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I've been up in my father in laws (retired BA 777) diamond for a go but that's it.
As an ATCO I can request a familiarisation flight in the jump seat but I've never had the time. Want to hold out for a long haul as my mate ended up in Cuba!
From a professional point of view I'd love to do it. I really want to hear what it sounds like from the other end.
Every year we have courses where pilots from virgin, BA etc come along and we talk through what works best. Had Ryanairs chief pilot in for one last year. Top bloke.
I frequently look on ads-b exchange, some interesting military flying above the UK on most days. Infact a USAF C5A Galaxy currently doing circuits above Bury St Edmunds at the mo.
I've sat upstairs on bus on my own before. Does that count?
ATC stories are probably scarier...
The Queen was kind enough to pay me to play in fast jets for a few years....so very kind of her.
Some really great perspectives on here:
[url= http://www.fastjetperformance.com ]Fast Jets[/url]
Looking at the vids on there, it stuck me how [i]busy[/i] flying a fast jet is. Not much chance to savour the freedom and chuck it about for fun....
Also reminds me of my tourist heli flight down Grand Canyon. Pilot was busy on the radio pretty much all the time, making sure that post 911 air traffic controllers didn't scramble the F16s from Nellis to keep us away from Vegas strip or the Hoover Dam....
Teen2 is hoping to have his PPL before his A Levels. Would like to fly commercially. Brother in law is a helicopter pilot. My eyesight meant I'd never get a CPL. So it's vicarious living if he doesn't bankrupt me first!!!
Nah, coolest pilot ever? The late Bob Hoover.....
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=V9pvG_ZSnCc
I've gotta say, that was very cool. 🙂
The Queen was kind enough to pay me to play in fast jets for a few years....so very kind of her.
Indeed it was, so repay her subjects via a tale or two ?
I used to know Kevin Whyman through work, he invited me to go up in the Gnat but we never got it organised. He was killed in an air display crash at CarFest in Cheshire a few years ago.
My old boss managed to drop a bomb from a harrier whilst he was fixing its radio. The front of the bomb clunked into the hanger floor and the back bit was still attached to the plane. He then got on the radio to ask the ATC to get the bomb people to come and help him out.
One Phantom pilot I know managed to end up in the Atlantic as oppsoed to the Chanel as his navigator had his map the wrong way round.
Two ex A-10/Corsair II pilots I know enjoyed getting shot at over Vietnam.
One F-18 pilot I know, loved the job so much that when he retired he divorced his wife and moved to the middle east to carry on flying fast jets as an instructor. 😀
Although I have heard that flying CAP over the North Sea is boring as hell - but as a rule, if a pilot tells you that he hates his job - he's either A) Lying B) Done 30 years or more flying airliners and never once used his job for coke and hookers without the wife knowing.
Whats not to like about the job? 😀
This thread reminds me of an old joke which can easily be modified...
How do you know you're discussing stuff on tinternet with a fighter pilot?
He'll tell you.
Was this you?I had an airmiss with a large drone at Heathrow a few weeks ago
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-38264696
Drones at 11,000 ft! I see that was claimed as a record in March, but I'm shocked a commercial drone can go that high.
No, mine was about 3 weeks ago - very similar incident, but the drone was bigger.
Dantsw13. If you were flying hercs around 05-08 and came through Akrotiri it was probably me fitting the flares to it !!
I remember going out for a jolly on an sf herc in Iraq. The thing was so low that the pilot had to pull up and climb to clear the airfield perimeter fence.
Also flown in a sf Chinook into Basra palace to pick someone up. Was pretty daunting to be honest.
Left in 06, so probably met!!
seadog101 - Member
Closest I managed was when doing the Fighter Controller course at RNAS Yeovilton.
We got sent up in one of the FRADU Falcons, basically private jets that had performance close to that of the Sea Harriers we were learning to FC for. They were doing practise intercepts, so getting thrown around the sky under the direction of someone on a ship at sea.
Was somewhat concerning to see what you can do with one of them. Why the wings were not ripped of is beyond me.
I was very very sick, but it was worth it.
(I failed the course BTW, generally this was considered a good thing for all those involved in flying aircraft)
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I used to maintain those Falcons. Dassault F20, heavily modified for the E/W role.
Believe me - I'm amazed those things still have wings! I remember my first flight in one - then working out why they came back bent.......
A
I know it's not a jet, but even so, you've gotta admit it's quite impressive!