I was lucky enough to be doing some maintenance on an aircraft arresting cable during the USAF’s Thunderbirds practice (Indian Springs, NV). For some reason, the tower cleared a T-Bird to do a high-speed low approach while I was still dead center of the runway with my back to the approach end. I had my headset and earplugs in and didn’t hear the bird roaring towards me. With no warning from the tower, I turned around just in time to get a pretty good scare.
Gene Cernan has a good story (in his “The Last Man on the Moon”) about making a practice low (atomic) bombing run on a target – and clipping it.
RBG
Pass 6 (Blue Angels) is amazing! Love the water going up!
I was lucky enough to be doing some maintenance on an aircraft arresting cable during the USAF’s Thunderbirds practice (Indian Springs, NV). For some reason, the tower cleared a T-Bird to do a high-speed low approach while I was still dead center of the runway with my back to the approach end. I had my headset and earplugs in and didn’t hear the bird roaring towards me. With no warning from the tower, I turned around just in time to get a pretty good scare.
I have to post this one…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sneYFUtiKKc
There is an old pilot saying: You can only tie the record for the lowest flyby.
Thanks for posting! Now one of my favorite online videos!
Both fighters and the larger ones great skill to do this. The fighters take only a small twitch to nose into the ground. But the heavys have momentum…
I agree with you #10 Killer Duck. The world needs more than helicopter parents protecting their precious snowflakes (no pun intended).
Now if we could just use CGI to get Tom Cruise out of Top Gun…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavalese_cable_car_disaster
some of you will be pleased to know the pilot survived.
This flyby is great.
#3 is #1 imo
Cool stuff if you can get away with it. Here’s what happens when you don’t:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E21byPXR1ek
“Hot rodding” can get you (and others) killed. Save that along with your multi-million dollar aircraft for the enemy du jour.