f18 lap speed?

[Grumpy]

Re: f18 lap speed?

An F-16 about 1999-2000 ran the course at 668. The one I wish I could have seen was Lefty's lap in Fifi at 330!

It was awesome! As the Nascar guys say, but much more so! I hung around that day after the races and it was one of the most thrilling things I've enjoyed in 12 years at the Reno Races. It rated closely with the Canadian Heritage Lancaster on takeoff power out of Genesseo NY at the Wings of Eagles Airshow back in the 80's. They flew right over our motel at low level. Never will I forget that! The sound and the fury!
Grumpy

[Bryno]

Re: f18 lap speed?

Fifi ran the course?!?!? No kidding? Fifi, B-29 Fifi? Wow, wow... Anyone have any pics whatsoever of THAT?

(and thanks for the speed, Matt!)

-mosquito

My assistant crew chief was the F.E on that flight

[Ron101502]

Re: f18 lap speed?

I was on the front grandstand so it is possible he broke mach on the back stretch but I still doubt it, remember, a lot of the wing was above critical mach so there no doubt there were shock waves coming off the airplane which one would have felt. Have you ever been standing by the fence when a Nitro dragster or funny car ran by you? The ground shakes, you feel it pounding in you chest, and you better have ear plugs because even with them it's loud. The F-105 that went mach 1.01 past the USAF academy (the Mach meter or air data computer was mis-calibrated, he was trying to do .99 so he got off as I understand it) blew out all the windows in the chapel. I still think the best witnesses would be a Navy guy on the deck of a carrier with an F-14 making a supersonic pass, there are several videos on the internet that show the shockwave effect on the water. As I recall, they had pyro in the airshow, and the "sonic boom" to me was just like the pyro. I just don't believe he was anywhere close to the Mach but I will not call anyone a lier, if that's what you experienced so be it. As an observation it doesn't seem that anyone making the claim he broke mach has ever experienced a supersonic pass before. Maybe it was your first time!

It was still a great pass any way you cut it.

Ron

[SpinB]

Re: f18 lap speed?

If a T-bird driver can forget to set his Altimeter Bug for the local field elevation, anything's possible...ya' know... Maybe someone's got a copy of the HUD video?

[p51flyby42]

Re: f18 lap speed?

i was there too. i was down in the static display area, next to the fence. they used to park the demo planes in front of the stands instead of that fence. so, we had a good view. the f-16 was off to our right and low. it was coming in for a high speed pass. i remember telling my friend (that was new to planes) that he is really moving. then, the bang bang came. he was still down range, as i recall. then again, it was a long time ago and my memory ain't what it used to be...

but to reply to a post above, the guy was immediately confronted by another uniformed man upon deplaning. he was basically getting his but chewed. the crowd seemed to appreciate the show, though...

p51

[AirDOGGe]

Re: f18 lap speed?

Mike51's 1st photo in the Blue Angels thread also shows the affect of a pressure wave coming off a jet and hitting the water, but it's flying well below supersonic speeds.

Just shows that a jet can produce such a (bow? wave without breaking the sound barrier. It's not nearly as powerful as a sonic boom (which might blow out your eardrums and shatter windows if close enough), but it's definitely must be audible/perceivable if it can do that to the water's surface.

Perhaps it's this pressure wave so many have heard and have confused with a sonic boom at various airshows during a jet's high speed passes.

Just a thought.