I remember I was fascinated also with the flying boxcars (C-119?). It didn't fit the stereotype a young boy had about the shape of an airplane. I remember the first time too when I saw a, I think, KC-97 refueling fighters. My Dad, who was prior Air Corps (radioman/gunner), was an avid aviation enthusiast. He gave me my first ride in a J2 when I was 6 and he nearly got us arrested once while on vacation for taking pictures just inside the fence at MacDill AFB in Tampa of several B47's taking off at once. What a sight! Black smoke everywhere, RATO units pouring white smoke out the sides, it was something to see. That man loved airplanes.
Kids don't look up at overflying airplanes anymore
- Thread starter LoneRanger
- Start date
- Status
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
come on guys, it's a bus with wings.
get over it
Do you mean to be sarcastic, or have you never had the joy of sitting up front?
It's even better if you're all by yourself the first time in some little single.
Flying commercial in the back is wonderful. You get to go somewhere far off in no time at all.
Flying an airplane is sublime.
Unlike driving a car or riding a bike, the thrill of flying an airplane never goes away.
Spotting at airports is always fun and it beats the tedium of the smart phone or the bar on a long wait for your next flight.
You sometimes see some really interesting aircraft and just watching common 737s, MD80s and A320s take off and land is entertaining.
come on guys, it's a bus with wings.
get over it
Do you mean to be sarcastic, or have you never had the joy of sitting up front?
It's even better if you're all by yourself the first time in some little single.
Flying commercial in the back is wonderful. You get to go somewhere far off in no time at all.
Flying an airplane is sublime.
Unlike driving a car or riding a bike, the thrill of flying an airplane never goes away.
Spotting at airports is always fun and it beats the tedium of the smart phone or the bar on a long wait for your next flight.
You sometimes see some really interesting aircraft and just watching common 737s, MD80s and A320s take off and land is entertaining.
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
.
This last year he had two free 1 hour flights at the local airport. Plus some that I paid for. This is from one of the flights. My sister took him. I was too scared.
. I don't want my fear to be his. I did go on a few of the others.
That's a wonderful thing you're doing for him, good on ya. As to fear of flying I can offer a little (oldy but goody) story:
A lady, on a flight to see relatives, takes a seat next to a old priest. He has a death grip on the arm rests and is visibly sweating and she decides to see if she can calm him down. She tells him how safe it is, how pleasant to be above the clouds, etc. Nothing seems to help the old guy and the lady, finally out of patience, asks him how he, a man of the faith, does not trust God to take care of him. The priest looks at her and with a very shaky voice says, Oh I do trust Him completely but He says right in the Bible, Lo, I am with you always....
Nice. People laugh at me because I was on Submarines but don't like to fly . I always tell them there are more planes in the ocean then there are Submarines in the sky...
Back in the mid 90's I was on a plane that had a bird strike flying out of Newark and I was never quite the same. I fly about 5 to 6 times a year. You figure by now I would be good to go.
Originally Posted By: ls1mike
.
This last year he had two free 1 hour flights at the local airport. Plus some that I paid for. This is from one of the flights. My sister took him. I was too scared.
That's a wonderful thing you're doing for him, good on ya. As to fear of flying I can offer a little (oldy but goody) story:
A lady, on a flight to see relatives, takes a seat next to a old priest. He has a death grip on the arm rests and is visibly sweating and she decides to see if she can calm him down. She tells him how safe it is, how pleasant to be above the clouds, etc. Nothing seems to help the old guy and the lady, finally out of patience, asks him how he, a man of the faith, does not trust God to take care of him. The priest looks at her and with a very shaky voice says, Oh I do trust Him completely but He says right in the Bible, Lo, I am with you always....
Nice. People laugh at me because I was on Submarines but don't like to fly . I always tell them there are more planes in the ocean then there are Submarines in the sky...
Back in the mid 90's I was on a plane that had a bird strike flying out of Newark and I was never quite the same. I fly about 5 to 6 times a year. You figure by now I would be good to go.
I once had to physically hold a panicking lady down to keep her in her seat in the back of a 727 after we had a compressor stall in the center engine on climbout after takeoff and a very abrupt power reduction. In her defense it was a VERY loud pop for those of us sitting in the back. It was also disconcerting to the pilot (!) because when he made the shaky-voiced announcement that we were returning to the airport he assured us that all the employees at Western Airlines work constantly for our safety. It was a Delta Airlines flight..... Then I decided to get worried too.
Originally Posted By: zach1900
If it's not coming through a smartphone it doesn't register, besides they can just YouTube it later , white male inventions are being scrubbed thanks to the progressive insanity.
And get off my lawn! Lulz. Who do you think makes up the current tech industry?
If it's not coming through a smartphone it doesn't register, besides they can just YouTube it later , white male inventions are being scrubbed thanks to the progressive insanity.
And get off my lawn! Lulz. Who do you think makes up the current tech industry?
