F-35 and Airshows

spazsinbad · by **spazsinbad** » 03 Jul 2019, 12:55

A-4/TA-4 had a funni group of yellow/black stripe handles to pull - woebetide. A KIWI RNZAF story or two

""The incident with NZ6212's canopy was not caused by the pilot pulling the wrong handle. It was caused by the incorrect rigging of the canopy closing cable. You could only just overcenter the closing handles into the lock position. The pilot lost the canopy just after takeoff and circled back and landed.

The RNZAF did have a pilot induced canopy loss with [Trainer] NZ6252 in Nowra when on a training flight. The front seater confirmed to the instructor that he had the correct handle twice and then pulled it [the wrong handle]."

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 04 Jul 2019, 14:23

outlaw162 wrote:The Navy pioneered that technique to counter more agile USAF jets. "I know he's around here somewhere. Draw you varmint."

Other than his forward view, I suppose this F-14 pilot has the best visual outside the cockpit there ever was. Maybe next time go all in, with no windscreen..?

ricnunes · by **ricnunes** » 04 Jul 2019, 15:54

mixelflick wrote:Other than his forward view, I suppose this F-14 pilot has the best visual outside the cockpit there ever was. Maybe next time go all in, with no windscreen..?

IMO, I would say that title would go to the F-15.

wrightwing · by **wrightwing** » 04 Jul 2019, 18:35

mixelflick wrote:
outlaw162 wrote:The Navy pioneered that technique to counter more agile USAF jets. "I know he's around here somewhere. Draw you varmint."

Other than his forward view, I suppose this F-14 pilot has the best visual outside the cockpit there ever was. Maybe next time go all in, with no windscreen..?

F-15s, F-16s and F-18s have better visibility.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 04 Jul 2019, 20:55

Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 04 Jul 2019, 23:43

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

Sure about that? :wink:

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 05 Jul 2019, 14:33

sferrin wrote:
sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

Sure about that?

Yep.

Canopy line is at the pilots bicep and is half a foot away from the arm in the F-22. It's at the pilots elbow and nearly touching it in the Viper.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 05 Jul 2019, 14:39

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:
sferrin wrote:
sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

Sure about that?

Yep.

Canopy line is at the pilots bicep and is half a foot away from the arm in the F-22. It's at the pilots elbow and nearly touching it in the Viper.

I have heard the pilots view from the F-16 described as, "feeling like you're riding on top of the aircraft rather than inside it".

ricnunes · by **ricnunes** » 05 Jul 2019, 15:26

sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

When I posted my reply I also thought about the F-16.
But isn't the F-15 canopy "bubble" bigger than the F-16?
It was this "sensation" that makes me believe that the F-15 could have a slightly better outside visibility although I grant that the F-15 has a frame dividing the canopy in two parts while the F-16 don't and this could be an advantage for the F-16 in this regard.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 05 Jul 2019, 16:21

ricnunes wrote:
sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

When I posted my reply I also thought about the F-16.
But isn't the F-15 canopy "bubble" bigger than the F-16?
It was this "sensation" that makes me believe that the F-15 could have a slightly better outside visibility although I grant that the F-15 has a frame dividing the canopy in two parts while the F-16 don't and this could be an advantage for the F-16 in this regard.

The F-15 has the canopy frame and the sidewall of the cockpit comes up much higher. I fly VR F-14, F-15, F/A-18, A-10, and Su-27. I have sat in a real F-16. None of them come anywhere close to the low and tight canopy in the F-16.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 05 Jul 2019, 16:24

sferrin wrote:
I have heard the pilots view from the F-16 described as, "feeling like you're riding on top of the aircraft rather than inside it".

My feeling was that the cockpit was shrink wrapped around me in the F-16. You literally cannot see any part of the plane in front of you or to the side. You have to look over your shoulder at the wing to see that there is actually a plane there.

sferrin · by **sferrin** » 06 Jul 2019, 13:21

ricnunes wrote:
sprstdlyscottsmn wrote:Yeah, the -16 wins hands down.

When I posted my reply I also thought about the F-16.
But isn't the F-15 canopy "bubble" bigger than the F-16?
It was this "sensation" that makes me believe that the F-15 could have a slightly better outside visibility although I grant that the F-15 has a frame dividing the canopy in two parts while the F-16 don't and this could be an advantage for the F-16 in this regard.

Some pretty good views here but they're not exactly from the pilot's perspective. . .

mixelflick · by **mixelflick** » 08 Jul 2019, 15:03

The F-15 might seem the best, simply because you are sitting UP in an F-15 (variously described also as "high"). In the F-16, you sit in a pretty steep, reclining position...

F-16ADF · by **F-16ADF** » 08 Jul 2019, 15:56

As others have said, the F-16 gives you the feeling you are nearly above the jet. In my opinion its viz is the best. Been in a Block 15ADF, its sim, Block 30, its sim. The F-15 is also really good, -Viper still a bit better. F-14 is the worst out of the teen series. Never been in a SH.

sprstdlyscottsmn · by **sprstdlyscottsmn** » 08 Jul 2019, 16:05

Sat in a Luke F-16 at an airshow and flown F-14, F-15, and F/A-18C in VR. The backseat of the Tomcat feels like it is swallowing you.