Forum: Civil and General Aviation

Yes, I fell in love with them the first time I ever flew in a plane(see flown in list). I was deathly afraid of heights and was going on a trip to CA in the summer of 1977. The son of somebody my Dad worked with volunteered to take him and I up for a flight, figuring it might help me. Once the wheels rotated and we got off of the runway I was fine- we took a tour of my neighborhood and the surrounding MA area. I started flying in may of 1993, working to get a private pilots license. Chose the Pipers for less ground effect during landings- worked out great for me. Put most of my time in at night, figuring it was better to be more prepared that way. Lots of fun to do touch and gos at night time!!!

Never finished though- my coworker/instructor got a job with Continental Airlines. He was renting the planes in his name so I only had to pay for the air time and no instructor cost except at the very beginning. All I had to do was work on radio procedures and solo time, wish I could have finished.

Those higher end Pipers like the Archer and the Dakota are pretty cool, I would even like a Warrior III with the glass cockpit- My instructor friend was partner on a Cessna 337 Skymaster, wish I could have at least ridden in it once before it was sold! Sad

I'm scared of buildings, roofs, ladders, you name it- but flying RULES!!! Cool

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Well it's never too late. Have you heard of the Sport Pilot license?

Unfortunately, it would void the Life Insurance policy on me.

Besides, 2 days before I became a member here, I was laid off. I just passed my 1 year anniversary of that less than auspicious occasion and am still unemployed. With only my wife's pay for the most part, my family will most likely be homeless by spring or summer. Perhaps bankruptcy may save us or I might qualify for disability due to health problems as well.

I understand completely. I've been out of work since last June. If I wasn't leaving in a few weeks, I dunno what I'd do.

Kryptid wrote:

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Mockup? I doubt it. There are plenty of old C-models in museums.

The reason I suspected it of being a mock-up is because I think that some of the technology on the U-2 is still classified (or so I've heard). I guess those sensitive features could have been removed before they were shipped to the museum.

There's nothing about the airframe that would prevent it from being displayed publically. A few of the performance numbers are still classified (why? I don't know), but it's a pretty basic airframe.

What the hell, here goes an abbreviated version. Crazy Pilot

Flown in; Cessna 152,172,182 Aerobat 152, Aero Commander 680, Jet Commander. Cessna Citation Sabreliner. C-5,141,130. F-16
Sat in; Sr-71,Ov-10,A-10,A-7,F-15,F-111,F-4,F-5,F-4U,P-51,P-40,B-52,B-25,B-17,B-29,C-97.

I know I missed a boat load of others, but those are the memorable ones. As far as the statics go. The list could go for days, and I probably would'nt do the list justice. (memory is the first thing to go) Besides they say the memory is the first thing to go. LMAO

Hello Tim, good question, man this question will really make me think, not sure if my old mind can go back that far or remember them all...I'll try and recall at a later date...some of these guys have really been around, by the looks of the listings we got some serious 'fliers" on our hands these days - good on them all, fly safe.

My PM's are not yet activated (can read them, just cant reply yet), I guess the "Mod's" are still working on that side of it but hello old and new friends, one and all from the Meathook

You know, if you really start to think about the different types of aircraft you (any person per-say) has flown in, piloted or been a passenger in (through civilian or military service), the list can be quite lengthy over the years for many of us here on the site.

The more I thought about this subject (and that hurt the old brain cells) and tried tapping into my burned out, older memory cells of a brain, the more I discovered I could remember many of them (it also helped to have a photo or two here and there of the events hanging around the house basement too)

Working for TexStar Aviation (in Waco, Texas) sure helped with clocking up some ‘stick time” and participating in numerous aircraft sales ventures (check rides and customer orientation flights) helped too. So I am sure I have not covered them all but I did try. Looking back I was lucky enough to have travelled quite often and travelled the globe a few times over (thanks mainly to the USAF and civilian aviation) so this is my best shot at remembering those wonderful (sometimes scary) moments of flight.

I’ll start with the military aircraft I flew in (passenger, free ride or duty related)…

F4C/D/E and RF aircraft (numerous incentive rides and later assigned as In-flight Tow Target Operator during one assignment, duty related)

T-37 and T-38 aircraft (incentive rides)

F-14 Tomcat (incentive ride - thanks to the US Navy Blue Angels – I was part of the USAF Thunderbird / Blue Angel, Maintenance Liaison Exchange Program in 1990)

F-15D and E (Strike Eagle) aircraft (incentive rides)

F-16B/D aircraft (incentive rides and duty related)

F-18 aircraft (Blue Angels) (duty related)

Steerman aircraft (open cockpit) thanks to the Blue Angels (happened at Airshow in Texas)

C-118 aircraft (first deployment from Philippines to Taiwan 1970)

C-47 (duty related – Vietnam)

C-123 aircraft (deployment travel)

C-130 and EC-130 aircraft (deployment and HOP (free rides across Europe) cross country)

C-130 Blue Angel (Fat Albert – JATO Ride, duty related, it was amazing)

C-141 aircraft (deployment purposes and cross country HOP)

C-5 aircraft (deployment purposes)

KC-10 aircraft (deployment purposes)

UH-1B/C Helicopters (duty related – Vietnam)

Commercial or civilian aircraft flown in or piloted….