I'm 6 years old playing with the kids on the block when all of a
sudden out of the clear blue sky came a deep syncopated beat and all
the windows in the neighborhood vibrated in harmony... my eyes looked
up and I thought the wing tip was about to strike the telephone
pole... I ran for cover fearing the end but it was only a B36 banking
for Alameda... I still feel awe and excited looking up...
sudden out of the clear blue sky came a deep syncopated beat and all
the windows in the neighborhood vibrated in harmony... my eyes looked
up and I thought the wing tip was about to strike the telephone
pole... I ran for cover fearing the end but it was only a B36 banking
for Alameda... I still feel awe and excited looking up...
Last edited:
My kids will look up at planes, as often its quiet enough to hear a jet way up at cruising altitude. Every once in a while a C-17 flies over at a lower altitude which looks like it should fall out of the sky. We are also under the medical helicopter transfer route and they fly quite low. Lots of small planes buzzing around too, and we once had a F18 do some low altitude hard maneuvering that was cool, and maybe broke the sound barrier? It was very loud anyways, I wanted to call the base and ask for another pass, but I think the pilot would get in trouble!
Recently we had a discussion on why the condensation trails start and stop sometimes, which led thunder clouds, etc.
Recently we had a discussion on why the condensation trails start and stop sometimes, which led thunder clouds, etc.
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Recently we had a discussion on why the condensation trails start and stop sometimes, which led thunder clouds, etc.
Back in SR-71 days the ops guys computed contrails-start and contrails-stop altitudes for every mission. You can't have a semi-stealth aircraft giving up its position with a straight line "arrow" pointing to it. Mostly a function of the varying humidity at different altitudes IIRC.
Recently we had a discussion on why the condensation trails start and stop sometimes, which led thunder clouds, etc.
Back in SR-71 days the ops guys computed contrails-start and contrails-stop altitudes for every mission. You can't have a semi-stealth aircraft giving up its position with a straight line "arrow" pointing to it. Mostly a function of the varying humidity at different altitudes IIRC.
MrQuackers
Site Donor 2024
When I was a kid it was popular to park near the airport to watch the planes arrive/depart. There were even consession vehicles there.
Originally Posted By: BusyLittleShop
I ran for cover fearing the end but it was only a B36 banking
for Alameda... I still feel awe and excited looking up...
I always enjoyed the SAC description of "6 turning and 4 burning" for the 36 or "the aluminum overcast". Originally designed to bomb Germany from the US if England was lost, it didn't have a long life before the 47/52 showed up. I think it had either a 13 or 16 man crew. Be like going on a mission with the O-club except there were a lot more enlisted guys flying back then. Big enough to carry its own parasite fighters (but not successfully). Those were hairy times.
I ran for cover fearing the end but it was only a B36 banking
for Alameda... I still feel awe and excited looking up...
I always enjoyed the SAC description of "6 turning and 4 burning" for the 36 or "the aluminum overcast". Originally designed to bomb Germany from the US if England was lost, it didn't have a long life before the 47/52 showed up. I think it had either a 13 or 16 man crew. Be like going on a mission with the O-club except there were a lot more enlisted guys flying back then. Big enough to carry its own parasite fighters (but not successfully). Those were hairy times.
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
When I was a kid it was popular to park near the airport to watch the planes arrive/depart. There were even consession vehicles there.
There is a cool spot on the El Segundo side of LAX like that.
When I was a kid it was popular to park near the airport to watch the planes arrive/depart. There were even consession vehicles there.
There is a cool spot on the El Segundo side of LAX like that.
When I was a kid I was lucky enough to grow up living out in the country where pilots of warbirds such as AT-6s, Wildcats, T-28s, Bearcats, etc used to fly aerobatics over our house. They Flew out of the Kalamazoo airport and I would guess they'd come out our way to get away from the more populated areas. It was impressive watching the maneuvers, especially the Bearcat. Not only was it fast, but the vertical performance of that thing was amazing!
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
Originally Posted By: HosteenJorje
I grew up in Albuquerque on the east mesa during WWII and all kids were interested in what was landing and taking off at Kirtland Army airfield.. We could all identify most everything that happened to be overhead. Saw the first B-29 in early 1945 waiting for a bus across from the Lobo Theatre in Nob Hill. Very different from the B-17s and B-24s. Saw my first B-36 about 1950. The whole family would go out to the parking area south of the TWA terminal and watch the planes come over the Rio Grande on final approach and touch down on the main east/west runway.I always look up at passing aircraft.
I grew up in the 60s...the heyday for civilian owned warbirds...back in those days WWII fighter planes could be purchased for next to nothing, they were plentiful, and they were not nearly as expensive to own/maintain/fly as they are today. It seemed like every dawn patrol my Dad and I went to had multiple warbirds there. Now days there has to be some kind of major event to see these planes as they are so scarce and expensive to own. Heck even a lot of rich people today can't afford to own/fly them now, they have to get sponsors to back them...the Kalamazoo Air Museum had to get rid of several of their warbirds because the insurance premiums on them were too expensive...
