OT: Texas Air Aces Crash

[Udie]

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/front/2236147


 Sorry for putting this in the main forum, but I don't have access to the O'club....

WILLIS -- One of two planes that appeared to be performing mock aerial combat Wednesday lost a wing, possibly in a collision, and crashed west of Lake Conroe, killing the pilot and passenger.

Donald L. Wylie, 64, of Montgomery and William Eisenhauer Jr., 39, of Centerville, Ohio, died in the crash, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety's Conroe office. The Harris County medical examiner's office said it was trying to confirm their identities Wednesday night.

 Very sad news.  Those who were at the WB '97 con in Houston may remember meeting him when he did that little siminar.  I was lucky enough to have met Don on a number of occassions in the late 90's in Houston.  He was a great guy and a great pilot.






U

[Drex]

Me and Scop won the 2 vs 2 tourny and got the ride of a lifetime with Phantom and Butter.  We got to dogfight with the 6g limit before the FAA put the 4g limit on the T-34.  Phantom was a great pilot and really made my Texas Air Aces experience that much more special.  Sad News.

I'm glad that Butter made it back, though.

Drex

[Maniac]

Damn, what kind of ACīs were they flyin? WWII?

[mora]

Sad news.

Weren't they wearing chutes? I've heard it's quite common to do dangerous stuff like aerobatics without a chute over there.

[Udie]

I heard a report that one of them bailed out but was too low for the chute to open  I haven't confirmed this yet though.


Drex,

 Phantom was the one Scop flew with right?  Didn't they have electrical failure on final aproach and Scop had to hand crank the gear down?  Just watching that video of Don (Phantom) winning a 4 vs. 1 f16 fight let me know right then and there that this guy knew what the heck he was doing when it came to flying.

[Drex]

Yes, Phantom rode with scop.  After our 3 dogfights we called the tower and asked if we could do a loop over the runway to pull 6 gs again.  After Scop/Phantom pulled theirs we couldn't communicate with them over the radio.  We pulled up beside them and Phantom and Butter started doing hand signals to each other.  He tells me that they have lost electrical power.  (including the camera which cuts off on the tape after the loop)  Scop had to manually bring down the gear from the front seat.  Got down safely.  Was an incredible time.

Drex

[Lone Wolf]

Very sad.  Really ruined my day when they called from Hooks with the news.  I flew about 5 times with Don and learned a lot about dogfighting, but also about unusual attitude recovery which is what they were doing when his T-34 lost its right wing.  Various reports indicate it occured anywhere from 7 down to 3 k and one of the people may have gotten out, but chute failed.
to a fine pilot, a vetern and a good man
LW

[DrDea]

Always sad to hear when a good pilot gets lost.Kinda makes what we do seem trivial.We get to land in the tower.They end up in front of God saying..."Nice place.Wheres the runway?"

[emanka]

Udie…

Don (Phantom) Wylie was my grandfather and I had never heard of him flying F-16s, was that some sort of simulation you were speaking of? and where did you see the video? 
If you have some time to get back to me I would love to learn a bit more about this.  Thank you very much.

Evan Manka

[ozrocker]

10 year old bump, but what the heck.

Why didn't you start a new thread?


                                                                                                                                                 Oz

[Toad]

.

[Karnak]

10 year old bump, but what the heck.

Why didn't you start a new thread?


                                                                                                                                                 Oz

He probably found it via a google search looking for info about his granddad and didn't realize it was from ten years ago.  Be charitable.

[rabbidrabbit]

10 year old bump, but what the heck.

Why didn't you start a new thread?


                                                                                                                                                 Oz

Jeez man, did you read what he wrote, give him a break.

[Slash27]

Jeez man, did you read what he wrote, give him a break.

[Skuzzy]

Locked for violation of forum posting rule #10.