Still Going to Buy the F-35, Really?

DogOnPorch · December 2, 2016

2 hours ago, Omni said:

I signed off airshows after the last one I was at in YXX when the Snowbirds did their thing and finished off blowing smoke while carving a big hart in the sky and then a loner completing with a stroke through the middle was upstaged by the Americans demonstrating and discussing on the loudspeaker just how quickly an A-10 Warthog could attack and kill everyone in an armored tank. Yee haw, USA!

In the good ol' days, one would hit Abbotsford for the awesome military displays then the EAA Fly-In in Arlington for the latest in experimental designs. Ideally in an aircraft. You would meet the pilots that flew at Abbotsford in the line-up for pancakes.

Now both are commercial beyond recognition.

GostHacked · December 2, 2016

20 hours ago, Argus said:

We've been flying the F-18 for 36 years now and plan to keep flying it another ten. Why would you think we wouldn't be flying the next aircraft for a similar lengthy period of time?

We've not received any F-35s yet. If and when that happens, start the clock.

Argus · December 2, 2016

19 minutes ago, GostHacked said:

We've not received any F-35s yet. If and when that happens, start the clock.

Fine. We probably won't get one for ten years. That will be in 2026. That means they'll likely be flying until 2066 or longer.

Wilber · December 3, 2016

Snowbirds always close the show at YXX. Always have, always will. I haven't been to the show in a few years but I used to belong to the flying club and worked as a volunteer at the shows. It's still a very good show but its heyday was the late eighties. Expo 86 had five different national teams performing. Snow Birds, Blue Angels, the French, Italian and Brazilian teams. After Paris, Abbotsford was the first Western show to see the MiG 29. The same MIG pilot who punched out in Paris a couple of months before. performed at Abbotsford.

DogOnPorch · December 3, 2016

Loved those Super Tucanos the Brazilians used. Yes...late 70s through the 80s...awesome airshow. The SR-71 even poked its head-out for a show.

Did you do Arlington, too?

Wilber · December 3, 2016

That was one of the years I was working at the show and watched the SR71 make a few arrival passes on the Thursday, it was on static display for the show. I took my own airplane (not a homebuilt) to Arlington once in the eighties. Really enjoyed the show but never made it back except for stops at the coffee shop. Got to see the prototype RV6 and the highlight was Bud Granley demoing the Glasair 300. Quite a machine.

Went to Arlington several times during the sixties to watch drag racing before it moved to SIR.

PIK · December 20, 2016

All Super hornets have been grounded. Link to follow.

Omni · December 20, 2016

On 12/2/2016 at 6:29 PM, Wilber said:

That was one of the years I was working at the show and watched the SR71 make a few arrival passes on the Thursday, it was on static display for the show. I took my own airplane (not a homebuilt) to Arlington once in the eighties. Really enjoyed the show but never made it back except for stops at the coffee shop. Got to see the prototype RV6 and the highlight was Bud Granley demoing the Glasair 300. Quite a machine.

Went to Arlington several times during the sixties to watch drag racing before it moved to SIR.

I got to try out the RV7 at the factory in Oregon. Had my own little airshow.

DogOnPorch · December 20, 2016

For experimental flying, my favorite was still my father's Anderson Kingfisher. But our family had three other aircraft...a 140, a 180 and an ancient Erco Ercoupe which was a real blast to fly...noisy, though. The firewall was like tissue.

Edited December 20, 2016 by DogOnPorch

DogOnPorch · December 20, 2016

Anderson Kingfisher w/ (by the looks) the Piper Cub wings...a common kit short-cut.

http://1000aircraftphotos.com/Contributions/BlackTed/10180.jpg

Smallc · December 20, 2016

1 hour ago, PIK said:

All Super hornets have been grounded. Link to follow.

It's a troubling development to be sure.

DogOnPorch · December 20, 2016

6 minutes ago, Smallc said:

It's a troubling development to be sure.

Next-up...low speed rear-end collisions cause the F-18's ejection seats to deploy.

Omni · December 20, 2016

Apparently there was some problem with the canopy that caused injury to the pilot and a ground crew. Navy not releasing details as yet.

DogOnPorch · December 20, 2016

Meanwhile, in an air force expecting action...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6of2GuhSQg

Omni · December 20, 2016

8 minutes ago, DogOnPorch said:

Meanwhile, in an air force expecting action...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6of2GuhSQg

I guess they sent along the escort in case that finicky engine let go.

DogOnPorch · December 20, 2016

16 minutes ago, Omni said:

I guess they sent along the escort in case that finicky engine let go.

Is that an attempt at humour?

poochy · December 20, 2016

1 hour ago, Smallc said:

It's a troubling development to be sure.

actually, probably not really, sure it could be a serious fleet wide issue, but usually not, they are just overly and rightfully cautious.

Wilber · December 20, 2016

1 hour ago, Smallc said:

It's a troubling development to be sure.

Grounding was lifted today

Super Hornets cleared to fly

?Impact · December 21, 2016

2 hours ago, Wilber said:

Grounding was lifted today

It would be interesting to know what the issue was with water wash procedures.

The ejection seat, and hence the canopy, is armed by the ground crew before the pilot boards. That is of course important to ensure that whenever the aircraft is flying the flight crew will be able to escape quickly in an emergency. When the ground crew are servicing the aircraft, that system is disarmed to avoid someone activating it by accident. I don't know what happened on Friday as only the canopy had an issue, but perhaps it has something to do with when in the ground procedure things are armed. The other possibility I am thinking is that the water might have shorted out some circuits.

Wilber · December 21, 2016

Sounds like they are making it a procedure thing.

bush_cheney2004 · December 21, 2016

No need for Canada to worry about U.S. Navy Super Hornets...Canada doesn't have any Super Hornets and won't have any for a long time...if ever.

Smallc · December 21, 2016

5 minutes ago, bush_cheney2004 said:

No need for Canada to worry about U.S. Navy Super Hornets...Canada doesn't have any Super Hornets and won't have any for a long time...if ever.

That's okay, we'd rather you pay the bills and risk your own lives. We'll just watch.

bush_cheney2004 · December 21, 2016

Just now, Smallc said:

That's okay, we'd rather you pay the bills and risk your own lives. We'll just watch.

Those who can....do. Those who can't....watch. Go Navy.

Army Guy · December 28, 2016

On ‎12‎/‎20‎/‎2016 at 8:49 PM, Smallc said:

That's okay, we'd rather you pay the bills and risk your own lives. We'll just watch.

What a typical Canadian answer, sad really, when we are talking about the defense of our own nation.....It shows a lot of character, to watch someone else do all the work and take all the risks, and to be good with it all at the end of the day....