What is it like to fly a Jet Fighter?

[FlareAngel]

Can anyone with experience give me a insight into what its like to fly a Fighter Jet?

[Lafyar Cokov]

Much quieter than you'd expect!

And there is no real way to express the feeling of acceleration you experience the first time you firewall the throttle in your first fast-jet!

After that it all goes a bit fast and gets very difficult!

[L J R]

Have to Agree with Lafya:ok:


....getting shot at sux though.

[Agaricus bisporus]

Can anyone with experience give me a insight into what its like to fly a Fighter Jet?


Well, its very like flying a fighter jet, actually. Not like anything else at all.


Odd, that...

[Booger]

The best way I can describe it is like trying to jam a schizophrenic mountain goat into a paper mache shopping trolley without breaking it (the trolley, not the goat) with a live armadillo shoved down your pants, and an irate honey badger kicking at your guts.

Whilst you're on fire.

With a case of hemorrhoids.

(Actually a lot more fun than it sounds, but then, I'm a masochist)
:ok:

[newt]

Better than sex!!

Well it is at my age!!!:ok:

[beerdrinker]

That's going to cost you Newt. What is D** going to say when I forward your comment to her? How much for my silence?!!!!!

[Pontius Navigator]

and if you're a nav/wso you just follow the guy in front.

[newt]

With my pension BEERDRINKER!! Not a lot!!:)

[BEagle]

FlareAngel did write 'Fighter Jet', Pontious.... And real fighter jets only have one seat...:)!

FlareAngel, it is nothing like 'Top Gun'. But, from my brief time some 20+ years ago, I can confirm that it was utterly great. Nothing else (in an aircraft!) comes close.

'Happiness is Hunter-shaped' - always was, always will be!

[oldbeefer]

In forty years of flying helicopters, had one flight in the front of a 2 seat Harrier. Thirty minutes of fantastic fun (but I wouldn't want to do it for a living!).

[t43562]

Find out for yourself! Some of us will only ever be onlookers. Don't be like us - don't watch this and wish that you'd made something better of your life:

YouTube - 4 Ship Eurofighter (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsQbT6yIc4Q)

[johnfairr]

The most fun you can have with your clothes on. :E:E

[Pontius Navigator]

BEagle:

Meteor, Javelin, Sea Vixen.

At least in the latter the O was in front IIRC.

[Tourist]

But then after the initial thrill has worn off, as all thrills must, you will find yourself in the dark hours of the soul questioning yourself.
Is it really more fun than flying a chinook/apache/seaking/Lynx at 5ft around afghanistan? I mean, really?
What must it be like to have a really useful role?
Do I really look as stupid in a pink flying suit in the DFAC as I believe?

[spekesoftly]

At least in the latter the O was in front IIRC.

Not really. The O in the Vixen sat to the right and slightly rearward of the pilot, and well below. With no forward vision, it was well named "the coal hole".

[Pontius Navigator]

Not really. The O in the Vixen sat to the right and slightly rearward of the pilot, and well below. With no forward vision, it was well named "the coal hole".

Thank you, I could have googled I guess, and I know it was the coal hole.

What did they call the Os in the back of the Gannet?

[clunckdriver]

Flare Angel, I was all of eighteen when I turned up on squadron, there was a bloody great airplane with my name under the canopy rail, I thought I had died and gone to heaven! At no time flying this thing did I ever change this view, this in spite of what these days would be considered a mortality rate which would have the Air Force shut down, regretfully the military changed over time into a very underfunded "Old Boys Club", staffed by RMC grads, was time to move on, one thing I find still to this day, the friendships made during this youthfull part of our lives endure ,give it a try, you will not regret it! As I type this, above the screen is a picture of four of us half way round a loop, few in this world get to do such things, {and get paid to do it!}

[Neptunus Rex]

C'mon clunckdriver, post the photo!

[Rossian]

...take a look at his byname (and age??) - I'll bet it's a CF100 with those ginagorous Orenda engines on either side. Am I right clunkie?

The Ancient Mariner

[MATELO]

But then after the initial thrill has worn off, as all thrills must, you will find yourself in the dark hours of the soul questioning yourself.
Is it really more fun than flying a chinook/apache/seaking/Lynx at 5ft around afghanistan? I mean, really?
What must it be like to have a really useful role?
Do I really look as stupid in a pink flying suit in the DFAC as I believe?

Failed FJJ then Tourist??