I grew up in Albuquerque on the east mesa during WWII and all kids were interested in what was landing and taking off at Kirtland Army airfield.. We could all identify most everything that happened to be overhead. Saw the first B-29 in early 1945 waiting for a bus across from the Lobo Theatre in Nob Hill. Very different from the B-17s and B-24s. Saw my first B-36 about 1950. The whole family would go out to the parking area south of the TWA terminal and watch the planes come over the Rio Grande on final approach and touch down on the main east/west runway.I always look up at passing aircraft.
I grew up in the 60s...the heyday for civilian owned warbirds...back in those days WWII fighter planes could be purchased for next to nothing, they were plentiful, and they were not nearly as expensive to own/maintain/fly as they are today. It seemed like every dawn patrol my Dad and I went to had multiple warbirds there. Now days there has to be some kind of major event to see these planes as they are so scarce and expensive to own. Heck even a lot of rich people today can't afford to own/fly them now, they have to get sponsors to back them...the Kalamazoo Air Museum had to get rid of several of their warbirds because the insurance premiums on them were too expensive...
Originally Posted By: grampi
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
Don't know where you live in Ohio but, if far enough north, you could have a very pleasant day trip and go to Battle Creek near where you're from and visit the Waco Aircraft Company and watch them make the new version YMF-5D and Great Lakes. Hey, they ain't fighters but are very deeply cool nonetheless. If not that far north then maybe the museum at Wright-Patt which is outstanding. Or come see me and I'll take you to Tullahoma or get you a hang glider ride.
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
Don't know where you live in Ohio but, if far enough north, you could have a very pleasant day trip and go to Battle Creek near where you're from and visit the Waco Aircraft Company and watch them make the new version YMF-5D and Great Lakes. Hey, they ain't fighters but are very deeply cool nonetheless. If not that far north then maybe the museum at Wright-Patt which is outstanding. Or come see me and I'll take you to Tullahoma or get you a hang glider ride.
Originally Posted By: bdcardinal
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
When I was a kid it was popular to park near the airport to watch the planes arrive/depart. There were even consession vehicles there.
There is a cool spot on the El Segundo side of LAX like that.
Just last month they opened a new public observation area here at MSP. You can literally drive out in the middle of the airport and sit and watch planes. It's at the end of the road that serves the UPS and FedEx terminals, and you go through 2 tunnels that go under a runway and a taxiway to get there.
Originally Posted By: MrQuackers
When I was a kid it was popular to park near the airport to watch the planes arrive/depart. There were even consession vehicles there.
There is a cool spot on the El Segundo side of LAX like that.
Just last month they opened a new public observation area here at MSP. You can literally drive out in the middle of the airport and sit and watch planes. It's at the end of the road that serves the UPS and FedEx terminals, and you go through 2 tunnels that go under a runway and a taxiway to get there.
Originally Posted By: DeepFriar
Originally Posted By: grampi
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
Don't know where you live in Ohio but, if far enough north, you could have a very pleasant day trip and go to Battle Creek near where you're from and visit the Waco Aircraft Company and watch them make the new version YMF-5D and Great Lakes. Hey, they ain't fighters but are very deeply cool nonetheless. If not that far north then maybe the museum at Wright-Patt which is outstanding. Or come see me and I'll take you to Tullahoma or get you a hang glider ride.
I'm assuming you're talking about Battle Creek, MI? And I've been to the Wright-Patt air museum at least a dozen times...it never gets old!
Originally Posted By: grampi
I grew up around airplanes. My Dad was a pilot, and so was I for a while. So aviation is in my blood, and always will be...
Don't know where you live in Ohio but, if far enough north, you could have a very pleasant day trip and go to Battle Creek near where you're from and visit the Waco Aircraft Company and watch them make the new version YMF-5D and Great Lakes. Hey, they ain't fighters but are very deeply cool nonetheless. If not that far north then maybe the museum at Wright-Patt which is outstanding. Or come see me and I'll take you to Tullahoma or get you a hang glider ride.
I'm assuming you're talking about Battle Creek, MI? And I've been to the Wright-Patt air museum at least a dozen times...it never gets old!
- Joined
- Jul 2, 2007
- Messages
- 5,294
Back in the day my disabled friend and I flew the Pa-28 to Springfield-Beckley near Dayton and rented a car at the FBO (pre-arranged), drove over to the USAF Museum. Few months later I flew there again with my wife and son. Quite the destination for aviation enthusiasts. At time there was an Ohio ANG unit based at Springfield-Beckley, F-16's. Taxied past their ramp, both times.
I grew up in an area with an ANG base near by. As a young kid I remember seeing plenty of F-84's, F100's and later F-4 phantoms fly over. I had read all the aviation related book's in the library at school. Built plenty of models too. USAF museum is only 2hrs away from me. Today I work for a an aerospace company. I suppose not everybody is into airplanes, just like cars and motorcycles. I tend not to look up at commercial flights, but still do since we have A10s flying around that sound like commercial aircraft sometimes. