Ted's daily small talk

[daytime dave]

Very cool story Coop.
I've only seen mid air refueling from the ground. I thought that was pretty cool. The jump seat, well.........................

[cooperhawk]

Very cool story Coop.
I've only seen mid air refueling from the ground. I thought that was pretty cool. The jump seat, well.........................

I also was invited along on a KC135 Tanker back in the 90s to refuel f16s. I got to lay in the bed and look down at the pilots as we refueled.
They wouldn't let me run the boom though.

Over my 35 years in aviation I got to fly in numerous types of AC from the H13 Helicopter to the B747. All cockpit rides.
Now I don't fly anymore. It's not safe.
We travel in our motorhome.

[Ted124]

Interesting background, cooperhawk.

I went airborne several times in an old crummy Piper (aside from being a passenger on an airline flight).
I was at the most in my early 20s, maybe younger. Read an ad "aerial photographer wanted".
When I got there, the guy had it all ready. Big medium format camera loaded with film. Drove just out of town, a little grassy airstrip where gliders took off and came back. He was the pilot in front, I was sitting behind him, strapped into the seat belt with the big camera in my lap. No door on the right side. Up we went. I had to avoid getting that support bar for the wing into the picture. For that matter, every time he approached a motive, he went around in a big loop and tilted the little plane over so I could get a good shot. What an adventure. Lots of fresh air! Flew a few times with that guy. He liked the pictures I took. But, I don't think that kind of media sold very well.

It is safe to say, peak summer is over. It's still warm, but it's a lot more pleasant. Stopped at the harbor today. Quite idyllic. Almost no wind.

[Sir Henry]

As I was driving into town yesterday to purchase salt I passed the runway threshold of our local airport and a B25 or 26, (not sure which), was taxing into position for takeoff. I quickly drove to the other end of the runway and parked to watch. Those radial engines make quite an impression as they go by. Definitely a warbird sound. I got a short video of it and wish I could post it here.

Growing up in Spokane our airbase Fairchild was the home to a squadron of B-52’s. It was always so cool to see them take off as many times they would fly right over my house while at a lower elevation. Now Fairchild is the home to a squadron of KC 135 refuelers which aren’t nearly as impressive when taking off. Still love to have them here local however.

Those B-52’s are loud. If you were outside when they were taking off you would pause any conversation because you couldn’t hear a single word.