Airplanes

[Stephanie B]

Quetzalcoatlus northropi

Boeing lost that contract, too?

[GJM]

"The old saying about a Cub: "It's the safest plane in the world...it can just barely kill you." I think some people can get complacent because of its gentle characteristics (not saying that's what happened here, not enough information known)".

When I learned to fly in a J3 (Cub) in 1965, they had the third highest fatality rate per hour flown of any General Aviation aircraft.

Stuff like this:

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/20...egal-dnr-says/

[JimCunn]

"Boeing lost that contract, too?"

Yup 😀
Quetzie was named after Jack Northrop by Wann Langston, Jr. Wann had a sense of humor.

[GyroF-16]

Excellent video, mostly from inside the plane. For those of us whose childhood dream was to be a fighter pilot but never got there, this gives a really good idea as to what it must be like:

F-16 Viper Demo Wings Over Houston 2022

That’s interesting. During her preflight, I noticed the tail number and checked my logbook. I flew some BFM sorties in 047 back in November of 2007. The East Coast demo team is based at Shaw AFB (SW), which is where I was stationed then.

[GJM]

Raisbeck 208 testing fatal

[rayrevolver]

Raisbeck 208 testing fatal

Dammit... RIP to the 2 testers.

As a profession, it has been relatively safe over the past 20 years. Last major accident was 2011 I think, Gulfstream.

[JTQ]

That’s interesting. During her preflight, ...

The thing I couldn't get out of my head was the finger-less flight gloves. I guess there are very few buttons anymore on a plane like an F-16, and most is probably touch screen so you may need uncovered fingers, but is that standard wear or are they personally modified?

[GyroF-16]

The thing I couldn't get out of my head was the finger-less flight gloves. I guess there are very few buttons anymore on a plane like an F-16, and most is probably touch screen so you may need uncovered fingers, but is that standard wear or are they personally modified?

I noticed that, too. As far as I know, the still F-16 doesn’t have a single touch-screen. And it has lots of buttons an switches.
I flew with regular full-fingered Nomex gloves. But my years in the Viper were before “electronic charts” (approach plates and maps on an iPad) that are in common use now. My guess is that that Air Force has gone to those e-charts and not yet found a glove with good-enough capacitive-touch fingers, so allows some fingers in the gloves to be removed.
Or, the demo pilot has more latitude in what they wear, which is equally possible.

[JTQ]

Or, the demo pilot has more latitude in what they wear, which is equally possible.

That was my alternate theory.

[TOTS]

I noticed that, too. As far as I know, the still F-16 doesn’t have a single touch-screen. And it has lots of buttons an switches.
I flew with regular full-fingered Nomex gloves. But my years in the Viper were before “electronic charts” (approach plates and maps on an iPad) that are in common use now. My guess is that that Air Force has gone to those e-charts and not yet found a glove with good-enough capacitive-touch fingers, so allows some fingers in the gloves to be removed.
Or, the demo pilot has more latitude in what they wear, which is equally possible.

That was my alternate theory.

While I’m not in the viper community (always was my dream though, so raising my glass to you guys), I can speak to a commonality as I have some experience in the training commands where we have AF students flying the T-6 alongside Naval/MC and Coast Guard students. All the IPs cut the fingers off the gloves for all the reasons. Touch screens, paper approach plates, writing while flying, small buttons on LSKs, etc. As soon as they see the IPs do it, within a week of their first flights, all the students have cut offs.

To the point where I see the students everyday now (I’m an FRS IP) flying helicopters with cut gloves. When I ask why, they say “T6”.

I think it’s mainly for looking cool and over 20+ years of GWOT, personal freedom has greatly increased. (As well as new gear. Some gloves are manufactured with the thumbs/ indexs missing; none are issued gear though)

All I’ll say is once you’ve seen an aircraft burn to the ground with your own eyes…..buddy, you can’t have too much coverage when it comes to your skin!!