New member with an R9

[tracker]

I was a Navy carrier pilot with 300 traps, 100 at night and no bolters. After that I was a DC-9 Captain for a major airline. Carrier flying was challenging but very satisfying; I can safely say that I was engaged with three airline approaches into San Diego--of all places--Hartford--and Midway that challenged me far greater than any carrier landing. These were primarily due to winds and weather but required skills that I would not have had except for my Navy training and airmanship requirement.

[Tailwheel]

That’s awesome.  Thank you for your service too!   What did you fly in the Navy?

I fly and own a 1954 Cessna 170B and a Piper PA-28-235.   Bought the 170 in San Diego and flew it home to Alabama in 2010.  You know you got a good headwind when the log trucks are passing you.  But that was a fun trip. 

[tracker]

I flew S-2s and switched to A-4s for a bit more fun and excitement. Two Westpac cruises on the Hornet flying S-2s during Vietnam and a Med cruise on the Saratoga flying the A-4. Thank you.

[Tailwheel]

Well. That makes sense.  The grumman s-2 tracker.  I should have picked up on that earlier. 

My son is a lineman at our home base airport.  They regularly get Dc-9s in to take on freight.  They are ragged out but it’s really cool seeing them on the ramp. 

[tracker]

Someone correctly said that the DC-9 is the stick and rudder airplane database.

[MikeInTexas]

I am guessing both you guys are up to date on this accident and the details, however some others might find this interesting.

Part 1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ftcn3NwAZCI

Part 2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3TnRjma-uo

(Warning, takes more than half of second video to get past hosts stories and get to subject he has the copilot there to discuss. Could have been a 4 minute video, IMHO.)

Since I never got into aviation as deep as you guys have, I found the depth of information regarding this incident very interesting.  Not the stuff you can get from a typical media story.   Impressed by the what I thought was a simple subject, ejection seats, and the technology and small nuances involved to make them work correctly.


,

[tracker]

Interesting discussions; fortunately, I never had to call on Martin Baker for assistance in leaving the airplane.

[MikeInTexas]

Bad weekend for aviation and airshows.

Crash in Turin, Italy killed a child on the ground yesterday when a "Red Arrows" jet went in.  Pilot ejected.

Two pilots killed in Reno today during the air races. Understand they died when, after their race, the planes collided upon landing.

[tracker]

And a Marine F-35 pilot based at MCAS Beaufort ejected on the East Coast today. Remember the Great Santini?

[MikeInTexas]

Yes Tracker, good movie.

Just hated to see the air racing tradition at Reno end this way.  They ended up cancelling the last three races after the accident, never to race there again.  With some luck, the air races will be held at another venue in 2025. (The end of the Reno era was not due to today's incident, but was already on the books)

[tracker]

At the risk of sensory overload here is a 7 day recount of a hobby pilot's odyssey. I haven't verified the authenticity of it but the details are  too compelling not to believe.

https://generalaviationnews.com/2023/09/06/seven-accidents-in-seven-days/

[backupr9]

Upper level Darwin Award for sure!

[MikeInTexas]

Wow, that was an epic adventure.  Should have bought a lotto ticket upon drying out.

[chrisodasso@comcast.net]

For you CZ 452 enthusiasts:  https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1010655189
Also check out the Weatherby I’m offering.
Pretty close to Christmas…

[MikeInTexas]

Wow, both of those rifles are very nice

GLWS.