davparlr
Senior Master Sergeant
Here are a couple of videos all you desk top jocks should watch that will give you some idea of some of the complexity and physiological aspects of flying a high performance aircraft, and some education. The first video is of the T-38, which is the AFs advanced fighter trainer aircraft. The T-38 is high performance aircraft capable of Mach 1.2, limited by the canopy, a roll rate of a reported 720 degrees a second, and the ability to reach a record setting time to climb, at the time, of 40000 ft. in 90 seconds (beat in a few months by the F-4, pretty good company). With a low weight approach speed of near 180 mph and a touchdown speed of over 150 mph, the T-38 by any definition is a hot aircraft. In the video, the AF pilot indicated that his father had flown the T-38 in the 80s. I had flown the T-38 in 1970! The incredible T-38 has been in active service with the AF for almost 60 years! In my day, AF training was a better deal. All AF pilots were expected to be qualified in all AF aircraft, except helicopters. As such all pilot students spent half their time in the T-38, performing acrobatics, instrument flying, and 2 and 4 ship formation flying.
Aside comment, I found flying number 4 formation was especially challenging when number 2 was a student bobbing up and down. I usually backed off a bit and tried to fly off number 1, breaking a prime rule, never take your eyes off lead which was number 2 for me. Anyway, that wasn't going to work. Today, about half way through training, students are divided into a bomber/fighter track flying the T-38 or airlift/tanker track flying the T-1.
I am proud of my AF time, especially the T-38, which gave me the thrill of knowing that I could fly a hot jet, of course flying the C-141 all over the world on emergency air evac missions, hauling the Presidents car and secret service agent around, and making national news flying the first US support mission for Israel during the Yom Kippur war was pretty heady too.
The other video is the same guy riding a Thunderbirds F-16, a much more powerful aircraft. Good education. Another side note, if they had flown another 60 mile east of Fort Morgan, they would have flown right over where I grew up, and Pensacola Naval Air Station, ironically home of the Blue Angels.
Aside comment, I found flying number 4 formation was especially challenging when number 2 was a student bobbing up and down. I usually backed off a bit and tried to fly off number 1, breaking a prime rule, never take your eyes off lead which was number 2 for me. Anyway, that wasn't going to work. Today, about half way through training, students are divided into a bomber/fighter track flying the T-38 or airlift/tanker track flying the T-1.
I am proud of my AF time, especially the T-38, which gave me the thrill of knowing that I could fly a hot jet, of course flying the C-141 all over the world on emergency air evac missions, hauling the Presidents car and secret service agent around, and making national news flying the first US support mission for Israel during the Yom Kippur war was pretty heady too.
The other video is the same guy riding a Thunderbirds F-16, a much more powerful aircraft. Good education. Another side note, if they had flown another 60 mile east of Fort Morgan, they would have flown right over where I grew up, and Pensacola Naval Air Station, ironically home of the Blue Angels.