Bush Flew Fighter Jets During Vietnam

On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 08:24:07 -0600, Ed Rasimus
wrote:

On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 20:35:10 -0700, Mary Shafer
wrote:

On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 09:36:59 -0600, Ed Rasimus
wrote:

The T-38 has been a great airplane for 42 years of training and with
the upgraded glass cockpit looks like it will be active in SUPT for
another 20 years at least.

I have a friend who went from F-18s and SR-71s to T-38s (Bs, I think)

That doesn't track. Was he on USN exchange? Was he flying "company"
SR-71? If he was USAF it isn't likely that he would have been flying
either, but then how did he get to T-38s? The only "B" models are
AT-38s, which are only flown by the SUPT fighter-leadin squadron. The
NASA, ATC/UPT Talons are all "A" models.

Actually, he started flying helos in the USN, converted to F-4s, and
was sent to Dryden as Navy Liaison Officer. He left the USN and hired
on at Dryden, where he flew the F-8 DFBW, the B-52, the F-104, the
F-18, the F-18 HARV, and the SR-71. He was flying the last three
before he transferred to JSC to be a support pilot flying T-38s.

I don't know what model the JSC T-38s are. I thought they were Bs,
but I'm apparently wrong. We had one for a while, but we had to give
it back or I could have checked.

with conventional cockpits. He sure missed the HUD at first. I don't
think he realized how much difference it made to him. I could have
told him, though, because having a HUD greatly improves my piloting,
so think of what it does for a real pilot.

Did the SR-71 get a HUD? Dunno what there would be to see out the
window.

No need. You don't fly the SR-71 head-up but on the instruments. The
crews say they rarely even look out the window except during takeoff
and landing. The RSOs don't even do that.

I was referring to the F-18s and their HUDs. We have both research
F-18s and support F-18s, so the test pilots get most of their time in
them.

Mary

--
Mary Shafer Retired aerospace research engineer

Welcome back, Mary!

Mary Shafer wrote:
On Tue, 20 Jul 2004 08:24:07 -0600, Ed Rasimus
wrote:


On Mon, 19 Jul 2004 20:35:10 -0700, Mary Shafer
wrote:


On Thu, 15 Jul 2004 09:36:59 -0600, Ed Rasimus
wrote:


The T-38 has been a great airplane for 42 years of training and with
the upgraded glass cockpit looks like it will be active in SUPT for
another 20 years at least.

I have a friend who went from F-18s and SR-71s to T-38s (Bs, I think)

That doesn't track. Was he on USN exchange? Was he flying "company"
SR-71? If he was USAF it isn't likely that he would have been flying
either, but then how did he get to T-38s? The only "B" models are
AT-38s, which are only flown by the SUPT fighter-leadin squadron. The
NASA, ATC/UPT Talons are all "A" models.


Actually, he started flying helos in the USN, converted to F-4s, and
was sent to Dryden as Navy Liaison Officer. He left the USN and hired
on at Dryden, where he flew the F-8 DFBW, the B-52, the F-104, the
F-18, the F-18 HARV, and the SR-71. He was flying the last three
before he transferred to JSC to be a support pilot flying T-38s.

I don't know what model the JSC T-38s are. I thought they were Bs,
but I'm apparently wrong. We had one for a while, but we had to give
it back or I could have checked.


with conventional cockpits. He sure missed the HUD at first. I don't
think he realized how much difference it made to him. I could have
told him, though, because having a HUD greatly improves my piloting,
so think of what it does for a real pilot.

Did the SR-71 get a HUD? Dunno what there would be to see out the
window.


No need. You don't fly the SR-71 head-up but on the instruments. The
crews say they rarely even look out the window except during takeoff
and landing. The RSOs don't even do that.

I was referring to the F-18s and their HUDs. We have both research
F-18s and support F-18s, so the test pilots get most of their time in
them.

