Aviation BS and Photo Thread

This past Monday was very cool….my youngest son was commissioned a 2nd Lt in the USAF. My 85 year old dad, USAF pilot 1958-1965, administered his Oath of Office and my 84 year old father in law, USN radio man 1958-1962, gave him his first salute. Now he’s off to San Antonio/Randolph AFB to begin his drone pilot training. Unfortunate for him, he missed a UPT assignment by 5 points. So proud

 

Sadly Canada is still flying their F-18's as their primary aircraft and even bought surplus Hornets from Australia to get by. After an eight year delay in reversing and then finally making a decision a few months ago, the replacement F-35's may start arriving in 2026 (4), 2027 (6) and 2028 (6) and the remaining of the 88 ordered by 2032. Until then, the F-18 will be 100 mile an hour taped together.

 

(circa 1975)

CO-PILOT LAMENT

I'm the copilot, I sit on the right,
I'm not important -- just part of the flight.
I never talk back, less I have regrets,
But I have to remember what the pilot forgets.

I make out the flight plans, study the weather,
Pull up the gear, and standby to feather:
Fill out the forms and do the reporting,
And fly the old crate when the pilots' a'courting.

I take the readings, adjust the power,
Handle the flaps, and call the tower.
I find our position on the darkest of nights,
And do all the paper work without any lights.

I call for my pilot and buy him cokes,
Then I have to laugh at his corny jokes.
More than once in awhile, when his landings are rusty,
I'm right on the spot with a "Gosh, but it's gusty!"

All in all I'm a general stooge,
As I sit on the right of the man I call "Scrooge".
I guess you think it's beyond understanding,
But maybe someday he'll give me a landing!​

 

Very cool!

 

Emergency landing of the week:

cid:50002976-CA88-4B37-970D-83AC817112FE/8F30D2E2-9BEC-463D-8192-4F4B6B41372F@hsd1.co.comcast.net

 

Love this. He must have passed the depth perception test! I’m still holding that grudge

 

Kayaking on the Kansas River last weekend while some Chinooks were following the river.

 

I was looking for the salmon

 

He passed everything with flying colors…afoqt 95%, etc. Think what got him was not placing high in field training. He was devastated at first. But after talking to a few friends already out there in the drone world, he’s really pumped. Those guys are highly recruited for government contract work when they get out making pretty big money.
How’s the new career? I’m glad you made that jump…you young guys are way better off at the airlines.

 

smh

 

when the stupid advertise their stupidity

 

The cost of the airplane. The expense of having a helicopter remove it. How much money was he going to make from a wallet manufacturer?

 

Fantastic photos Codie-thanks for sharing!

Congratulations to you and your son!
The fact that both grandfathers were able to be there for that is awesome!

 

I’m liking it so far! Already flown to Europe twice and I’m going to Africa on Thursday. I don’t even have my 100 hours yet and I’m already going new places and seeing new things…all without a single brain cell going to passenger catering, ground transportation, ground personnel etc. This job seems so much easier once over the initial learning hump. I do feel like I should keep climbing when I level off at FL380 though. That’s kind of funny

 

.
That is so cool to have that family heritage and have it documented ... congrats to the proud dad and son and family.

 

https://www.axios.com/2023/06/04/sonic-boom-dc-region-f-16-fighter-jets-cessna

 

A little more information on the C560

https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/314788

 

Hypoxia is a bitch.