[X767]

Happy to agree Beagle. The Hunter was a joy to fly and the top of the range was the FR Mk 10. I could never quite get my head round being paid for having so much fun !

X767

[Alber Ratman]

Well it was a Jaguar!

YouTube - Jaguar Backseater (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXqLnnQpi7U)

:ok:

[John Farley]

The simple questions are always the hardest to answer.

What is like like to fly a jet fighter?

If you mean to ride in one that you are steering yourself on a nice clear day with no particular objective that you must achieve then it is about as exciting and enjoyable as life gets.

If you mean what is it like to fly a jetfighter AND be a pilot on a jet fighter squadron then the answer is not so simple.

In peacetime you could just find yourself operating in one of the most competitive occupations you can imagine where everybody else is trying to prove they are better than you. If your unit happens to be fighting a war then you will have to accept that the enemy wants to kill you.

If on the other hand you are trying to decide whether you want to try and become a jet fighter pilot the simple answer is this:- if you have to ask the question I am afraid you do not want to be one enough to overcome the obstacles that will be put in your way.

[BlackIsle]

Oh the flying bit's the business but------- the flipside nowadays is the little opportunity to, unless you're instructing.

[clunckdriver]

Correct Rosain, spent 1750hrs of my miss spent youth in the CF, am on the road today on a charity flight, will try to get one of the kids to scan the picture and post, dont have that ability on the farm, Regards, Clunck.

[A2QFI]

The 'O' in the PR9 sat very well in front of the pilot, in another version of the coal hole!

[Pontius Navigator]

A2QFI, now that is stretching the definition of a figher jet.

[soddim]

Not nearly as nice as flying a Spitfire.

The jets are great and their weapons systems make achieving 'kills' easy in comparison with the gun-armed aircraft. The old piston-engined fighters are a greater challenge to fly well and a whole lot more satisfying; their kills were down to pilot achievement not technology.

Rather fly a fighter than anything else, though.

[Tourist]

soddim

Your entire post is total bollocks.

"The jets are great and their weapons systems make achieving 'kills' easy in comparison with the gun-armed aircraft"

Unless the other guy is flying an equally advanced aircraft, then it is all down to skill again. Duh

"The old piston-engined fighters are a greater challenge to fly well and a whole lot more satisfying; their kills were down to pilot achievement not technology."

No. They fought their aircraft with a tiny number of training hours, therefore were nowhere near the equivalent in terms of skill to todays pilots. Todays aircraft may be easy to fly, but it's not about flying, it's about operating, and todays aircraft require vastly greater capacity and training to operate well. And the idea that technology was unimportant in the old days is simply delusional. ME109 vs Fairey Battle, anyone?

[clunckdriver]

Sodim, I beg to differ, having flown a fair cross section of piston fighters {we kept TBM, P51,Harvard, Sea Fury, } long after their "best before" date the stuff about the old pistons being harder to fly is total twaddle! At the time I started in the military many courses started on the Harvard, no Tiger Moths or Chipmunks, one fellow on my course soloed in six hours, never having sat in an aircraft before! the fact is they were "different", if you started on aircraft with restricted forward view, a swing on T/O and a tendecy to swap ends on landing, no warning of a stall, then this was the norm,the first time I flew a nose wheel aircraft I found it to be quite unerving seeing the runway end come up in full view, its all what you are used to. Mind you we have the new breed of self apointed aces over here who will regale you with how difficult it is to even taxi a Harvard, they can be seen at airshows in flying suits with more badges and stuff than a Banana Republic president sounding forth in great detail about the superior skills needed to handle such a beast.Its true that many WW2 aircraft had bloody terrible performance {Stirling ect} but thats another story .

[soddim]

All I can say to both of you is that if you think flying fighters is all about take-off and landing - it's not. It's really about shooting other aircraft down. Try that in a Spitfire with almost sod all to aim with against a 'target' who knows you are trying to kill him then try it in a modern fighter with fire and forget missiles.

I think you'll both agree that aircraft designers have achieved something over the years in that they have made the aircraft easier to fly and operate and weapons systems have considerably increased the kill probability in air-to-air engagements.

[Tourist]

soddim

"All I can say to both of you is that if you think flying fighters is all about take-off and landing - it's not"

Duh, read my post. You know, the bit where I say "but it's not about flying, it's about operating, and todays aircraft require vastly greater capacity and training to operate well. "

Unbelievably vacuous arguments you are putting forwards. If you put todays pilots up against their predecessors in equal aircraft there would only be one result.
Just like putting Fangio up against any modern F1 driver, or the 1966 England team up against the current England squad. Fantastic in their day, but only in their day. The standard has changed.

