And there's the rub. Unless you at CNATRA or the raining commands and have the data that shows performance all we can provide is individual anecdotes. And we know that the plural of anecdote is not data (h/t villanelle and Bert).
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Remember when you became a pilot?
- Thread starter DecodaGrant
- Start date
Only guys here in Primary that have had a distinct advantage are the guys with instrument tickets and a couple hundred hours flight time. Mostly guys with ATPs that did the regional thing for awhile. A PPL or an instrument rating with little experience don't make that much of a difference. Just my opinion.
Per OP's request: I completed my final SNA flight, a bombing/strafe check at the Padre Island Range, in the trusty F9F-8 "Cougar" out of NAAS Chase Field, TX. Winging/Commissiong for NAVCADs was normally every other Friday, but the next Friday was the 4th of July '58, so we had ours on the 3rd.
Unfortunately, my parents couldn't come all the way from CT, so a fellow N/Cs Mom Finnerty agreed to pin me, and that went well. Our 'gang of 5' since API, had decided on a celebratory weekend in Corpus (~60 miles), as the Blues then in F-11 Tigers, were putting on a 4th holiday weekend airshow. Showing up Sat. in our brand new SDKs w/ shiny new 'golden crotch keys','vthe Blues were nearly upstaged by a solo event just prior to their performance. An A4D-1 was demo'ing the new Skyhawk specwep 'idiot loop' maneuver, releasing his 2,000# simulated weapon just prior to topping out of the loop inverted. The show was conducted offshore so as not to endanger the crowd.
The pilot suddenly rolled upright, the canopy flew off, and boom out come the seat/Pilot! Chute opens normally & we follow his descent to splashdown. The Corpus SAR helo quickly plucks him out uninjured, and after a minimum delay, the Blues put on a stellar show in their Tigers (my first sight ever of a an F-11 or BA show)! Subsequently, we found out the A-4 engine quit at weapon release, he turned toward the gulf & jumped. The humorous thing is that 'civvies' in the crowd were oohing & aahing about how realistic that A-4 demo was... like "Wow, they destroyed a real airplane just to show us an ejection, far out"!
After the weekend, the 'gang of 5' departed for their respective fleet squadrons, me to VF-94 FJ-4s, 1 to VF(AW)-3 F4D-1s, 1 to VF-124 F8U-1s & 2 to VAH-123 A3B-1 Whales. The 5 of us remain close today via e-mail!
That was the intro to my beloved "Scooter", with which I'd be closely associated & enjoy/endure unbelieveable 'adventures' over my remaining 16 years in Naval Aviation!
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BzB
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DecodaGrant
New Member
Great story! Crazy for people to think the government would really dump a plane to show an ejection!
Per OP's request: I completed my final SNA flight, a bombing/strafe check at the Padre Island Range, in the trusty F9F-8 "Cougar" out of NAAS Chase Field, TX. ......
BZB started flying before the bernoulli was invented.
Seriously! How the heck did I miss that before!!??!!! ? That is fricken awesome! Hard to believe anybody had that many A-4 traps and 4500+ hours!!!!!! BZ
BTW, I always thought looking at your old A-4 taking an enemy round on the right side.... that if it was a foot closer to the centerline, would you be a soprano? Or perhaps not around to accomplish your tremendous later feat. Not a good thought. Feet if not inches mattered a lot in our business.
I think you missed Pags' point. You start your post as a difinitive statement and then say it's your opinion. It's all anecdotal when SNAs start giving their opinions. You're only seeing a small subset of guys and you don't fly with them nor see their ATFs.
But alas, I'm biting off on the bait and we're going down this path again.
By the way, what was a "raining command?" Is that where they teach you how to throw your money around?
I just went with the flow. Fortunately I found out I really liked flying and that I had a natural talent for it. Yes I studied and worked at it, but not really hard like a lot of guys. I liked the challenge, but was never overwhelmed by it. I never really stressed. I just had fun. Lots of fun, while still learning what I could.
And although I did get my 1st choice of aircraft and duty station upon winging, I would have been happy anywhere flying anything. Nevertheless, judging from my contemporaries' thoughts and experience, I was more the exception I think.
[And my friends who would have killed for my orders, let me know it, too. ]
For those who may wonder...The A-4 SpcWpns "over the shoulder" loft maneuver (Idiot Loop)!
Entry: 500 kt. 100' alt. - when over target 100% power, 4g pullup, auto wpn release ~120 deg., continue over the top then @ 45 deg. nose down roll upright, descend to deck, then close your eyes...pray, and RUN LIKE HELL!
*It's actually not a loop, bu a 1/2 Cuban 8...
BzB
Autocorrect strikes again!
DecodaGrant
New Member
Does everyone who gets winged get to fly for the navy?
No, Marine and Coast Guard Aviators wear the same Wings of Gold! In the past, we have provided flight training for many foreign countries, but most was transition training & they usually wore the wings of their own country.
BzB
DecodaGrant
New Member
I guess I should broaden my questions, if I earn wings will my job be flying (notcounting nfo's although equally important!)
DecodaGrant
New Member
Junior hear highschool actually lol, Im sorry for all the post! I've always wanted to be a pilot but was told it was impossible because I was "colorblind" I recently went to a.m.e , and passed a class 1 physical with a 100 on the falant, and was told I have no problem being a pilot. So I'm just filled with excitement knowing I can reach my dream, and just wanted to be totally prepared when the time comes