Piloted – Cessna 150, 152, 172, 180, 340 and 414

Sat right seat (both for training purposes and the pure fun of it all) –

Citation II (550) and Citation Columbus (850) / Beechcraft Twin Bonanza (Model 50)

Gulfstream III and Lear Jet 23 (sat right seat – training and fun) and the Mooney M-20J

Commercial - (passenger flights) –

B-24 Confederate Air Force (sticky a joy ride, man was it ever, I managed to sit in front, turret seat)

Boeing 707 – 100 / 727 / 737 / 747 / 767 / 777 (Business Jet) 777 – 300

Bombardier – CRJ 700

Douglas – DC – 8 (Stretch 8 as we called – Freedom Bird out of Vietnam, headed home in 1972)

DC – 10 / L -1011 (Tri Star) / DC-9 / MD-11

You know, when we all start to think about such things, many here have flown a hell’va lot, it is amazing, I guess I never really thought about it (damn that hurt too)….I think I’ll keep this listing for myself too.

Thanks for making me think and now I am (have to be) grateful for all those experiences too (that I may have just taken for granted over the years). I am looking forward to reading all the other folks experiences and travels as well….I think most of us are more lucky then we ever though (looking back as we have here) I know as a kid from Brooklyn, I never would have dreamed I would have accomplished such things – I salute the USAF for this, they changed my life (for the better).

See ya – the Meathook

That's quite an impressive list Meathook, and I could safely venture to guess that you're the only troop who has ever flown in all of the Teen Series fighters, let alone 4/5ths of the AF's models of the Rhino.

Always wished I could've gotten a ride in the Eagle, but what the heck, my 2 in the Viper were impressive enough.

Last edited by Meathook on Mar 31, 2009 - 01:51 AM; edited 1 time in total

I think I might be one of many, I would be willing to bet many have just not chimed in with their memories or flight experiances, but thank you - trust me, I know I was one lucky guy and have the scars to prove it (far too many). Back in the day (old school) I came in back in Oct 69, when I got to the "PI" you could ask for a ride on damn near anything that flew. You could go over to Base Operations, sign up for an aircraft headed anywhere (as long as you were on leave) and take off for a few days and would get a ride home too (as long as you signed up before de-boarding the aircraft).

Times sure changed, hell, I got friendly with a few guys I met out drinking (worked the pessanger terminal) they used to hook me up all the time, fly to Japan for the weekend, Taiwan, Guam, Thailand...anywhere in the Far East. I caught a ride once on a C-118 to Hong Cong, stayed there for three days, I was told I had a blast (dont remember much) but knowing me, I am sure I did have fun. Those were the days...

The incentive programs were much more utilized too, hell, winning Airman of the Quarter, you got a ride in a squadron jet, I almost lost count of those (not just me, many, many folks had that happen). Of course back then, I feel Crew Chiefs were taken care of much better too, rides, taxi rides included, hell, I was high spped taxi qualified as an A1C at Clark AB back in 1970....that program soon stopped about 1974 (after one or two clowns actually took off - screwed it up for us all) but that's how many took place. I woudl check each weekend and if I got awarded a three day pass, I was flying somewhere - I loved it. Yep, these were the days, then of course managing the 12th AF F-16 Demo Team and Thunderbirds, then being with the Blue Angels, I was given more rides that I thought possible, all great timing (lucky timing that is).

Becoming a pilot later (buying and selling aircraft did not hurt the stick time either)...yes, I was lucky and now, it is all behind me, lots of pictures and old friends I have run into over the years who had the same type of things happen to them. I still love to fly, shame I quit flying privately about a year ago but spending my money elsewhere these days but thanks for the kind words. I agree, it all has been amazing and I too cnat believe just how really lucky I have been (guess it made up for my real crappy childhood, losing parents and being brought up in a catholic Home for boys) life sure changed for the better and I'm I glad.

I would say do everything you can, you only live once, try and enjoy as much as possible and sometimes, that actually can happen, it did for me

See ya buddy and thanks

These days, taking a hop might be even easier, especially for retired personnel. For anyone out there that is interested in doing so, call up your closest AMC PAX Terminal (March [AFRC unit] Travis or McChord for West Coast, Charleston, Dover, or McGuire for East Coast), and ask them what they have going out.

Overseas hops are manifested on a first-come, first-serve basis, although you will want to pad your trip by a few days on both ends. Sometimes we break, or have to divert, and there's nothing we can do about it. Also know that your ticket may say Ramstein to McGuire, but if they have to stop off in Sigonella, Sicily or cross the States and land at McChord first, you're going where the mission dictates.

Best bet is to look into what we call the Reserve Shuttle. It's typically a PAX only mission, and those are usually more direct flights, and the destination is direct from Point A to Point B.

You might be sitting sideways in a cargo plane, but you definitely get more leg room and walking around room than the airlines. You also definitely get a bigger meal, most times friendlier service, and it doesn't matter if you're sitting near some screaming brat, because you probably won't be able to hear him anyway. The C-17 is a lot of things, but quiet is not really one of them. Laughing

Last time I hopped, it was to Greece from RAF Mildenhall aboard a C-130. long flight but fun and it only cost the wife and I $40.00 round trip. It was great, got to eat, go up front, spent some time in the "jump seat", had a great time. My son is trying to hopp from Fairchild AFB to Hickam now to go see his sister who is there, nice, easy way to fly if the seats are available

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$40.00

Darn, that beats JetBlue any day--I'm guessing you have to be active/retired AF for that particular adventure though.

Yep, unless it changed...used to be, it was FREE, I think a cost became involved sometime in the early 1980's - not sure though, I just forgot - I flew FREE very much in the early days (70's all over Europe)

I dont have anywhere close what these guys have, experience-wise, but I just turned 18 so cut me a little slack...

Piloted - Cessna Conquest (twin engine turbo-prop)
Diamond Star - (SICK PLANE, all glass cockpit)
Boeing 767 simulator - the one pilots-in-training practice on

Am dying to get my hands on (besides military, obviously):
-Cessna Citation X
-Diamond Twin Star

Always thought it would be fun to build a replica WWI/II fighter and fly that too.

Forum: Civil and General Aviation

What aircraft have you seen, piloted, ridden in, etc.?