon_tong
But then ... what isn't?? Relative, that is ... ???
