Forum: Civil and General Aviation

Most of the SHARs have been retired, they are officially retired in March next year... we're upgrading our GR7's to GR9 status and the Navy are getting a squadron or 2 of them due to RAF squadrons moving onto Typhoon. Even though, they are replacing the best dogfighter behind the Hawk we had (until Typhoon goes IOC) with radar and AMRAAM with a radar-less aircraft thats got to rely on AWACS + ASRAAM for fleet defence Sad

The SHAR has the original harrier wing which makes it more manouveurable but can't carry as many stores!!! Standard weapons fit was either 2x AMRAAM, 2x fuel, 2x cannon, 1x bomb or 4x Aim-9, 2x Fuel, 2x AMRAAM, 1x recce/bomb. The GR.9s have just improved avionics to enable Brimstone.etc carriage... of which is can carry 18!!!! Plus 2 Asraams! Otherwise they look no different to USMC Av-8B's without the radar.

Damn penny pinchers... sad thing is as with the one thats going to fly in the states; alot of the SHARs were delivered in the late 90's (last delivery 1998) so have little airframe time!

Andy

F-16.net Sponsor

TC,

Yeah, I've flown outta of KPAM a few times. I've never flown the Hawk so I couldn't tell you the difference, but 400KIAS is fun as hell! The -39 is a great little jet, the spool time sucks sometimes in the pattern & on final, but who doesn't have to work hard to stay ahead of a turbojet!??

After lengthy phone calls to WPAFB, ACC & Nellis, we concluded that the the Visors for the -33/P were easier to have chromed than the 55/P. As you know the 33/P visor is on a track & the 55/P has the bungee's with the good 'ol "pull to dot." The Thunderbirds didn't want to change their helmets either, as they cost around $2000 a piece! The Demo teams are still sticking to the -55/P & they will stay unpainted... Unless you're a certain T-6 driver who decided to think the rules were there just as a general guide!!

The Specialised Electrolysis process covers the entirity of the polycarbonate lens, so for the 33/P its a piece of cake, chrome it & wrap it & mail it back to me & then I send them to the team. The visor for the 55/P is a small fortune to set up which is why i'm having to order them in batches of 25-50. I have to have the RAW lens sent to me from Gentex & have them chromed/blue/gold & then have them sent to a company in Illinois to be coated in an anti abrasion/anti scratch coat & then have them back to Gentex to have the bungee's & hardware added & then have them sent back to me...

It's a big pain in the a$$ but HEY, looking Sierra Hotel is always TOP Priority!
So when you guys see the T-birds & Demo Teams with sweet visors you know who to go see! Wink

I'll give you a call closer to the time I'm back in your yard, so we can arrange Tyndall & you can show me Florida's Sin City!! Cool

I never really dealt much with the 33/P helmets. I know from wearing one, that they are bulkier, and I don't like the "hot spots" that the helmet is notorious for. We had a couple in the Wing Life Support clearly maked "For Training Purposes Only".

For those who don't know, the 33/Ps are the helmets that can be painted...55/Ps are not supposed to be decorated. However, when a C/C would leave, we would paint an unserviceable helmet in our squadron colors, complete with the squadron patch, and all. It looked really good, and we'd stick an old 12/P mask on it to "complete the look".

I have seen a couple units try to get away with painting their 55/Ps. The last time I saw the guys from Ft. Smith, Arkansas (ANG), their helmets were painted gloss gray. The book says you're not supposed to do it, but they got away with it somehow...or at least they did until their next ORI anyway. Wink

How many G's is the L-39 good for? It has to be somewhere around 7 1/2 or 8, right? I've definitely seen you fly before, but somehow I did not retain that figure in my head. Working to stay ahead of a turbojet, eh? Heh heh! JR could tell us some stories about flying the T-Bird! Cool

If you're coming here in Feb, you might see some of the first Spring Breakers show up. PC Beach has been known to get a little crazy about that time. Wink

Just remember to buzz the beach on your way in. The chicks dig it!

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

TC,

Costs are an interesting area as the Feds require that it be an official training flight.
So we can’t just take your money and go out and make a hop as the FARs for EXPERIMENTAL aircraft won’t allow that. It’ll depend on the fuel costs. PM me…

ARK ANG - That’s funny you should mention them as my other brother, JR, is their commander. He brought a Viper over to the show in Chattanooga a month ago.

I’ll take my HGU-33s any day, never spent more than 2.7 hours wearing one, but my liner fit perfectly and since they can use the same liner in both helmets, I figure they just did a bad job molding the liner if they are getting hot spots. Since you fit ‘em, you can tell me.

I’m currently waiting for the much anticipated Gentex 600 knot visor they have been working on getting approved since 2004. I wear a “painted” 55 and pray I don’t need those rubber band straps doing the speed of heat down low and cuss at the visor scratches I never got on my 33s…

T-Bird stories, I’ll save that for another thread. 350 kts ground speed at FL 330 for 900 nautical. Good for 7.3 g’s. Like all 1940’s jet trainers, low thrust - 4,600 lbs. Extremely light and fun controls with the 14 to 1 aileron boost… You’ll have to ask Gums too.

The Hunter Tom was flying was owned by Aerogroup. Aergroup had three Harriers in their hanger in Tulsa before they moved to Melbourne FL, then the Jacksonville FL.

Forum: Civil and General Aviation

Mig-21 and Mig-23 for lease in US