Simviation Forum - Serendipity and synchronicity...

Aug 18^th, 2006 at 6:35pm

beaky Offline
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So I received an email from the EAA saying it was too late (eek!) to book a flight on the B17 this weekend... but only online (whew!). They gave me the cell number of a crew member, and I got on the 0930 trip tomorrow. He said they still only had 2 people for the 1030, and might have to cancel that one. Sad. But not for me- I'm going to fly aboard a B17!!! Woohoo!!!
As I was on the phone with this guy, I was ignoring my call-waiting beep... turns out the other party was my airport-bum friend Gus, who'd taken me for a ride in his RV-4 a while back. He wanted to thank me for the DVD I made out of footage from that flight, and to let me know he'd be around the airport this weekend. So I might get another RV-4 flight, and a hop in a glider if the weather is good Sunday afternoon (he's a member of the soaring club based at 47N). Sounds good to me; I'll even take a ride in the towplane (a Champ, I believe) if they'll let me.
Heck, I might even book a Cessna and do a little bug-smashing; it's been too long. I really should look into that; I owe Gus a ride (he seems to want to go up in a 152 for some reason).
And this is my first weekend off in a month- my cup runneth over!!!

Grin

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Reply #1 - Aug 18^th, 2006 at 6:50pm

C Offline
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You lucky, lucky b******d! Grin

Have fun!

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Reply #2 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 2:50am

61_OTU Offline
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8)

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Reply #3 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 4:07am

Hagar Offline
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Sounds like a result to me. Grin

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Reply #4 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 5:58am

beaky Offline
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Quote:

Sounds like a result to me. Grin

Exactly. Gotta stir the pot once in a while. It was curious, though- I haven't seen or talked to Gus since that flight in the RV- in March!!

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Reply #5 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 7:04am

Willit Run Offline
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Good for you, Sean!!

Enjoy all your flying this weekend!!

Now if you find you can't make the B-17 flight because of any problems you run into and they won't refund you money, just call me!! Grin

&&

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Reply #6 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 9:06am

Flying Trucker Ex Member

Have fun Sean...don't worry about pictures...just savour every moment. Wink

Oh and if you think of it could you ask what type of wheel brakes they have?

You see the reason I am asking is the Avro Lancaster had "Air Brakes". There was a compressed bottle of air and the handle was on the control wheel which I am sure made things quite interesting at times.
Not sure that was changed over the years as different marks came out.

I must find out about the braking system on the Handley Page Halifax and the Consolidated Liberator when I have a chance as well.

Have a great weekend Wink

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

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Reply #7 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 9:16am

Jared Offline
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have fun for the rest of us bud!

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Reply #8 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 10:12am

Rifleman Offline
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B-17 ? - been in one but not in the air........total amazment !

RV-6 ? - been in one - in the air..........total amazment !

Glider ? - (Twin Lark - Polish bird) - been in one - twice in the air.......total amazment !

Tow Plane (150 HP Citab) - been in one in the air but not towing.......... total amazment !

Mine were all spread about a long time frame, not on one weekend.........Have a blast if you can squeeze it all in ! ! ! 8) ........you lucky so 'n so......... Grin

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Reply #9 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 3:24pm

Hagar Offline
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Quote:

You see the reason I am asking is the Avro Lancaster had "Air Brakes". There was a compressed bottle of air and the handle was on the control wheel which I am sure made things quite interesting at times.
Not sure that was changed over the years as different marks came out.

A lot of British-built WWII types had pneumatic brakes. They actually work very well. I specialised in aircraft pneumatics until they went out of favour.

I imagine the braking system on the Lanc is similar to the one used on the Hurricane & Spitfire (also early jet fighters like the Meteor & Vampire). It has an operating lever on the stick & differential braking to assist ground steering is applied automatically by simply moving the rudder pedals. This does away with the need for separate heel or toe brake pedals. The same system was also used on post-war types like the DH Dove & Heron.

PS. According to this the Halifax prototype was hastily fitted with pneumatic brakes before its first flight. http://www.raf.mod.uk/history/halifax2.html
Quote:

The first Halifax prototype, L7244 was completed on the eve of war. In September 1939 it was transported from the Cricklewood factory by road to RAF Bicester. Once the aircraft was reassembled taxing trails quickly revealed the unsuitability of the Lockheed brakes, which were found to be ineffective for such a large aeroplane. Handley Page himself became involved and the massive task of installing replacement Dunlop pneumatic brakes. In just a matter of days the aircraft was ready for its first flight in the hands of the Handley Page chief test pilot Major Cordes and an engineer.

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Reply #10 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 6:45pm

beaky Offline
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Quote:

Oh and if you think of it could you ask what type of wheel brakes they have?

I was gone before you posted that question, but I believe the "Forts" have hydraulically-actuated drum brakes. They cry mournfully when the plane is taxiing... Grin

And I did savor every moment, and take pictures. See the Photos forum; they're coming down the pipe right now. Grin

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Reply #11 - Aug 19^th, 2006 at 6:51pm

beaky Offline
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Have a blast if you can squeeze it all in ! ! ! 8) ........you lucky so 'n so......... Grin

Not likely to happen. I was thinking of doing some flying at 47N today, but by the time I got home I wasn't feeling up to it (messed up my back a little at work last week; felt fine this morning, but the trip home, in horrible sunny-weekend traffic, left me feeling stiff and tired)... and the wind was picking up. Been a month since I last flew, so I didn't want to push it. And I'll bet there'd be nothing available anyway- the wx was perfect "Silver Wings Nice Day" today.

Tomorrow's wx looks bad (starting to rain now; t-storms expected overnight and early tomorrow), but I may still call Gus in the afternoon. If the glider club is going to meet, I'll drive down there and try to bum a ride.
Regardless, I got my fix-and then some- aboard Aluminum Overcast this morning!!! Grin

If you enjoyed touring a static Fort, you owe it to yourself to splurge on a ride in one!! Amazing!!! Shocked

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Reply #12 - Aug 23^rd, 2006 at 6:21am

beaky Offline
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Wow, this is getting weirder... yeasterday, after finally getting word that I could take the rest of the week off (woohoo!), I made a detour to midtown on my way home for some errands.... I come out of the subway onto 34th street, and as I cross 8th Avenue walking west, I happen to look up just in time to see a B24 flying over the river headed north! Sun was behind it, so I'm not sure which one it was.And I only caught a glimpse: it was low, and there are pretty tall buildings on either side of the street all the way to the river; the odds of me being there at that precise moment looking at that little patch of sky are about a gazillion to one.
Another sign of some kind, obviously... Grin

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