[McDuff]

Find out for yourself! Some of us will only ever be onlookers. Don't be like us - don't watch this and wish that you'd made something better of your life:

YouTube - 4 Ship Eurofighter

That's a good video, but a little ironic considering what a mess the German Government made of the EF programme, for a good number of years.

[newt]

Tourist I think you are well off the mark with your comments about previous generations of fighter pilots. If you put todays fighter pilots up against their predecessors in equal aircraft the result would be the same. The best would win!!
Yes you are all young and up to speed with the latest technology but so were we! I think it very arrogant of you to suggest that you have vastly greater capacity these days! Might I suggest that modern systems provide far more information in a much more user friendly format giving greater tactical freedom especially in the single seat environment!
I shall now retire to the bunker to finish my wine!:ugh:

[Two's in]

or the 1966 England team up against the current England squad.

Now that's funny!

[Trim Stab]

Tourist I think you are well off the mark with your comments about previous generations of fighter pilots


Tourist is a failed FJ helicopter pilot so he doesn't know what he is talking about - just ignore him!

[soddim]

At the risk of encouraging Tourist, I will simply point out that I have flown Spitfires and also, unlike Tourist apparently, I have a wealth of experience in several modern fighters.

If you can't walk the walk don't post you numskull.

[Lightning Mate]

Used to be like this:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/56_Loop640-1.jpg

[BEagle]

Lightning mate - simply epic!






.

[Lightning Mate]

simply epic!


I agree with expressed sentiments about the Hunter too.

The swinging sixties - you were there too Beags, were you not?

[Foxed Moth]

If you want a condensed answer FlareAngel, then just gaze at the image posted by Lightning_Mate.

Arguably it was in a class of its own.

There have been a fair number of jet fighters manufactured and very few of them were unmatched in their day. The Gnat, for example, not the trainer used by the RAF but the fighter used by the Indians; the sublime Hunter; the Viggen, all of them would make their pilots tingle, and people with their feet on the ground stop and stare.

The Lightning though somehow got in to your very bones and remained there.

What is it like to fly? It is like anything else that makes your heart dance, that makes your brain fizz, that makes your vocabulary obsolete, like anything else that sears itself into every morsel of you, that haunts you, that challenges you, that stretches you further than you thought you could stretch — and also hurls you, with a thumping twirling exhilarating explosion of power and technology into a dimension that for nine thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine people is a matter of seat spacing, in-flight videos and the risk of blood clots from not moving for hours.

I think the 'jet' is superfluous. If you attached sensors to the brain, the heart, the soul of a Sopwith Pup pilot, a Hawker Fury pilot, a Spitfire pilot, a Lightning pilot, a Viggen pilot, a Mig-21 pilot, a Rafale pilot, a Typhoon pilot I suspect you would find very similar reactions.

Because it is not the aircraft, it is being a fighter pilot that matters.

[Lightning Mate]

Foxed Moth,

:D:D:D:D:D

[Petrolhead]

Aaah WIWOL

[Lightning Mate]

Correct :)

You out there Newt ?

[barnstormer1968]

Trim stab


Quote:
Tourist I think you are well off the mark with your comments about previous generations of fighter pilots
Tourist is a failed FJ helicopter pilot so he doesn't know what he is talking about - just ignore him!


Now THAT is funny!

Does that mean we should all ignore your comments too:} :} :E

Remind me again which airline you intend to fly fighter jests with using a commercial licence:ok:

[BEagle]

Lightning Mate, the Sixties had swung to conclusion by the time I started flying training - but Brawdy in 1975-6 on the Hunter was simply brilliant!

Perhaps those who have never flown a single seat fighter, even once, might care to **** off from inflicting background noise through bickering on this thread?

[newt]

I'm out here LM and keeping an eye on things!:ok:

[Lightning Mate]

Ah Beags.

Rolling vertical scissors :eek:

A four-gun shoot in an FGA9 was something else wasn't it! Black sticky stores tape over the circuit breakers to stop everything popping out.

.....and that smell of cordite. All tremendous stuff.

