Aces High Bulletin Board
General Forums => Aces High General Discussion => Topic started by: ygsmilo on December 11, 2000, 12:03:00 PM
-
Thought that I would post this here.
I was on vacation last week with the family in Orlando and saw an ad at the hotel for Warbird Adventures in Kissemmee. It was right next the to Flying Tigers Warbird Mueseum. They allow you to fly the T6 Texan 2 seat trainer.
I was very interested to do this not only for the flying but also to get the perspective what is is like in a real single engine WW 2 style of aircraft. The visability etc.
What fun, you can take 15, 30, or 60 minute flights. I took the 30 minute with a aerobatics option. Basically the pilot walks you through the preflight, straps you in, shows you the emergency procedures (which catches your attention real quick) and then start to taxi, you cant see over the nose so it is a s taxi to the runway. He takes off and once you get to bout 2,000 feet the pilot says it yours and you take control. My first observation, the stick and rudder are verrrry responsive. You do things in very small movements and try to be very gentle with the controls.
The first move we make is a wingover, the does it first then tells you to do one. I have to tell you when he told me to do it, I told him "I don't think I can", but he walked me through it and I was fine after that. We did rolls, a barrel roll, a split S and a bastardised Immelman. What really struck me was the power of the G effects.
When we were first taking off there was a B 25J that was also taking off at the same time(the members of the mueseum association were up for a ride) and I saw them heading toward us about 500 feet below and the pilot asked if I wanted to see it up close so the next thing I know he takes control and whips over and does a hard diving turn to get close to the B 25, I dont know how many G's we pulled but I started to gray out and when he finished the turn "whoops sorry about that" was his comment. The funniest thing was that when we came out of the dive and were coming up on the B 25, all I could think was,"No No not on his dead 6 we are a sitting duck!"
Anyway sorry for the long post but it put many things in perspective for me. I think the web address is warbirdadventures.com
------------------
Milo
3./JG2
"Horrido"
-
Sounds like a great time Milo! Thanks for sharing that story!
-
Milo,
You will be one of the most hated players for months because of this!!!!! (http://cgi.tripod.com/smilecwm/cgi-bin/s/cwm/disgust.gif) (http://cgi.tripod.com/smilecwm/cgi-bin/s/cwm/eek3.gif)
Congrats on your ride you unmitigated lucky bastige!!!!!!!
Mav (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
-
WTG Milo!
Great, isn't it? Glad you took the chance!
-
"coming up on the B 25, all I could think was,"No No not on his dead 6 we are a sitting duck!"'
lol. Lucky sumonabidge! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
-Westy
-
Funny you should mention "g-forces". A few of us Buccaneers have the extreme good fortune to belong to "Fantasy Flight", a group that flies T-6's and a C-45 to various airshows around Colorado (wearing authentic AAF uniforms!). After a few months of nothing but on line flying I flew backseat during a 3-ship fly-over of the USAFA cemetery last Thursday for their Pearl Harbor memorial service. After we cleared AF airspace we did some acro follow-the-leader. The g-forces once again took me by surprise. We flew fairly low alt over a wooded area (Colorado's own Black Forest) and I found myself watching out for Osties.
GronK
-
All cool flying stuff happens in the US.
Dammit, I am gonna emigrate and get a gun.
(http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
------------------
StSanta
9./JG 54 "Grünherz"
(http://www.geocities.com/nirfurian/stSanta.jpg)
-
AHHHHH T6 what a nice bird (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif)
Feeling G the first time is a really strange experience (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
Gotta say no wonder so many newbie pilots got shot down .. they must have been awed by the G forces..
Thanks for sharing !
DW6
-
Sounds really cool milo. We got a crowd here in NZ that let ya fly a P51-D (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif) - one day i'll be rich enough to spend $2000 for 1/2 hour flight in it. I *so* want to fly it...
check it out. http://www.biplane-adventures.co.nz/ (http://www.biplane-adventures.co.nz/)
-
Great!
I flew there with Thom about 2 years ago. One of my funest moments. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/biggrin.gif)
------------------
Vermillion
**MOL**, Men of Leisure
-
Awesome, I live in Orlando and I've been down to the museum a bunch of times. Quite a bit of fun.
------------------
===>Frosty
====>Exposure2k.com
=====>Frosty@exposure2k.com
-
I flew with Thom last summer too. Without experience grayout starts at just about 3 Gs and at 3.5 blackout was possible.
Which does not impare you ability to listen, talk, turn your head ("look at the right wing camera, now look at the left wing (video) camera and wave") or control the plane ("add some left rudder ... easier on a stick ... roll over now"). And it is completely painless.
T6 is very responsive, especially to aileron and elevator. Of course it has neither armor, armament nor ammo to weight it down. If you have a chance to fly it, practice with Warbirds/AH Zero first.
For an experienced WB/AH flier the Texan flight is not really that enjoyable - not that many new impressions. Everything is so familiar. Even reduced visibility (cannot see anything up front and not much to the sides, up view is good but you actually have to stretch you neck for it and you get tired pretty fast - view hat is so much easier) and grayout/blackout. Except for the negative G-s of course. That is something you can't experience in front of PC and would never wish to repeat! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Where the Texan flight pays off is when you get back to AH/WB - and realise how close they are to real thing!
miko
-
Was in florida Orlando last year, and visited
The same Museeum, and just could not resist
the temptation, when I saw that AT6.
I can fully reccommend it for any WB or AH
player. I tried the same ride as described
above ( - the B25 (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif) ) And my friends told
me I had a dreamy look and smile on my face
for days, after that. I guess It takes some
time for your mind to land again.
Don't cheat yourself, do it if you are near
this place.
mrniel
-
Gronk,
you need professional help. (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/wink.gif)
Everyone around COS knows Osties are no where to be found in the Black Forest. They're all out at Shievier.
delta
-
Milo, thanks for the post!!
I caught this thread right before I left New England for Orlando. I looked up Warbird Adventures while down there, and had one of the greatest 1/2 experiences I've had! I too went for the arobatic option... unbeleivable! Feeling G's for the first time was very strange. It was amazing to look "up" while at pulling over the top of a loop and see the world beneath you. I reccommend Warbird Adventures to everyone.
Thanks again! (http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/Smileys/default/smile.gif),
<S>IC
-
OK, getting the suitcase Packed Santa, when are we leaving ?
(NB: Don't forget to stock dried raindeer meat for the trip!)
------------------
MASS/SAW
click HERE (http://eismeer.port5.com/) for info on III./JG 5 Eismeer
(http://saintaw.tripod.com/jg5saw.gif)
"It's supposed to be hard; that's what makes it great!"
Tom Hanks, A League of Their Own
"hey, Im a tard, got bent, sorry."(Creamo, out of context)
[This message has been edited by Saintaw (edited 12-23-2000).]