20070306

Have you ever been flying?

And I mean really flying? Not just being a passenger on a airborne bus. I mean FLYING!

Well - I got to experience my Christmas present earlier today - a Warbird flight in a T-6G Texan. From American Warbird.

Warbird - man or machine?

[My wife and in-laws got it for me - after I had heard about the 'Commemorative Air Force' being in town w/ either their B-17 or B-24 conducting fund raising for their continuing operations. Don't recognize the name? It is the old Confederate Air Force - operating under a more PC name. I had mentioned that if they ever brought their B-29 out (the last one flying) - I would PAY for a ride on it. So they got me a ride on this Texan].

The T-6 Texan used to be one of the primary training aircraft of the US Armed Forces towards the end of World War 2, and it was also used in other countries around the world - up until 1993.

I was supposed to have the day-off and take my flight last Monday, but chaos and customer stupidity raised its ugly head - so I was able to reschedule to today (and it actually worked out for all involved - they had an aircraft down for mechanical problems last Sunday/Monday - so when I called to push my flight back, they were able to call someone who they had to cancel, and give them my slot).

I had a 30 minute - Super Ace flight - which meant that I got to sit up front. AHAH YEAHAHA!






Warbird - this should scare any bird

Warbird - all dressed up and ready to fly

And it also meant that I got some aerobatics - if I wanted to. So I got to tool around the outskirts of Casa Grande AZ for 30 minutes - between 2k and 6k feet - and ended up doing a couple of rolls. Which in a plane this heavy, and old - is an amazing feat.

My wife and I are already negotiating my plans to fly again next year. She made the comment - "How many breakfasts at Chik-Fil-A do you have to give up to fly the Texan for an hour?"

Stay tuned.

BTW - I sprung for the video of my flight too - since no one came to watch and take pictures (that's what happens when you schedule during the week). Once I get it converted off of the VHS it is on - to a DVD, then I can edit a couple of the rolls and post to YouTube.

UPDATE - yes - it has taken a while - but I got the tape of the flight made into a DVD. Some more pictures from the actual flight are now posted on my Flickr page.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

I don't believe I have ever been quite so jealous of you as I am right now.