Good to see you on CAP Newt. :)

[clunckdriver]

Normally in the Vampire we only fired two, on the rare ocasion I fired four my bloody feet wouldnt stay put on the rudder pedals, vibrated like a jack hammer! a full load of FFAR at night from a CF100 was somthing else, made night into day, the poor sod towing the Radop always beat us to the bar, cant say as I blame him, having a few dozen of these things fired 3000ft behind you every day was not conducive to longevity, we stuck our USAF exchange type with the job whenever we could! On a more serious note, the tresure spent during the Cold War fairly boggles the mind, cant see any nation spending like that again.

[soddim]

Not a lot of pilots fired four guns in the Lightning - just as well because the vibration was the most enduring memory and usually caused a number of failures.

[Lightning Mate]

Not a lot of pilots fired four guns in the Lightning

Which model was that?

[soddim]

FMk2 - those were the days!

[Lightning Mate]

Sorry, I had forgotten that one. I was thinking of the 2A.

Where were the other two guns?

How about the F6 ventral gun pack. Now there's a quaint piece of engineering that only the Brits could do - a fuel-cooled gun pack!!!!!! :\

Edit: found the other two.

[soddim]

We could remove the missile pack and replace it with a two-gun pack. I only ever got to use it air into sea - 100% hit the sea so I guess it was a good score!

[Pontius Navigator]

And the idea that technology was unimportant in the old days is simply delusional. ME109 vs Fairey Battle, anyone?

Tourist, I mean nothing by my following question other than the simple question, and I am not being rude.

What did you mean here? Reply by PM if you wish.

[1.3VStall]

Ah, the FMk2A, the best Lightning of the lot!

[Lightning Mate]

FlareAngel,

Here you go, by Plt. Off. John Gillespie Magee Jr. RCAF.
Killed 11 Dec 1941.

Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds...and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of...wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew.

And, while with silent, lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space

Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

[Jig Peter]

@ Lightning Mate, with all due respect to you super WIWOLLers - that "going upwards" shot isn't anywhere near as good as the original Charles Brown (I think) shot of a Meteor 8 just about absolutely vertical - the soul-stirring shot you show had to be tilted to get the aircraft "right".
But the spirit's there OK, and a good thing too.

@FlareAngel ... At the risk of confirming what one of my instructors at FTS said:"He's a very intense young man, this one" (and I've never in all these years worked out if it was a compliment) - to reach the time and place when you can fully enjoy the delights that fast jets offer, there's a long, long period of effort, concentration, doubt and sheer hard work involved. And that's after the selection process. And even if you do get to the point where those Wings can grace your left-of-chest "They" might still select you for 4-Prop work, or heliochopters ...
And another thing - once you've got those Wings, you'll find that you have to go on and on with the learning thing, otherwise you stop learning very fast, and for good.
N.B. I'd finished my stint even before BEagle started flying training, so waddo I know ???
Except that Yon Vampires, Venoms, Meteors and even a few delightful Hunter hours (plus more fun at low level on Canberras) made all the nail-biting and agonising worth while.

[Lightning Mate]

JP,


the soul-stirring shot you show had to be tilted to get the aircraft "right".

It wasn't tilted. It was taken going up in a long lazy loop from a T4, and captured just past the vertical. Another pic was taken coming down, this time vertically. I'm happy to post it if you would like.

Do you have a pic of the Meteor - love to see it.

LM

[Jig Peter]

The going down shot would be great, too - Pity is that I don't have the Meteor shot, except in memory, but I believe it was in Flight in about the '50s. Perhaps one ought to trawl through their archives, unless it was a CB personal copyright - he too may have made four shots, showing the "complete, ideal loop" ...
Your Lightning shot reminded me of the sky over Lincolnshire one great day in the early '60s when I was refreshing at Manby as I did my best with a Meteor 8 and could see, away in the distance, others also "leaping like salmon up into the sky" and thoroughly enjoying themselves, like me. One of those "fun" trips that stay so clear in the memory that I can almost feel the straps against my shoulders ...

Oh Gor, the dust's got into me specs again ...

[Lightning Mate]

My pleasure:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/56_Loop_Down_600-1.jpg


Oh Gor, the dust's got into me specs again ...

...know the feeling.....

[Jig Peter]

LM
That's great for getting the heartbeat going again ... should be standard equipment in any "get the oldies feeling young again" kit !
Thanks for both those...

[Lightning Mate]

JP,

Check PM.

[West Coast]

Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?

Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?

Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?

[1.3VStall]

Accessing anything on the Lightning for MX was a nightmare!

[kenparry]

West Coast

Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?

