Treetop RV-4

[Bergman]

Originally posted by Stearmann4:

Berg,

Am I crazy, or is there in inordinate amount of stick and rudder advise being passed on here from hands that have never held a military stick yet?

I thought many of the posts could be framed and placed in the Not Being a SNAP thread. I'm just a herb, but even I know there comes a time when you need to firewall the throttle, sack up, and see what you (and your airplane) can do.

[Guest Aces-High]

Haha what are you guys talking about? Obviously, you guys don't know what it takes to be a safe pilot. Flying though a river valley is simply stupid and definitely unsafe. I would never be caught dead doing something so unsafe and stupid. In fact I would never fly any airplane with any writeups or go to war and risk getting shot at. Like I said very stupid. One day I hope planes will learn to fly themselves so that there will be no human risk at all. But alas those days are still a few years away. Just be safe people that's all I'm trying to say. Any please don't ever try to "really fly" or have any kind of fun at all. Planes just aren't made for that.

Plus I don't think he's supposed to lean in the turns like that, the 11-249 (i think) clearly has a picture that says "no leaning!"

[Guest sleepy]

Originally posted by Stearmann4:

Am I crazy, or is there in inordinate amount of stick and rudder advise being passed on here from hands that have never held a military stick yet?

This thread is not about military sticks. If Big Blue is dropping RV-4's out of UPT, I haven't heard. Stick and rudder is taught at places other than the Air Force, too. You should know that, if you fly Stearmans, or probably Boeings, as they were built to teach elephants to fly (learned that from the same codger who told me the beer cooler comment). :D

Aces High,

I've been drinking, yes, but I think you are being facetious, because that's funny. I, too, was wondering about the leaning. I only do that when I'm playing video games.

[Guest Aces-High]

Haha, good god, I had to look up facetious. I don't even know how to pronounce that. Yea, I think it was the 11-249 that had the leaning thing. The pictures always seemed humorous to me. Lots of good civilian aerobatic pilots do the head leaning thing. Don't know why the military doesn't want you to do it. I do it while I'm driving fast around a tight turn. Or if I'm looking at a naked chick who is lying down.

[Guest Aflyer]

Stearmann:

Military isn't the only place you learn stick and rudder. Open up your mind.

sleepy:

Excellent use of the vocabulary. Any time you send someone to the dictionary deserves a pat on the back.

Aces:

Or if you're looking at a naked chick lying down while driving fast around a tight ass ... er ... turn. I think part of it is to maintain your sense of balance and equilibrium.

[Guest KoolKat]

Originally posted by Aces-High:

I would never fly any airplane with any writeups

I'm glad I don't subscribe to that one...I'd literally never fly.

BENDY

[Guest Rainman A-10]

Originally posted by Bergman:

Cozy Mark IV

I wonder how much B-Bop got paid for that quote on the top of the website.

The quote is bad enough but the picture is truly gay...

I'll let someone quote me if they cough up an airplane. "It's as close to killing people in A-10 as you can get. Well, not really but it is a nice airplane and they gave me one for free..."

I'm supposed to go to Nellis for a conference in a couple weeks. Dick Rutan is also going to speak there, I'll have to ask him what kind of deal he can get me.

[Guest Rainman A-10]

It reminded me of UPT-H. We used to fly down the Pea river in Alabama like that wearing PVS-5 cutaway goggles. It was fun as long as you were ready to mnvr when an opposite direction chopper popped up.

My only thought about the RV along the river was "How solid is the canopy on that thing if he smacks a bird?" I did not think it was unsafe. Unpopulated area, by yourself...who cares what you do with your airplane.

[Guest Stearmann4]

Originally posted by AFlyer55:

Stearmann:

Military isn't the only place you learn stick and rudder skills, open your mind

I agree completely as I flew civilian for almost 15 years before I before I went to flight school.(Crop dusters) The military is where I learned how to manuever aggressivley, but mitigate risk as appropriate. Like anything else in life, the only way to bank experience...is to gain experience. With that in mind, several safety cautions issued on this thread were from pilots who have no background to base their opinions other than what they've been taught in their short time in aviation. As was stated by Berg, sometimes you have to exceed 30 degrees AOB, and practice using your feet.

Lastly, unless a student was fortunate enough to find an old codger of a CFI who was willing to teach you how to milk max performance out of your little training airplane,(or your skills) you most likely have never taken an airplane beyond PTS standards and thus, manuevers like flying down a river appear absurd. Hell, I'm even a safety officer. The aircraft is approved for stressful manuevers, the pilot was obviously current and well qualified in type and familiar with the route, his control movements were smooth and deliberate, and outside a populated area. Beyond the FARs, I though he did it pretty safely.

Sleepy:

Yes, Stearmans are pretty docile once you get them off the ground, but I also instruct in AT-6's, and as of late, fly an F6F Hellcat for a museum in CA. I can tell you that the "elephant training" you learn in the Stearman applies directly to the bigger planes of the era, but you won't get any of that practicing lazy-8s at 3,000' in a Cessna.

[ 03. May 2006, 11:00: Message edited by: Stearmann4 ]

[Guest Aflyer]

Originally posted by Stearmann4:

I agree completely as I flew civilian for almost 15 years before I before I went to flight school.(Crop dusters) The military is where I learned how to manuever aggressivley, but mitigate risk as appropriate. Like anything else in life, the only way to bank experience...is to gain experience. With that in mind, several safety cautions issued on this thread were from pilots who have no background to base their opinions other than what they've been taught in their short time in aviation. As was stated, sometimes you have to exceed 30 degrees, and practice using your feet.

Lastly, unless a student was fortunate enough to find an old codger of a CFI who was willing to teach you how to milk max performance out of your little training airplane,(or your skills) you most likely have never taken an airplane beyond PTS standards and thus, manuevers like flying down a river appear absurd. Hell, I'm even a safety officer. The aircraft is approved for stressful manuevers, the pilot was obviously current and well qualified in type and familiar with the route, his control movements were smooth and deliberate, and outside a populated area. Beyond the FARs, I though he did it pretty safely.

[Guest Aces-High]

AFflyer55,

Haha, you might be right. Although I would hope I'd just take the tunnel bypass. Saves a little time and gets you home faster. Especially considering gas prices these days.

[Guest Rainman A-10]

Originally posted by Aces-High:

Haha, you might be right.

Haha.

[Guest Stearmann4]

Rain,

I was thinking of a gentleman of your experience and vintage when I referred to an old CFI! McGruff filled me in.

Mike-

[ 08. May 2006, 11:12: Message edited by: Stearmann4 ]