Aviation

[U.S.ArmyVeteran]

Originally Posted by D W

As long as we're discussing aviation, let's all remember one of "legends" of U.S. Aviation. R.I.P. General Yeager.

One of my childhood heroes!

And he had a boundless sense of humor.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QWU9JKYhKg

R.I.P. Sir!

[JKC2020]

Agree... R.I.P. General

Just don't make em like Chuck anymore

Brings back some great memories I did 10+ yrs active duty during the 80s (Cold War time in Europe). Have both extremes in the "fighter world" with time in the Hog and the Eagle Luckily got out before anyone was "shooting back", but have many buds with DS time and few other trips to the Sand Box...

Oh, to be young again

[Airdale]

The medal says it all.

[Airdale]

Because we are a retired military family, we visited/parked at many different military bases around the country during our full-time years. Almost all of them have some sort of aircraft museum or aircraft display areas.

Here are two pictures of U2 aircraft we found on display. The first at Davis-Monthan AFB at Tucson, AZ and the second at Laughlin AFB, Del Rio, TX.

[Airdale]

After the BRAC closed the Naval Air Station, Cecil Field it sort of got lost in the mix when it got turned-over to the city of Jacksonville. Soon afterwards it became Cecil Airport (JAX, FL). Now it has an. additional distinction. It’s soon to be renamed Cecil Spaceport.

The longest runway at Cecil was long known to be the longest runway east of the Mississippi. Space shuttles could make emergency landings there, if needed.

The new addition to display aircraft is an F-18 aircraft with VFA-81 markings. It’s on display at the tower area.

[NJKris]

They should have painted it for VFA-106! First F/A-18 on the East Coast!. I was there when it landed.

[Airdale]

Here are some pictures of the dazzling F-4 aircraft.

Early in 1964 I reported to VF-41 for duty. After 7 years with much larger aircraft (WV2 – R7V – P2V) the F-4 was my first tail hook squadron. When I got there they were on the tail end of replacing their F-3H Demons for new from the factory, F4-B aircraft. For the next 22 years all my aircraft assignment was with tail hookers. VA-174 A7-A and A7-B -- VF-151 F4-B and F4-N – VA-125 A7-B – VF-41 F14-A – VA-46 A7-E --VFA-132 F/A-18.

[Airdale]

One time while traveling US-231 north in Alabama, we decided to stop at the KOA in Ozark and go out and visit Fort Rucker. Our intent was to do some on base shopping and move on. Well, there is a beautiful golf course and a US Army aviation museum there on base, so we extended our stay.

Here are some pictures of aircraft on display outside the museum building.

[jrollf]

All you squadron based skaters... ran away when the real work had to be done, like moving all the munitions in prep for West-Pac [emoji16].

Aviation Ordnaceman on CV-64 Constellation 92-96. Later went to the dark side (comissioned officer) in the reserves as an Aerospace Enginnering Duty Officer.

What I don't miss is living out of a shoe box for four years!

[NJKris]

C'mon. It's not like you moved it all by hand! Those little lockers brought back memories. And the bunks with the ice-cube tray guards over the light. Pretty sure I woke up with an ice-cube tray shaped mark on my forehead once or twice before adapting.

[jrollf]

Endevor's stop over in Houston on her way to the museum in LA.

[jrollf]

Originally Posted by NJKris

C'mon. It's not like you moved it all by hand! Those little lockers brought back memories. And the bunks with the ice-cube tray guards over the light. Pretty sure I woke up with an ice-cube tray shaped mark on my forehead once or twice before adapting.

Yes! Hit my head on that light a few times.

[Learjet]

I'm a professional pilot with 36 years of experience and 16,500 hours total time. Over 10,000 hrs in corporate jets including: Citations, Learjets and the Bombardier CRJ 700/900 in corporate shuttle operations. Even did three years of crop dusting in the late 80's

[bikeeagle1]

Fun thread! I'm a retired airline pilot with over 25,000 hours total time split between the 727, MD80, A321 and various turboprop and piston singles and twins. After over 40 years of flying, now I'm waiting for my new FR3 30DS to be built so I can start crossing the country again, albeit at a much lower and slower pace.

No more layover hotels, with an RV your room travels with you, and the bar is always open, no matter how late you arrive!

[Blackrock]

Just an Army grunt but I have hitched a few rides in Hueys and one trip in a C-130. I do enjoy the Pima Air Museum in Tucson.

[Airdale]

In the mid 1970s we lived aboard NAS Lemoore for four years. While visiting there years later at the on base RV Park, we drove over for a look at the unit we had lived in. It’s the unit with the large pumpkin out front. It was new when we moved into it and we were its first residents. It’s an air-conditioned three bedroom duplex unit situated about 7 miles from the flight line. The base is fully self supporting with onboard schools to the 8th grade.

Here are some pictures taken during our most recent visit.

[Airdale]

Ehen passing by Savannah, GA you'll see this old B-47 on display just off I-95.

[PopFla]

An old BUFF on display at the north end of Orlando International Airport (MCO), which was originally McCoy AFB, a B52 base.

[Too Tall]

I have a commercial certificate but gave up flying after getting rear ended and a double neck fusion. (in a car!). I regretted that and the bug hit me again in 2019. After the 6 months of proving to the FAA medical that I was fit to fly, now I'm in a 172 and enjoying it while it last. I'm amazed at how easy it is to navigate with Foreflight, ADS-B vs VOR's back then. I just wish my memory was better. I'm writing down everything on a knee pad. The airspaces and ATC communication is much more complicated now but thanks to GPS's and iPad's (and youtube!) it's not bad. In a lot of ways, I think I'm a better pilot because I'm more cautious. If the day come when I can't fly anymore, I hope to continue dragging this RV around the country.

[lesptr]

Originally Posted by bikeeagle1

Fun thread! I'm a retired airline pilot with over 25,000 hours total time split between the 727, MD80, A321 and various turboprop and piston singles and twins. After over 40 years of flying, now I'm waiting for my new FR3 30DS to be built so I can start crossing the country again, albeit at a much lower and slower pace.

No more layover hotels, with an RV your room travels with you, and the bar is always open, no matter how late you arrive!

So jealous.
I have 10.4 years to go.
Not sure I can do it that much longer.