They are not stacked vertically: the lower/forward one is below the wing, the aft/higher one behind the wing - this layout enabled the minimum possible frontal area, as the widest bits of each engine were staggered.

A contemporary of mine worked at Warton on the Lightning (and TSR2); on the former, access to most things was very difficult. A review by EE later suggested they could have made the fuselage 3 inches wider, with negligible performance loss and much better access. Hindsight is wonderful!

[soddim]

Very little pitch asymmetry on one donk but the common intake was a safety weakness - multiple birdstrikes and FOD tended to get both engines at once and on one occasion the radome and waveguides were digested by both.

However, axial flow Avons seemed to cope admirably with this diet and I have no doubt vulcanic ash would have been equally acceptable!

[Lightning Mate]

Looking at the pic of the Lightning, what was the goal of the engineers loading the engines on top of one another?

Was accessing the engines for MX easy with this configuration?

Obviously the thrust line is close enough, but was there any pitch asymmetry if one engine was out?

I think we're now into thread drift re. the original question.

Bill Petter, not the engineers, reasoned that it would reduce frontal area and he didn't go with area ruling. The No.2 engine (upper) was staggered aft of the No.1 to achieve a satisfactory C of G envelope. Engine changes were not easy, but then again as others have said, nothing was easy on the Lightning (except flying it).

The aeroplane did not exhibit any noticeable assymetric pitch with one out. Astonishing is the fact that it could achieve a rate of climb of around 20,000 feet per minute in burner on one.


However, axial flow Avons seemed to cope admirably with this diet and I have no doubt vulcanic ash would have been equally acceptable!

Avons would cope with anything except fires.

[newt]

Ah LM nice pic! Suppose the airbrakes are out to stop you going supersonic??

When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! That certainly caused a few failures!:ok:

[newt]

Ah LM nice pic! Suppose the airbrakes are out to stop you going supersonic??

When I fired the 4 guns on the F2a the MRG button exploded into the cockpit! Luckily it was VFR all the way back to Gutersloh!

Happy days:)

[Lightning Mate]

Happy dayshttp://images.ibsrv.net/ibsrv/res/src:www.pprune.org/get/images/smilies/smile.gif

Absolutely.

Perhaps it's now time for "smoke off - go" before the mods go all red and we are exposed......

:E

[Geehovah]

Its like nothing else on earth

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v221/DeeGee/F4snow2.jpg

[Lightning Mate]

Its like nothing else on earth

You can certainly say that again......

Tried rolling it at low IAS ????

[McDuff]

Can anyone with experience give me a insight into what its like to fly a Fighter Jet?

I don't suppose that I have any words to add to describe flying a FJ, but here's another type, much later than the Lightning, Hunter or Vampire already discussed.

It was wonderful to fly, although the gun's vibration was only serious if you were in the back seat of a 2-sticker.

And clearly it was a winner with the ladies ...

Picasa Web Albums - cmacdb (http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/wvgL8FdX0Zq0Zh1Cm1PXoja7a19fdrP0N6BZuCYmG0s?feat=directlink)

[soddim]

That was a challenge LM - the low speed fight in the F4 was really challenging and needed lots of co-ordination of stick, rudder and throttles but extremely satisfying if it ended with a shot against a lower wing loader.

Are we giving you a taste of it yet, FlareAngel?

[Jig Peter]

PM(s) 4 U
Regards,
JP

:ok:

[blaireau]

I agree with much stated. 1500hrs F4 for me.

Going off at a tangent, does anyone have any photos of 6Sqn Phantoms? I omitted to take many in my time there.

[soddim]

I'll see what I can copy for you blaireau. Most of mine are faded - just like the memories!!

But do you remember Al V and the nurse with varicose veins?

Now that's a test for any fighter pilot.

[johnfairr]

Even more thread drift, but wasn't Al V a Nav . . . . . ? Still a decent test, though! :E:E See posts #9 and #14. :ok::ok:

[BEagle]

.....the nurse with varicose veins.....

Weren't 'pendulous vanes' the solution to several unexplained Meteor night flying take-off accidents.

AH gyro acceleration errors - it's a QFI thing!

[soddim]

Well, the mind boggles that nowadays a fighter pilot could face the challenge of a female QFI with varicose veins!

[Lightning Mate]

Now listen to me soddim.

Well, the mind boggles that nowadays a fighter pilot could face the challenge of a female QFI with varicose veins!

