Best flying experiences

[zeke]

What's the best moments you have had while flying? the times when you were in the air and thought this is what flying is all about.

After reading what it is like to Fly an F-15 by Randy Haskin, I am sure that there is a real treasure box of flying experiences by the forum members here.

Here are my personal favourites; (i'm not a pilot yet so all have been as a passenger)

1) flying low level aerobatics in a Chipmunk over the beach

2) "Dogfighting" in a Nanchang

3) the first time I was given the controls of an aircraft when I was about 10 yrs old and knowing that I was the one making it turn and go where I wanted to

4) Flying in a T-28

5) In a Tiger moth, was taxing out past 2 choppers when one took off and the downdraft swung the fuselage towards the other chopper. I was in the front seat and we stopped only a few meters away from the blades, just above my head and in line with the fuel tank that is on the top wing of the plane. Not the situation I wanted to be in. I guess it was just the adrenaline rush of avoiding an accident that made the flight later so much more interesting.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Best flying experiences

What's the best moments you have had while flying? the times when you were in the air and thought this is what flying is all about.

Without a doubt, the weekend I spent a couple hours sitting croswise in John Parker's Seneca with the doors off, my feet on the sill getting shots like this..

We were loitering, waiting for AC to launch and then form up with us before their flypast time at the Grass Valley Air Show.

I got so comfortable sitting in that doorway, I'll always remember that weekend!

We even had a special parking slot for the Seneca, and our own golf cart to get round on..

Talk about a show treating photogs right!!!!!

[fenceliner01]

Re: Best flying experiences

1. Inverted, pulling 2g's @ 500' agl over a ridgeline in the backseat of an RF-4C, then getting 30 minutes of "stick time" to include some wingman formation flying.

2. Having a loadmaster wake me up and drag me onto the flight deck of a C-141 at sunrise over the Azores so I could sit in on an A2A refueling behind the pilot.

Both experieinces made me realize what a grand fraternity of aviators we have in the military, and how lucky I was to be a small part of it.

[Leo]

Re: Best flying experiences

Hmmm...

45 minutes of heaven in "Man O' War" back in the early 80's. An uncomfortablr place to be a passenger. Hot, noisy, cramped and worth every second.

Blasting around the Half Moon Bay area in the back of a T-6 about the same time period when an awesome pilot took pity on a lowly snapshot artist and asked "want to go flying?".

Begging my way into the tail "turret" of a B-25 on a hot flight in the central valley, and only lasting 15 minutes before I, welll...

Loosing my rental privileges for a month, spending 2 months flying budget and making the wife REALLY mad at me all at once when I found the perfect wave building between Mt. Vaca and Lake Berryessa. I logged 5.5 of the most awesome soaring hours I've ever had.

1.5 hours of ridge soaring in Hawaii. The most beautiful scenery to fly over I've ever seen. Very distracting!

[Reno_Steve]

Re: Best flying experiences

One of my favorite moments was flying aerobatics with a Pitts Special in New Zealand by Mt Aspiring at the same time as the Wanaka museum was training their pilots for the Easter air display in all their WW2 warbirds.

[Jr.]

Re: Best flying experiences

For me;

1. At age 5, my Dad handing the controls and teaching me the basics of flight. I will never forget that day. I have a picture my Mom saved of that day. I keep it in my logbook.

2. At Age 16, my first solo. Dad was videotaping at saying how proud he was of me. I was so nervous, but gained confidence throughout the time solo that first day.

3. My first day IMC with a new rating. Popping out on top in a 172 at sunrise, is priceless.

4. The last flight I took. Never take that for granted.

[race9]

Re: Best flying experiences

1: First time in a Mustang.

2: First solo.

3: Second solo.

4: First roll and loop in the Mustang.

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Best flying experiences

On further thinking... it may well have been this flight..

Where I got to be "backseater" for Tom Dwelle in a "demonstration" race at Nellis '05.. The moment of both hearing Tom say "Thank You!" when I said "and here comes Al" and feeling the added smash he put in as we came down for the finish were priceless!

Then there was a very memorable flight in the TG pos on a B-17 one overcast day in Oregon..

Having my head in the clouds at Oshkosh backseating with Gene McNeely.. ANY flight with Steve Dilda at the controls.. A2A with the Hughes Racer and the very warm and memorable Jim Wright!

Wow.. I've been blessed with a ton of "moments" and I plan on having a ton more!!!!!

[BKB]

Re: Best flying experiences

#1 In the backseat of Ridge Runner with Dan Martin at the stick.
Inspired me enough to go and get a private pilot ticket.

