How many regs were broken?

RyanB

RyanB

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Disclaimer: I'm not as cool as you think. This isn't me.
 
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Almost certain it's not CGI.

This is a Croatian PC-9 (precursor to the T-6B primary trainer), possibly from their AF demo team.

I imagine he'll get great GoPro footage of his death.
 
Doesn't look like the US, so I'm guessing Europe. I'm not familiar with their regs, but you'd think it might have violated something. If it wasn't for the accurate representation of the prop blur/motion, I would have thought it was CGI.


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How do we know he isn't a military pilot or military trained?

I don't see anything in that that looks any more death defying than the low level Hornet videos on YouTube.
 
Cold War era Europe it could be any given day...still lots of low level training routes even now...ah the good old days...
 
Flown in helos that low on NOE routes but that's crazy at his speeds. Even MTRs guys don't get that low in the states. Probably legal but not very wise.
 
Amazingly fun to watch on a big screen!
 
As was mentioned looked like he and an angle of attack system so he was fine. :)

I don't judge. Most of us given the chance, the skill and no fear of losing our certs or fines might do the same thing. Looks like fun. Although all it takes is one set of wires to ruin your whole day.
 
Looked like he was climbing a lot in the turns so 0.5 to 1.0 deduct on the score. He also only went under one bridge instead of both of them. That is a major point loss.
 
I've always said the best aviation videos are ones in which the pilot is doing something either illegal or insanely stupid. That one was certainly a hoot.
 
It doesn't take more than 1 retarded idiot to try to start mass panic. *rolleyes*

Cool flying, lots of fun. Obviously the pilot knows the route/terrain pretty well. Imagine the surprise if he found some wires. :)

And when I saw the bridge coming, I was thinking "Oh yeah? Oh yeah. Oh yeah! Oh FUG YEAH!" :D
The only thing the video is missing is a hard pull and victory roll.
 
Velocity173 said:
Even MTRs guys don't get that low in the states. Probably legal but not very wise.
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Right, legally they do not go below the hard deck on MTRs.
Realistically, they always do. :)
If you have no radar coverage that low, who's gonna bust you if you buzz a few cell towers at 100AGL? Just ask the military guys here, you'd be surprised at how many "never" broke the hard deck. ;)
 
BigBadLou said:
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And when I saw the bridge coming, I was thinking "Oh yeah? Oh yeah. Oh yeah! Oh FUG YEAH!" :D
The only thing the video is missing is a hard pull and victory roll.
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Me too! Knew he'd fly under it. :thumbsup:
 
BigBadLou said:
It doesn't take more than 1 retarded idiot to try to start mass panic. *rolleyes*
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Not sure if that's directed at me or not, but I wasn't trying to start anything. Came across the video and thought it was cool and entertaining to watch. Thread title is a joke.
 
mscard88 said:
Wanna bet? Seen 'em do it. Even witnessed a few tower haircuts. I was there in the tower. :rofl:
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This guy was maybe 10-15 ft in some areas. I've got MTRs in my back yard. Nobody goes flys that low on those.

Yes, I've been in the tower and seen an A-6 almost eye level. 80 ft over an open airfield is nothing compared to 10 ft around a road out in public with obstacles everywhere.

I have no problem with the flying like this. Generally these types ding one up eventually. Hopefully his outcome isn't what HornetDriver described. As I used to say in the Army, there's a fine line between flying tactically and showing off. God help those that cross the line and make the ultimate mistake.
 
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When I lived just outside Blue Ridge Ga on a mountain there was a MTR that used Lake Blue Ridge as a visual point. Lemme tell ya V, C130s, Navy T39s, and Marine Hornets, yeah, they were all low. Seen F4s, F15s etc too. Yeah they do go that low. You just haven't seen them.
 
BigBadLou said:
Right, legally they do not go below the hard deck on MTRs.
Realistically, they always do. :)
If you have no radar coverage that low, who's gonna bust you if you buzz a few cell towers at 100AGL? Just ask the military guys here, you'd be surprised at how many "never" broke the hard deck. ;)
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Noise complaints from the public will find their way back to their command. I've actually pulled the radar tapes on some F-16s out of Shaw AFB because they were reported flying too low on an MTR. Don't recall the results of the investigation.

It's all about command climate. I know of at least 3 pilots when I was in the Army that had their "PIC orders" pulled for flying too low. All were in areas where there was no hard deck and completely legal. But, in the eye of the beholder (commander), it was deemed unsafe.

I've flown this route in Kosovo dozens of times at a much lower altitude. Once the command found out we were turning it into our own little joy ride, we got shutdown. While we were completely legal, some, crossed over from tactically sound to showing off.


All fun and games right up until it isn't.

 
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:cool:
mscard88 said:
When I lived just outside Blue Ridge Ga on a mountain there was a MTR that used Lake Blue Ridge as a visual point. Lemme tell ya V, C130s, Navy T39s, and Marine Hornets, yeah, they were all low. Seen F4s, F15s etc too. Yeah they do go that low. You just haven't seen them.
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That's where I live and work. None are below the tree line or 10 ft above anything. I've had Hornets go overhead at BR Lake streaming vapor at 400 + knots but were at least 300 ft up. The T-45s and T-39s (retired) are always at least a few hundred feet up as well. Our area bears witness to the hazards of low level flying with two T-39 crashes, along the same MTR in north GA.

I'd say the AF is even higher than the VV/VM. Saw an F-16 the other day that may have been below 500 ft but I doubt it.The C-130 "Slow Routes" are around 500 ft also but times I've seen them a bit lower. Took off from base last month on my 135 ride and immediately got a target at +500 on the TAS. C-130 directly overhead on the slow route. :eek:

So, while I imagine back in the day, they might have pushed it down to what is shown in the OP's vid, I don't think that's the norm now.
 
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Guess it was my imagination seeing those 2 Hornets down on the valley floor. Must have a hella wind rustling my trees, couldn't have been those 3-4 Hercs. Nahhhh!

My place was around 2300' msl.
 
mscard88 said:
Guess it was my imagination seeing those 2 Hornets down on the valley floor. Must have a hella wind rustling my trees, couldn't have been those 3-4 Hercs. Nahhhh!

My place was around 2300' msl.
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Well like I said, maybe back in the day but they don't do that now. Even the B-1s that used to frequent the MTR, while impressive at 500 ft and 500 kts, they weren't flying below the tree line down 515 like depicted in the OP's vid. Definitely not the norm.
 
Velocity is right on this one.

I don't know many military aviators who would risk their wings - or their lives - zorching around this low. You can only tie the low altitude record; can't break it.

T-45's are usually at 500'. The lowest Hornets generally go is 100'; 200' is the standard, but that's at speeds twice what this guy is doing - sometimes in formation.
 
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