At my age mate it's easy. No need to look at the fireplace whilst stoking the fire.

Time: 1966

Place: bar at FTS RAF Acklington, Northumberland

Situation: me beering with personal flying instructor (ex fighter pilot):

"Let me give you a good piece of advice for the future son. Never ever turn down a shag"

Best advice I've ever had.

Mind you, got a lot of flak sometimes but b********cks, I'm still alive and kicking.

You getting the general idea FlareAngel?

Beags,


AH gyro acceleration errors - it's a QFI thing

I think we had better keep that sort of stuff to ourselves mate!

[Lightning Mate]

Hello McDuff.

Love the pic mate.

Don't like yours much though......is the third from the left sitting on the stick?

Wanna beer?

[Lightning Mate]

blaireau,

Found this on the web:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/XV4386Sqn.jpg

[blaireau]

LM, you're a proper gent an no mistake!

Was the sage QFI one JE?

Soddim. Would much appreciate. Can you pm, or do you have my email?

Al Voodoo I assume. Also had a hell of a rep when in conjunction with K McR.

[BEagle]

WHAT? That F-4 has mud-moving appendages - how very distasteful and working class!

Fortunately during my F-4 time, the WIWOGA people were few and far between and all the rusty GA crap on the centre pedestal was deemed 'look, don't touch'!

We were AD only....Coolant ON, Tone as required, CW ON, Interlocks OUT, MSL Sparrow, Master Arm ARM.... Or something like that...:\

The pendulous vanes were supposed to apply precessive forces to an air driven gyro.....bugger it, I got my A2 at the first attempt, so anyone else can darn well work it out for themsleves!

[CharlieJuliet]

Nice to see an F4 correctly attired with CBLS and SUU23. The only better fit was SNEB. This must be a later 'A' as the original 6 Sqn A was XV 400.
But back to the thread, the F4 was not an aircraft that endeared itself to the crew because of it's excellent handling, but rather as an aircraft that could take a pounding and so was a good wargoer. Seem to remember that it was quite physical requiring a lot of muscle to manoeuvre, and using rudder to roll was alien at first. However, rudder use soon became second nature, and rumour has it that the 43 Sqn QFI (one JA) when asked to give a squadron brief on high AOA handling, before a combat phase, stood up and said: "When it buffets use your boots", and then sat down. I suppose the abiding memories of the Toom were noise (our aircraft had a continual whine from mismatched electronics), sweat and fun. I am sure that the other mudmovers have similar memories.

[Nantucket Sleighride]

in answer to the OP, I guess these two characters would agree its the most fun you can have fully clothed

Photos: McDonnell Douglas F-15E Strike Eagle Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net (http://www.airliners.net/photo/USA---Air/McDonnell-Douglas-F-15E/1651873/M/)

[soddim]

BEagle, you don't know what you missed. The multi-role days at the beginning of the RAF operational F4 period were without doubt the best. In its' time the F4 must have been the most capable multi-role fighter ever produced and training to meet that challenge was most satisfying.

Whilst one would not pretend that it was easy to master Recce, GA and AD it was well worthwhile trying as was proved in Cyprus in '74 when the required task changed as often as the surface wind.

Small air forces need flexibility and the F4 certainly provided the means - provided, of course, that the crews were up to it.

Thereby was the challenge and the satisfaction.

[Lightning Mate]

Morning all.

This has become a great thread innit!

WHAT? That F-4 has mud-moving appendages - how very distasteful and working class!


I suppose I'd better keep quiet about my 1850 hours on Jaguars and ejection then......

:\

[PLovett]

1BzU1sYPjzo&playnext_from=TL&videos=UNMTRPQ16yo

'nuff said. :}

[Lightning Mate]

Like it!

:D:D

[Firestreak]

Surely the best quote of all times concerning the Lightning was attributed to John Howe, the first CO of 74, the first Lightning Sqn. Remember, there were no 2 seaters at this time, your first trip was your first solo:--

"I was with it all the way until I let the brakes off"

[Lightning Mate]

"I was with it all the way until I let the brakes off"

That just about sums it up Firestreak !

[McDuff]

Hello McDuff.

Love the pic mate.

Don't like yours much though......is the third from the left sitting on the stick?

Wanna beer?

Thanks LM :ok:

The one on my lap probably has her back to the sidestick controller (if that's the stick you mean ...); she was the nicest one, smiling all the while, whereas all the others looked glum for the whole time unless the camera was on them.