#2 Not really a "flying experience" but the first time I say Dago at race speed I think it was 1996 David Price at the controls.I think Sandy Sanders called his first lap at 490.The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

#3 Again not really flying.......on the ramp with the Bear doing run ups.
Not just hearing,but feeling all that power.Yes I did have my ears plugged.The feeling of all that power was incredible.

#4 the first time I flew with my private ticket.Not really going anywhere just flying.

#5 My wife gave me a 1-1/2 hour Deluxe ride in a T-6. Front seat and acrobatics no less.Even got some stick time.Way cool.

[speeddemon]

Re: Best flying experiences

1. Popping out 'on top' of a layer @ 10,000 feet at about 5:30 on a summer morning while in transit to NAS Barbers Point. Sun coming up at our six over the clouds....just as we were surfing the tops. Not a word said in the cockpit....just a bunch of 'kids' sharing the same magical moment.

2. First solo. Sliding the canopy back and finally relaxing enough to really 'enjoy' the moment.

3. My encounter with a Chinese "Han"....the taste of blood in the water, and the first 'kill'.

4. My Night Raid to Tillamook.

[wolfee]

Re: Best flying experiences

My first flight in a glider.

At 12 yo my dad got me a ride in a glider at Stead, It was a fun and games day at the facility with a streamer stab, and a flour drop onto a target while on down wind base.
The pilot, Charlie Thies caught the streamer on the first shot, but thit had snagged on the wing spar and the rule was to land with it on/in the glider. Charlie didnt think we wold keep the streamer on the wing so he told me to grab the stick and hold it steady. As I did so, he unbuckled his safety harnes, literaly stepped out onto the wing spar and grabbed the streamer!
When he got back in the glider he said "well that was a good job flying".

My Dad used to own a Switeser 232 based in Stead. He was always talking about catching wave and getting thies long flights in. But when he and I would go up together we always had thies 25 minute flights. Dad ws bound and determind to get in on one of those long flights with him, and the last time we flew together it did!
We launched about 1:30 and we headed out to the west towards Bald Mtn. It wasnt long before we got into some *really* strong roter and pegging the climb indicator. It wasnt long before we soared past Slide Mtn, on oure way to Jacks valley and back.
Once we hit Reno again, we flew over Reno international (Cannon) and watched a commersial flight take off. We landed back at Stead after doing a sweet flat spin to loose some altitude.
The flight took us all of 2 hrs to cover, and when we landed we were just about frozen stiff and had to pee so badly our teath were floating... But it was worth it.


Finialy convincing Charlie Thies to take me up in his Beautiful T6! (I prommiced I would pay for the gass and help wipe it down afterward)
We took off from Stead and headed out for a flight over Lake Tahoe and surounding areas. It was 1 hr of pure bliss for this 16 YO boy!
Im still working on Shane Thies for my second ride!

[rscott78]

Re: Best flying experiences

Well, mine aren't near as "neat" as any of yours, but: All the flights with my dad in the Yavapai county Sherrif's office 182 and Maule when I was a kid. He took me up every chance he could. We'd fly extraditions, planning and zoning officials, and drug task forces looking for pot. I always fell asleep in the 182. The drone of the motor would put me out. And also, sitting right seat in a Citation on the way to Yakima, Wa. Ruined me for commercial flying.

[TOMW]

Re: Best flying experiences

Sitting in the backseat of my uncle's Mustang, rolling inverted over the summit of Mt. Rose and seeing Lake Tahoe upsidedown- priceless!

Next would be on the same flight, taking a trip around the pylons at Stead.

[Peashooter]

Re: Best flying experiences

I've been blessed with a lot a great moments, but one of the best was an evening flight to get pizza from KMGN to KCVX. (Harbor Springs, MI to Charlevoix) It was a CAVU evening in one of the most beautiful places to fly on this great Earth. We took the EZ and Super Cub. This is a shot of me and my nephew post-flight. The smiles say it all!

[speeddemon]

Re: Best flying experiences

I've been blessed with a lot a great moments, but one of the best was an evening flight to get pizza from KMGN to KCVX. (Harbor Springs, MI to Charlevoix) It was a CAVU evening in one of the most beautiful places to fly on this great Earth. We took the EZ and Super Cub. This is a shot of me and my nephew post-flight. The smiles say it all!

Man, I remember those kind of times when I was young...when we'd hop in the Navion and fly 250 miles just to have a hamburger for lunch, turn around, and fly home.....just because.

Back when gas was cheap, of course.

I remember flying the P-3 from Oman to Fujarah in the UAE one time. Officially, it was listed as a 'training flight'. Unofficially, it was a pizza run for the whole squadron.