Mary

I don't know what model the JSC T-38s are. I thought they were Bs,
but I'm apparently wrong. We had one for a while, but we had to give
it back or I could have checked.


T-38N, modified version of the A model.

On Wed, 08 Sep 2004 17:13:20 -0700, Mary Shafer
wrote:

No need. You don't fly the SR-71 head-up but on the instruments. The
crews say they rarely even look out the window except during takeoff
and landing.

How sad!


all the best -- Dan Ford
email: (put Cubdriver in subject line)

The Warbird's Forum www.warbirdforum.com
Expedition sailboat charters www.expeditionsail.com

Mary wrote:

Does the T-38 glass cockpit have a HUD?

Hmm, good question, I know the T-38Cs headed for IFF do, but I'm not sure about
the SUPT T-38s?


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

They do. My next door neighbor flew T-38Cs in SUPT and absolutely loved
the glass cockpit.

Michael Kelly
Bone Maintainer

BUFDRVR wrote:
Mary wrote:


Does the T-38 glass cockpit have a HUD?


Hmm, good question, I know the T-38Cs headed for IFF do, but I'm not sure about
the SUPT T-38s?


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

Sam Byrams wrote:

[Mason's book claims] the T-38 Talon was a big challenge for people
whose total experience consisted of under 200 hours in the T-37.

I found the T-38 easier to fly than the Tweet. It was a bit "tricky" landing,
but it was also easy to learn how to land it well.


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"

(BUFDRVR) wrote in message ...
Sam Byrams wrote:

[Mason's book claims] the T-38 Talon was a big challenge for people
whose total experience consisted of under 200 hours in the T-37.

I found the T-38 easier to fly than the Tweet. It was a bit "tricky" landing,
but it was also easy to learn how to land it well.


Okay, just supposing I hit the Powerball and do what any red-blooded
American would,i.e. kiss up to Chuckie and cut him a three million
dollar check. What do I have to do to get checked out in this beast?
Can the average guy with the FAA required minimums,some decent
aerobatic experience (not competition) and a willingness to pay
attention handle this airplane?

On 16 Jul 2004 14:24:16 -0700, (Sam Byrams)
wrote:

(BUFDRVR) wrote in message ...
Sam Byrams wrote:

[Mason's book claims] the T-38 Talon was a big challenge for people
whose total experience consisted of under 200 hours in the T-37.

I found the T-38 easier to fly than the Tweet. It was a bit "tricky" landing,
but it was also easy to learn how to land it well.


Okay, just supposing I hit the Powerball and do what any red-blooded
American would,i.e. kiss up to Chuckie and cut him a three million
dollar check.

?????? What is that about? Who is Chuckie?

What we have here is "failure to communicate."

What do I have to do to get checked out in this beast?

It isn't a "beast". It's a military high performance trainer. It makes
things happen fast, but it is fairly docile.

Can the average guy with the FAA required minimums,some decent
aerobatic experience (not competition) and a willingness to pay
attention handle this airplane?

If you're comfortable at 4G, can handle being upside down, can deal
with basic instrument procedures, and don't get complacent, you can
probably learn to fly the airplane. If you've got some talent, you
could probably be trained to fly it near max performance. It ain't
rocket science.

But it also isn't flying fighters.



Ed Rasimus
Fighter Pilot (USAF-Ret)
"When Thunder Rolled"
Smithsonian Institution Press
ISBN #1-58834-103-8

Ed Rasimus wrote:

?????? What is that about? Who is Chuckie?

Around here "Chucky" is the nickname of the Tampa Bay Bucanneers
head football coach Jon Gruden (formerly the Oakland Raiders head
coach). The fans nicknamed him that because (for example) in 3rd and
long situations deep in his own territory with time running down, a
stressed-out Gruden kinda resembles the "Chucky" doll in the 1990
R-rated horror flick, "Child's Play." :-E --- fangs

(Even if I could afford a T-38, having to pay for my own JP-4 would
take all the fun out of those full-burner takeoffs!!)