The girl in the cockpit was called Irene ;)

Ready for a beer any time, but you're miles away from Cambs.

[Lightning Mate]

JP,

Got your PM thanks - will reply soon.

LM

[Jig Peter]

@ BEagle
Odd that I, who never even approached the boundary fence of the Centralised School of Telling People How to Fly still has a vivid mind-picture of the air-driven gyro and its pendulosities,- s it ain't a CFI thing by any means ... But weren't we modern on Venom 1s with our "Electrical Erectors" ... Zero pendulosity there (not then at least). :cool:
Back to thread pur-leeze !

[Lightning Mate]

McDuff,


The one on my lap probably has her back to the sidestick controller (if that's the stick you mean ...); she was the nicest one, smiling all the while,

Corse I know it's got a sidestick (schhh...I've flown it)

The girl in the cockpit was called Irene

'nuff said then.....;)

I've gone a bit further than that - flown four girls in a Jaguar :E (not all at the same time). Married one of them.

Ready for a beer any time, but you're miles away from Cambs.
Not that far mate.

[A2QFI]

Yes, a bit of thread drift I agree but I could out manoeuvre a "fighter" jet in my PR9 any time I wanted to, above about FL350!

[BlackIsle]

A2QFI

Jolly good old boy but how long did it take you to get to 350? :p

[L J R]

....and oh my God it was cold..!

[Aerouk]

I heard the Lightning can climb to 50,000ft in a minute, how fast can the Eurofighter do it?

[Pontius]

What a bunch of girls; Junior Service with your stationary airfields :) I tells ye, until you've fought the mighty puff jet to the hover alongside the pitching hover pad, in the dead of night in an Atlantic gale, shipping it green and with giant Krakkens trying to grab your undercarriage, you've not flown a jet fighter :}



Edited to add: the Krakkens may be a slight embelishment.

[McDuff]

Edited to add: the Krakkens may be a slight embelishment.

Perhaps, but Fishheads always could tell a good story ... :)

[Lightning Mate]

I heard the Lightning can climb to 50,000ft in a minute, how fast can the Eurofighter do it?

Not true. The lighter small tank versions (F1, F1A, F2, F3) on a good day could achieve an initial rate of climb of 50,000 ft per minute.

The F6 and F2A with the bigger ventral tank were not quite so quick.

I've flown the F1A, F3, and F6.

Perhaps Newt or someone can fill us in on the F2A.

The Typhoon is quicker, but not by that much considering the two aeroplanes are just about half a century apart.

[1.3VStall]

Ah,

We keep coming back to the FMk2A - the best Lightning by far. Newt even flew the cabriolet version (unfortunately it was the Boss's aircraft!).

[Dr Illitout]

As a "Mere mortal" I can only imagine what it's like to fly a single seater. I like to hear you "Steely eyed fighter aces" try to discribe it.:ok:

Rgds Dr I

[newt]

The F2a was definitely the best of all the marks I flew and they include Mk1, Mk1a, F2, F3, F6, T4 and T5.

Thanks 1.3VStall for reminding me of that little incident! The Boss reminds me every time I see him!

Maybe you would like to post one of your memorable events?:ok:

[Lightning Mate]

So there you are Newt. :)

[newt]

Yes LM and just off to Norfolk to stay with the worlds smallest WIWOL and play golf with some other WIWOLs! A few pints of foaming ale and a lot of war stories I hope!

Cheers Newt:ok:

[tarantonight]

I am the Off Spring of an FAA fast jet man. When I was 15 I didn't know sh*t from puddin' (still don't at times).

Way back then, it soon dawned on me I was not going to follow my old man into the FAA or RAF. I thought it would be easier in the AAC(apologies to the Greens,) but I soon learned that military aviation is of a certain standard, regardless.

My point is this: we all have dreams, some we win, some we lose.

Far be it for me to go up against a man of Mr Farley's standing. He is far more than I can ever aspire to in my wildest dreams, but I think his comments re the original poster are a little unfair.

I am 46 and I would still love to find out what it is like to fly a fast jet...................

TN

[Royalistflyer]

Seems to me with the advance in the US of the X-47B that the uniform for future fast jet pilots might be tee shirt, jeans and sneakers as they sit in their simulator 1,000 miles from the action. No need for medicals, or even particularly good eyesight ....... wonder what sort of training they'll get ..... playstation?

[BEagle]

The wouldn't be 'fast jet pilots' - they'd merely be drone operators....


