The Airplane Thread

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Needs more engine.

I was thinking the same thing...Only 850 Hp. I'm wondering who's behind that " Best Tugs" sponsorship.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

I was thinking the same thing...Only 850 Hp. I'm wondering who's behind that " Best Tugs" sponsorship.

Glider tug with power to spare, methinks. "Whatever glider you got, we can get it well into the air!"

[3798j]

HP... a supercharged Model A...

[Lady Jane]

Originally Posted by 3798j

HP... a supercharged Model A...

And that glider is a Franklin PS-2, first flown in 1930.

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

I was thinking the same thing...Only 850 Hp. I'm wondering who's behind that " Best Tugs" sponsorship.

I think you're joking, but for everyone else, the Patey brothers own the Best Tugs company.

[flybigjet]

https://twitter.com/rossfeinstein/st...TYsF4BIu9foFIQ

When Tower says "We have a number for you to call"-- it's NEVER a good thing.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

https://twitter.com/rossfeinstein/st...TYsF4BIu9foFIQ

When Tower says "We have a number for you to call"-- it's NEVER a good thing.

Tower: "After securing your aircraft, please pick up the phone at the base of the tower."

[Lady Jane]

Supermarine 90% Spitfire replica (1998)

"There are plenty of aero-engined cars, but the Supermarine Aircraft Spitfire replica is a car-engined aircraft. The Chevrolet small block V8 in 366cu in (6.0-liter) form is the same as used in the Corvette from the early 2000s and gives a reliable 430 HP in aero form".

[Fly320s]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

https://twitter.com/rossfeinstein/st...TYsF4BIu9foFIQ

When Tower says "We have a number for you to call"-- it's NEVER a good thing.

AA definitely screwed up.

[Llarry]

The photo of the 90% Spitfire replica reminded me that I had an old list of worldwide flying warbirds as of 2016 and I looked it up. Here are the top ten:
P-51 -- 160 flying
Spitfire -- 60 flying
Yak-3/9/11 -- 52 flying
TBM -- 38 flying
B-25 -- 37 flying
P-40 -- 35 flying
F4U -- 28 flying
Sea Fury -- 19 flying
AD (A-1) -- 17 flying
Hurricane -- 15 flying
F4F/FM -- 15 flying
PBY -- 15 flying

And this list, compiled by the Warbird Information Exchange, is just a snapshot and is always in flux as a result of accidents, restorations, etc. It does not include replicas.

The number of P-51s as compared to the other types always astounds me. If I remember correctly, the most-produced U.S. aircraft of WW2 was the B-24 bomber. The list shows 2 of those still flying.

I've just included combat aircraft in the above list; the census shows 185 DC-3s/C-47s/Dakotas flying, which is the most of any ex-military aircraft. An updated list also shows 31 A-4 Skyhawks flying; I suspect most of those are civil-registered but used exclusively for adversary/aggressor training by military services under contract. I neglected to check the total for trainers, too: I suspect there are a lot of AT-6/SNJ/Harvard trainers flying: Probably more than the P-51 total.

Speaking of replicas, there are some interesting numbers way down on the list: Focke-Wulf's successor company built a number of "continuation"/new production/replica FW-190s over the years; while only one FW-190 remains, there are 9 of these semi-new/replica FW-190s. The same with the Me-262 jet, the world's first operational jet fighter -- a single-digit number of replicas using modern engines were built. They are not really warbirds, but are treasures anyway.

There are a number of former Soviet aircraft on the list, including MiG-15 and MiG-17 jet fighters as well as WW2 piston-powered survivors. The only Japanese warbird on the list is the Mitsubishi A6M Type Zero carrier fighter -- one of those with an original Nakajima engine remains, as well as several which have American engines.

[ezaircon4jc]

Originally Posted by flybigjet

https://twitter.com/rossfeinstein/st...TYsF4BIu9foFIQ

When Tower says "We have a number for you to call"-- it's NEVER a good thing.

We were supposed to say possible pilot deviation, and then give them the phone number to call when they landed. I never said the pilot deviation part as the LAST thing I wanted was the pilot worrying what he did wrong the entire flight and possibly screwing-up something else.

Originally Posted by 3.0L

Tower: "After securing your aircraft, please pick up the phone at the base of the tower."

Or "bring your license and a book of matches to the FSDO!"

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Llarry

The photo of the 90% Spitfire replica reminded me that I had an old list of worldwide flying warbirds as of 2016 and I looked it up. Here are the top ten: //snip//

I added some detail above and here are a couple of photos of jet warbirds. Owing an AT-6 is quite an investment. Upgrading to a P-51 or Spitfire is awfully expensive. But a jet warbird is an entirely different thing -- continuously spending huge buckets of money.

[Lady Jane]

Handley-Page Victor K2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Victor

[Murf the Surf]

Our eldest is one of the brand newly minted A320 Pilots at Air Canada as of last night. Great job Elizabeth.

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

Our eldest is one of the brand newly minted A320 Pilots at Air Canada as of last night. Great job Elizabeth.

Hearty congratulations to Elizabeth! (Presumably First Officer Elizabeth)

Well done!

So it is quite early in her flying career, but do you have a feel for how long it takes before flying as Captain?

[Llarry]

Originally Posted by Lady Jane

Handley-Page Victor K2.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_Victor

Of the V-bombers, the Vulcan always seemed to be the glamour girl but I found the Victor's design very unique and quite British. The Valiant, on the other hand, seemed very pedestrian -- quite ordinary-looking.

I watched a Vulcan flying display -- in Guam of all places -- in the mid-1970s. Quite spectacular!

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by Llarry

Hearty congratulations to Elizabeth! (Presumably First Officer Elizabeth)

Well done!

So it is quite early in her flying career, but do you have a feel for how long it takes before flying as Captain?

Yes, First Officer. I'm not sure how long it takes to move to the left seat. I guess it depends on evaluations and opportunities. AC is having many senior pilots retiring now and are hiring a lot of new pilots.

[Alfisti]

Congrats Murph. Yeah lots of opportunity to be captain, world wide shortage of pilots so lots of places to ply one's trade.

[3.0L]

Originally Posted by Murf the Surf

Our eldest is one of the brand newly minted A320 Pilots at Air Canada as of last night. Great job Elizabeth.

A big congrats! I know the feeling. My son flies the A320 for a major airline. He paid his dues in the regionals before getting there.

[Murf the Surf]

Originally Posted by 3.0L

A big congrats! I know the feeling. My son flies the A320 for a major airline. He paid his dues in the regionals before getting there.

I have to admit I don't really understand the industry, but I know it's been her dream since she was very young. Started out with the Canadian Armed Forces Air Cadets, got her gliding licence and fixed wing with them. Then joined the Canadian Air Force, when she left their she went to the North West Territories and was flying for a small regional carrier, then a flight instructor in Winnipeg, a small regional airline in Red Lake then Thunder Bay, where she became Chief Pilot for that carrier and then made the jump to AC in October. She has followed and chased her dream. Good for her and good for your boy too.

[Lady Jane]

The Custer CCW-5 Channel Wing.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Custer_CCW-5

[3.0L]

2003 Reno Race record of 507 MPH stands to this day: