How Close do I Need to Be?

[KennyFlys]

Talk about a close encounter! A fighter pilot flies up to back door of a C-130 Hercules for Photo Op. He radios, "How much closer do you want me?"

I'm not sure what type the approaching aircraft is. But, were it not for the O2 mask, I'm sure one could tell if the fighter pilot had shaved that morning.

 

[Ted]

Those pilots are some amazing folk. Something like that has to be cake when you're used to carrier landings.

Last night at the monthly flying club meeting, we celebrated 50 years of flight for one of our members, who started out as a pilot in the Navy, and was fortunate enough to get to be a carrier pilot flying S-2F planes. It's no wonder he makes such a big deal about landings being perfect as a CFI, given the standards he had to meet for his landings!

 

[Skip Miller]

Those pilots are some amazing folk. Something like that has to be cake when you're used to carrier landings.

I agree that carrier pilots have amazing skills, but I disagree that this is a piece of cake. There has to be some wake turbulence that close behind the photo plane.

-Skip

 

[Frank Browne]

I'm not sure what type the approaching aircraft is.

It's a Eurofighter.


http://www.eurofighter.com/

 

[Ted]

I agree that carrier pilots have amazing skills, but I disagree that this is a piece of cake. There has to be some wake turbulence that close behind the photo plane.

The point was in comparison. Not saying it was easy or something that I could do at this point in my flying career.

Example: My first landings at IPT (with nice, wide runways) and calm winds still weren't all that great. Then landings at tinier airports were more difficult. Now they're no big deal.

As you get better at things that are difficult, things that are less difficult (but not necessarily easy), seem easy by comparison. At least, that's what I've noticed with skill sets I've learned.

 

[gkainz]

Like plugging the fuel probe in the basket, but he was gonna plug the a/c nose in the C-130 cargo hold!

 

[ScottM]

The last photo appears to have compressed perspective from the photographer using an extreme telephoto lens. I doubt that fighter is actually that close. http://www.twistedtreephoto.com/long lens landscapes.html

 

[KennyFlys]

Like plugging the fuel probe in the basket, but he was gonna plug the a/c nose in the C-130 cargo hold!

Like Scott, I have my doubts it was as close as it was. The air for that intake has to come from somewhere. However it's getting in there behind the larger aircraft, there has to be some turbulence generated as a result... also affecting the area near the opening of that cargo door.

 

[Frank Browne]

Like Scott, I have my doubts it was as close as it was. The air for that intake has to come from somewhere. However it's getting in there behind the larger aircraft, there has to be some turbulence generated as a result... also affecting the area near the opening of that cargo door.

What's interesting to me is the AoA he's having to maintain to match speeds with the C-130.