....who might like to think that they were fast jet pilots....:rolleyes:

[soddim]

BEagle's quite right - unless your little pink body is experiencing the accelerations and your senses the smells, sounds and visual and unless you are going to hit the ground with the jet and go to the bar with the boys, you ain't a fighter pilot.

[L J R]

...agree with you Soddim (From a Fast Jet Pilot - who now flies a 'Drone' - ..note word 'Drone' used only to keep Beags happy...:ok:)

[Lightning Mate]

I like to hear you "Steely eyed fighter aces" try to discribe it

Red eyed these days is nearer the mark:\

[Lightning Mate]

....unless your little pink body is experiencing the accelerations and....

Agreed:

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/ltgxmasX640-2.jpg

[GeeRam]

Aah...CA's memorable take-off, with the soon to be blown over catch fence in the distance, on that oh so wet Last, Last Lightning day on 22nd Aug 1987 :ok:

[Lightning Mate]

CA?

This calls for a PM.

[McDuff]

I am 46 and I would still love to find out what it is like to fly a fast jet...................

You could try getting a Hawk trip. It's a bit nippier than the F4 or Lightning ("nippier" as in agile), but you would have to know someone who is current, at Valley or Leeming, to get you a pax ride.

And I know that this suggestion is going to be pooh-poohed by those who went through Valley on Hunters of Gnats, but neither of those machines could pull the G or stay airborne for as long. The visibility out of a Hawk is miles better than that from a Hunter as well -- especially the T-bird Hunter!

[neildo]

You could try getting a Hawk trip. It's a bit nippier than the F4 or Lightning ("nippier" as in agile), but you would have to know someone who is current, at Valley or Leeming, to get you a pax ride.


What do you reckon the chances are for a lad 3 months pre-IOT contacting Valley/Leeming with hopes for a Hawk trip/look around the station? Never flown in an RAF aircraft, only had a tour around Leuchars, and like a lot of aspiring young aviators FJ is "the dream" :E

[Firestreak]

"Dad, when I grow up I want to fly fighters"

"You'll have to make up your mind son, you can't do both"

[McDuff]

What do you reckon the chances are for a lad 3 months pre-IOT contacting Valley/Leeming with hopes for a Hawk trip/look around the station? Never flown in an RAF aircraft, only had a tour around Leuchars, and like a lot of aspiring young aviators FJ is "the dream"

The chances are low, as someone has to take on the hassle of organising it. But someone at Valley has the job of doing just that, so I should give it a go. You might perhaps omit the bit about having a date for IOT and just say that you are planning to join.

In 2008 I had the chance to fly in the Hawk again, but they were just bringing in new rules about passenger flights (medical requirement and constraints on the flight envelope etc ...) so it all became too difficult to organise with my job. But I was on the first "Abo" Hawk course (in 1977) and I have since had a refresher (1997) so I know what it feels like. But you are the sort of person for whom flight experience like that should be organised.


So, give it a go ... :)

p.s. there were only 3 of us on that course in 1977 and one of us died in a Hawk display -- at Bratislava. Take from that what you will. McD

[1.3VStall]

Newt,

So that'll be JB you're going to see?

[BlackIsle]

1.3VSTALL - my thoughts exactly! Last I heard of JB which was itself a long time back, he was a Gp Capt and a top guy - did he go higher? pardon the pun!

[Trim Stab]

You could try getting a Hawk trip. It's a bit nippier than the F4 or Lightning ("nippier" as in agile), but you would have to know someone who is current, at Valley or Leeming, to get you a pax ride.

The airline I used to work for used to have an arrangement with Valley so that (if we were really good boys and didn't argue about our rostas too much) we could get a trip on a Hawk. I managed to wangle a ride and it was a great day out. I'll probably get flamed for saying so - but it was remarkably easy to fly.

[Lightning Mate]

So that'll be JB you're going to see?

Precisely.

[xuejiesandi]

Wow!!
Some interesting reading...Hey, has anyone have flown any Russian fighter, SUs/MIGs..how about them???

I'm no way connected to this field, just being curious:)

[Pontius Navigator]

FlareAngel, if you weren't a troll I bet you're sorry you asked :)

[Lightning Mate]

FlareAngel, if you weren't a troll I bet you're sorry you asked

I've been thinking for a while that he is one. Has he been back since the opening post?

http://i636.photobucket.com/albums/uu82/Lightning_29/Troll_spray.jpg