• Welcome to BellGab.com Archive.
 

Aviation Thread - News, facts, questions, photos, videos, etc.

Started by Taaroa, June 04, 2017, 09:15:23 AM

Taaroa

Quote from: Uncle Duke on September 04, 2020, 08:55:25 AM
When the US Interstate Highway System was initiated in the mid/late 50s, there were originally specifications as to the height of signs within x number of feet from the edges of the road.  These dimensions corresponded with the ground clearance and wingspan of KC-135 tankers.  The idea was, in the event of all out war, the tankers would give SAC bombers all but a few minutes flying time's fuel and the tankers would land on whatever stretch of highway available.
I feel like that would be a messy landing for a KC-135 even with the signs set up like that. We've got stretches of remote highway that are deliberately wider and equipped with airstrip markings (eg piano keys) to allow air ambulances to use them, but they're PC-12/King Air sized.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjKpG4hs3CU

I've been wondering, is there a reason why Trump isn't using Airforce One for his political rallies? Everytime I see any footage of them, it looks like he's standing in front of some kind of twin jet (maybe a militarised 757?).

Uncle Duke

Quote from: Taaroa on September 04, 2020, 01:40:23 PM
I feel like that would be a messy landing for a KC-135 even with the signs set up like that. We've got stretches of remote highway that are deliberately wider and equipped with airstrip markings (eg piano keys) to allow air ambulances to use them, but they're PC-12/King Air sized.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjKpG4hs3CU

I've been wondering, is there a reason why Trump isn't using Airforce One for his political rallies? Everytime I see any footage of them, it looks like he's standing in front of some kind of twin jet (maybe a militarised 757?).

It's a function of distance and runways at his destination. All those VIP (Special Air Mission in USAF speak) aircraft are operated by the 89th Airlift Wing out of Andrews AFB.  The decision what a/c to use is probably made jointly by the 89th ops group, schedulers, and maintainers, in conjunction with security personnel.  Regardless of which aircraft it is, its callsign is still "Air Force One" as long as PotUS is aboard.  Same with the other services.  When George W Bush flew to the USS Abraham Lincoln in the S-3, its callsign for the flight was "Navy One."

The smallest a/c to operate with the Air Force One callsign was an Aero Commander used by Eisenhower to fly from DC to his farm in Pennsylvania.

https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/Visit/Museum-Exhibits/Fact-Sheets/Display/Article/195799/aero-commander-u-4b/

Taaroa

Quote from: Uncle Duke on September 04, 2020, 02:32:40 PM
It's a function of distance and runways at his destination.

I guess that makes sense. I thought there might've been some kind of political/legal reason eg Airforce One (the 747s) can't be used for political campaigning. Also saw that Biden has been using a Gulfstream.


Uncle Duke

Quote from: Taaroa on September 05, 2020, 11:46:49 AM
I guess that makes sense. I thought there might've been some kind of political/legal reason eg Airforce One (the 747s) can't be used for political campaigning. Also saw that Biden has been using a Gulfstream.



Sitting Presidents can, and have, used one of the 747s for campaign junkets.  In theory they are supposed to reimburse the government out of campaign/party funds for partisan political trips, although I doubt they pay dollar for dollar.




albrecht

Quote from: Ciardelo on September 09, 2020, 08:07:12 PM
Very cool!


I wonder if the King will take a flight. It certainly beats the cityhopper stuff, though it was pretty cool to know that he was doing that.

https://simpleflying.com/dutch-king-klm-pilot/



Uncle Duke

Quote from: Taaroa on September 20, 2020, 01:13:29 PM
https://twitter.com/Ninja998998/status/1307582281763127296


Using the a/c as an ejection seat test bed.  The seat shown on the slide being ejected is a Russian K-36.  The fighter forebody on the tail of the TU-154 is probably not an F-5, more likely it's one of the "indigenous" fighters Iran developed based on the F-5.  If the Iranians put a K-36 in that a/c, the cockpit must have been redesigned/enlarged.  No way you could integrate the very large K-36 into the small F-5 cockpit.

Taaroa

Russians reportedly shot down a fighter accidently during dog fighting training a few days ago, apparently after being hit by cannon fire from another fighter unintentionally with live ammo.

https://twitter.com/fighterpics/status/1308661749722349568

Quote from: Uncle Duke on September 20, 2020, 04:17:50 PM
Using the a/c as an ejection seat test bed.  The seat shown on the slide being ejected is a Russian K-36.  The fighter forebody on the tail of the TU-154 is probably not an F-5, more likely it's one of the "indigenous" fighters Iran developed based on the F-5.  If the Iranians put a K-36 in that a/c, the cockpit must have been redesigned/enlarged.  No way you could integrate the very large K-36 into the small F-5 cockpit.

I thought the indigenous fighters were smaller versions of the F-5? Pic sort of related - it's the cockpit of their 'stealth plane'.








Taaroa

There are videos that have been released of a few Azerbaijani An-2s being shotdown, and some of the people tracking the conflict seem to think that they've been converted into drones and are being used to reveal the location of real equipment for targeting as opposed to decoys.



This is the type of drone which is being heavily used in the conflict:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xx3MEco1Qlw



Taaroa

Avro Arrow test model found on the bottom of Lake Ontario:

After decades of failed searches, the 'holy grail' of Avro Arrow artifacts uncovered at the bottom of Lake Ontario
https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/after-decades-of-failed-searches-the-holy-grail-of-avro-arrow-artifacts-uncovered-at-the-bottom-of-lake-ontario





Uncle Duke

Quote from: albrecht on October 11, 2020, 07:07:22 PM
Granted it is The Sun and from Russia.
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/12900782/daredevil-russian-pilot-stealth-fighter-jet-no-roof/

We don't know if the Su-57 canopy came off inadvertently or if it was jettisoned on purpose. I've known US aircraft to lose canopies inadvertently, but purposely jettisoning a canopy in flight is very rare here. Maybe to clear smoke in the cockpit or to get rid of canopy damaged by a bird strike.




Uncle Duke

Quote from: Hog on October 28, 2020, 08:40:59 AM
Anyone know what they are redacting on both sides of the nose of the C-5?

peace
Hog

That's a C-17, and they have redacted the individual a/c (serial) identification number.  It's the same as the last four digits of the serial number on the tail.



Powered by SMFPacks Menu Editor Mod