Yeager Oops

I'm sure you have more time in the SNJ than I have, but ever since I
went through Navy basic in one, I've thought of it as a pretty docile
airplane.

Kids who had never been in an airplane were soloing it in about 12
hours, so it couldn't have been very difficult to fly or land; and if
there were any groundloops while I was there, there were so few of
them I have no memory of them.

Perhaps it was because we learned to three-point it. In fact, our
instructors were happiest if we "one-pointed" it, with the tail wheel
hitting first.

vince norris

I would respectfully disagree with you on this assessment of the T6.

And I must respectfully disagree with you.

You don't seem to have read my posting very carefully.

an extremely narrow gear spread on the ground;

I don't see how you can call it an "extremely narrow gear spread." It
may have been narrower than that of a P-51, P-47 or SB2C, but was
hardly "extremely narrow." The Bf 109 gear was "extremely narrow."

The problem occurs in roll out as the speed bleeds down past rudder
effectiveness

You seem to be talking about wheel landings. I said we learned to
land with the tail wheel solidly on the ground, and keep it there.

Remember, even back in the old days, either in the Navy with the SNJ or the
AirForce with the T6.....you didn't touch a T6 until you had gotten passed
primary and they felt you could handle the airplane.

Again, you don't seem to have read my posting. I said that kids WHO
HAD NEVER BEEN IN AN AIRPLANE were soloing the SNJ in about 12 hours.

I suspect that something quite unusual caused Yeager's accident.
Perhaps a blown tire or a bad brake.

vince norris

Glennis was also his ex-wife when she died, IIRC.

Glennis was also his ex-wife when she died, IIRC.

Think you might want to check your facts. Glennis passed awy in December 1990
from cancer and she was not an ex.

Bob McKellar wrote:

For the "It can happen to anybody" file-----

http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/news...ws/379960.html

***************

"It was something else to put an aircraft down like that and get up
and walk away from it....."

***************


Classic, CLASSIC Yeager!!

Do any T-6/SNJs exist that never had a wing tip "touch the earth"?

VL

On 03 Oct 2003 16:14:58 GMT, (MLenoch) wrote:

There are probably a number of them parked in static museums
around the world.... grins

Bela P. Havasreti

Do any T-6/SNJs exist that never had a wing tip "touch the earth"?

VL

Apparently the airplane passenger was Yeager's wife. The Atlanta
Journal-Constitution says:

"Yeager, 80, had a bump on his head but neither he nor his wife,
Victoria, was seriously injured in the accident at Heaven's Landing,
said Mike Ciochetti Jr., the developer of the community."

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/met.../03yeager.html

http://www.11alive.com/news/news_art...?storyid=37435

--

Paul Hirose

At 80 years old, Yeager may have to take a hard look at whether or not
age is cutting into his abilities. A friend of mine is 82, and recently quit
flying after he "found myself chasing after the airplane instead of flying it."

Nothing worse than having to deal with the effects of aging on something
you absolutely love to do. It's a shame. I remember when I had to take my
Father's car keys away after a series of fender-benders. He was devastated
at the loss of his independence, despite the fact that someone was always
there to drive him anywhere he wanted to go. It was heart breaking to do it, but
the alternative was worse. Even great pilots like Chuck Yeager reach a point
when it's time to curtail flying or fly less demanding types.

I'm glad he and his wife were no worse for the wear.

My regards,

Widewing (C.C. Jordan)
http://www.worldwar2aviation.com
http://www.cradleofaviation.org