The Pilot Thread - Aircraft that is

[CR-Z Canadian]

(not the Honda product of the same name!)

It occurs to me that a number of us are pilots - Armed Forces, commercial, or private.
So how about introducing yourselves, your experience, and any comments you might have to share. CR-Z references optional (but extra points for those!)

My thread, so I'll start.
Private pilot for 30 years, but only on single engine (mainly Cessna) trainers and light aircraft. Very few hours in last 20 years, due to time and costs, but many hundred hours in right hand seat of our Mooney Super 21 when I was growing up. My father was IFR class 1 private pilot, and I learned so much from him. Now, I have to settle mainly for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and Radio Control planes. And the ****pit of my CR-Z, of course.

So, how about you?
edited to add - forum doesn't like co c k p i t - what else do you want to call it. OK - flight deck, but that's a little pretentious.

[CRaZee]

I have about 50 hours of Rotary Wing, if that counts! Love it, but too expensive for me to pursue right now. Most of it in a Robinson R-22...

[VTEC Mini]

I am a a FAA certified A&P mechanic. I have worked on Cessna 150's to 182's. Pipers and King Air's. Most of my time was on F-14 A and B and F/A- 18's. I have letters of accommodations from my VF- 102 squadron for knowledge and the prevention of a catastrophic failure.

[CRaZee]

Originally Posted by VTEC Mini

I am a a FAA certified A&P mechanic. I have worked on Cessna 150's to 182's. Pipers and King Air's. Most of my time was on F-14 A and B and F/A- 18's. I have letters of accommodations from my VF- 102 squadron for knowledge and the prevention of a catastrophic failure.

Cool! So lets put wings and a F404 on a CR-Z and see what happens!

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by CRaZee

Cool! So lets put wings and a F404 on a CR-Z and see what happens!

I prefer the F110-GE- 400 that was in the F- 14B which was also in the F-16. The TF-30 which was in the F- 14A was a good work hoarse but smoked alot and not as powerful. The "A" needed burner to get off the deck but the "B" didn't and could out run the cat if it did do so.

The TF- 30 also mad a distinctive sound when the burners lit off when it was really cold outside- kind of like an over-sized vacuum cleaner. There was a girl in my first squadren VF- 101, which was a rag outfit, that was a plane captain and when it lit off and made that sound she claimed she would almost reach orgasm!

One of the best sights to see is at night on a carrier is seeing those turkey feathers open up and the bright blue flame come shooting out the cans and feeling the rumble of the vibration through your feet! it gives a whole new definition of, "Now your playing with power!"

[Scotty001]

Originally Posted by VTEC Mini

One of the best sights to see is at night on a carrier is seeing those turkey feathers open up and the bright blue flame come shooting out the cans and feeling the rumble of the vibration through your feet! it gives a whole new definition of, "Now your playing with power!"

Yep.. 79-85 on the Ranger (CV61) - on the 03 deck - Radio/Comms Shack... Noise/vibration over the head... Occasional dropped bombs/missiles also over the head.. Steam cats... 24/7...

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by Scotty001

Yep.. 79-85 on the Ranger (CV61) - on the 03 deck - Radio/Comms Shack... Noise/vibration over the head... Occasional dropped bombs/missiles also over the head.. Steam cats... 24/7...

I love this- Yep slept in the 96 man berthing underneath the #3 wire. I was in when we where dropping bombs on Bosnia so we where flying 24/7. Every forty five second it was; WHAM!, VVVVVVVEEEeeeerrrrrrmmmmmmmmmm, (short pause), vvvvvvveeeeeeeeeeeoooooOOOOOMMMMMMMM, fwap- fwap- fwap as the jets caught the cable and as the cable, stretched out then retracted.

Out of all the aircraft that would launch the most impressive was the E/A-6B. It was a pure turbo jet. When that sucker went to full military your vision would blur because of your eye balls bouncing in there sockets and you could feel your guts vibrating like the old 70's electronic metal football games- it was fantastic!

[Scotty001]

^ yep.. Exactly... Had to tune the senses.. I remember a vent fire where had to put on the EBA and egress up to the catwalk - then put on an OBA and go back down - into the smoke and fire - to get the - eh - comm stuff we could not leave behind..

Was also aboard for this and part of the forward damage control station.. Which quickly turned into a all hands evolution...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Ranger_(CV-61)

"Later that year, at 0910 on 1 November 1983 a fire broke out in 4 Main Machinery Room due to a fuel spill during fuel transfer operations while the Ranger was deployed in the Indian Ocean, east of Oman. Six crewmen were killed as a result of the fire, which knocked out one of the ship's four engines and disabled two of her four shafts,..."

Think I went through like 20 something OBA canisters over the 3 days to as part of the damage control unit until it was eventually out...

My glasses in my avatar (OBA's) were there...

Back to topic.. Sorry gals-n-guys...

[SA CRZ]

retired pilot here, in fact Im going up to Dallas this weekend to pick up my used cessna 150 just paid $16000

[VTEC Mini]

Originally Posted by SA CRZ

retired pilot here, in fact Im going up to Dallas this weekend to pick up my used cessna 150 just paid $16000