Aviation MegaThread!!!!

We get Ospreys making practice approaches at our little airport here in Manteo fairly often and they certainly hve a distinctive sound. They are an interesting aircraft ...though like most new types (I'm thinking Harrier) they have experienced teething problems. In particular their descending with power or vortex ring state is way out of the norm compared to conventional helicopters and that has cost at least one lost aircraft and crew. Being both a fixed wing and helicopter pilot they have always interested me ...

Back when I was going into flight school, my uncle, who flew C-130s in Vietnam, pulled me aside. He said I was in for the adventure of my life but had these words of wisdom: "don't fly an Alpha model ANYTHING!"

8000+ hours later and I have to admit those were true words of wisdom. I did log about 1700 hours in the alpha model Blackhawk, but by the time I got into it they had figured out most of the problems. I think I'd fly that tilt-rotor pretty conservatively and hope the test pilots had defined the envelope.

KC and I were heading to the movies yesterday in Grapevine, Tx and saw about 10-15 UH-60s low overhead going for DFW airport.


They always joke about hearing/seeing black helicopters...

The AC-130 Gunships in use in SEA in 1970 were all A-Models. With three bladed props. 53-129 ("first Lady) was the first C-130 delivered to the Air Force (in 1953). They started using E-Models in about '71. They were upgraded to 4 blade props in the mid 70's. 129 is on display at Eglin.

I wrenched C-130A's in SEA. 51st FIS DET 4 out of Danang AB. '65-'66. All had 3 blades and our mission was code named "Blind Bat". We were TDY out of Naha Okinawa.

Hey, question for you all. As it looks like I am going to start getting a little stick time here and there with my job, would it be worth my while to purchase a flight simulator program to get some "extra" stick and rudder experience in? The other day my feet were being dumb and kept reversing my rudder controls :huh

I have played some flight sims and have a force feedback joystick, but would need pedals to go with. Figure practicing some of the aerobatics and instrument watching would be helpful.


Opinions?

A few years ago when things got a little sketchy on the US/Mexico border a few MH-60s showed up at the local airport. They pulled the helicopters and airplanes out of the Border Patrol hangars and pushed the 'hawks in and closed the hangar doors up right away. From what I heard the helicopters and passengers were only here a couple days.

Blind Bat was sort of a sister group to us. We were out of Ubon Thailand.

Yeah, but they were all well broken-in airframes when they were refitted with the guns and sensors.

Until last year I didnt know that in 1912 (yes 100 years ago) there was an international flying week held in my village. It was a contest for hydroplanes to determine which one would be used for the exploration of the Congo.

Last weekend we celebrated this event. One of the participants was a replica of a Donnet-Leveque, one of the contestants in 1912.

These are pictures of the event in 1912







These are pictures of last sunday

Thanks for the pictures GSP, I enjoy looking at obsolete technology. The pics of the rotary engine the replice are great....what a piece of art!

GSPeP

As archaic as that airplane appears, it still has some beautiful flowing lines. It's as though designers at the time didn't have a complete grasp of aerodynamics, yet somehow knew that the swoops and curves were the right thing to do. And don't even get me started on the engine. Art and machinery combined! Magnificent!

I have some more of the engine:



During the event there was also a fly-by of 3 biplanes from just before WWII (From the "Stampe-Vertongen" collection)

I wonder how much ram-effect was gained through centrifugal force accelerating the intake air in the round plenum and 'down' those intake pipes?

Probably spun too slowly to gain much.

XR650L_Dave sez:

"I wonder how much ram-effect was gained through centrifugal force accelerating the intake air in the round plenum and 'down' those intake pipes?"

Your assesment of none is probably right, but not due to centrifugal effect. The air followed a tortured path through the center of the crankshaft to get to the crankcase, then out the pipes to the heads. Yes, the crankshaft was hollow and attached to the fire wall What passed for a carbie was attached to the crankshaft :eek1

At least it wasn't a monosaupe engine that had the weird centrifugal valve in the piston crown to duct the mixture into the cylinder :huh

The rotaries are so fascinating, so much dead end technology. But absolute works of art in execution and in their day, they were the king of power to weight ratio and reliability in aircraft engines. :eek1

Their reign was short, roughly 1910 to about 1916 in terms of the best aircraft engines available. By 1916 they were obsolete but were being made in large numbers on both sides of WWI and stayed in front line service to the end. After 1918, they disappeared rapidly.

But they are still works of art.

Just flew over my workplace this morning about 11:25

Awesome.

It's going to do a pass around Disneyland tomorrow so will likely be going right over my house! I'll have the camera ready.

Cool!

I know a little about the Wright bros at Kittyhawk and WW I aircraft but have never heard anything about the development in between. Anybody know of any good books, websites or documentaries?