"Jetting Through the Grand Canyon"
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"Jetting Through the Grand Canyon"
Found this 3 minute video on the Air & Space website, featuring RAF pilot, Ron Dick, on exchange with the USAF, flying his T-33 well in the Grand Canyon. Edited from clips of film taken in 1959 and 1960. Biog and other details right at the end of the video. Enjoy!
Jetting Through the Grand Canyon
They wouldn't be allowed to do it today, but back in 1959, experienced military pilots would sometimes buzz the Grand Canyon when flying out of nearby Nellis AFB. At the time, RAF pilot Ron Dick was an exchange officer with the US Air Force, training students in a Lockheed T-33. Fellow instructor Bud Pratt recalls that during these Canyon flights, the pilots would fly low enough that water would spray up from the river.
Ron Dick rose to the rank of Air Vice Marshal and later became a fellow of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and a popular writer and lecturer on military history. He died in 2008. His son Gary Dick, who put together this video from Ron's footage, says, "As a lifelong supporter of the National Parks and a man with a keen interest in bird watching, Ron would definitely endorse the flight restrictions that ensure natural quiet in the parks today."
They wouldn't be allowed to do it today, but back in 1959, experienced military pilots would sometimes buzz the Grand Canyon when flying out of nearby Nellis AFB. At the time, RAF pilot Ron Dick was an exchange officer with the US Air Force, training students in a Lockheed T-33. Fellow instructor Bud Pratt recalls that during these Canyon flights, the pilots would fly low enough that water would spray up from the river.
Ron Dick rose to the rank of Air Vice Marshal and later became a fellow of the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum and a popular writer and lecturer on military history. He died in 2008. His son Gary Dick, who put together this video from Ron's footage, says, "As a lifelong supporter of the National Parks and a man with a keen interest in bird watching, Ron would definitely endorse the flight restrictions that ensure natural quiet in the parks today."
- makes the A5 run look quite tame.............
Puts the TVAM, 'Boys from Bahrain' in a different light.
That reminds me of a trip down the Verdon Gorge with a Mirage pilot in a French Tucano. Most uncomfortable I've ever been in an aircraft. Having first buzzed some fisherman on the lake of course with an accompanying when we were in Chad dit.
Originally Posted by air pig
Puts the TVAM, 'Boys from Bahrain' in a different light.
Some of that video is taken by the 'Boys from Tabuk'. And no, it doesn't quite compare to the Canyon, which is slightly longer.....and deeper! I once flew over the Canyon rim, about 2000ft, in a GR4 on the way to Davis-Monthan from Nellis on a Sqn deployment. Had a Sgt engineer in the back seat and he took some nice video.
Ron would definitely endorse the flight restrictions that ensure natural quiet in the parks today
Last edited by Easy Street; 24th Jul 2013 at 19:38.
WIWOVC10s (When I was on VC10s), we regularly did a trip from Albuquerque, New Mexico to Las Vegas (Nellis). We quite often requested a 'Canyon Ride' and I have to admit flying just below the rim of the Canyon was quite exciting. Remember, this was no mini-jet!
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Had the privilege of doing the canyon run in a C130 whose skipper was leaving the RAF and going to fly for Libya (no less) - KP.
We were only 'down' there for about 20 minutes inbound to Nellis.
God it's beautiful and something to remember for a lifetime - thanks Ken.
We were only 'down' there for about 20 minutes inbound to Nellis.
God it's beautiful and something to remember for a lifetime - thanks Ken.
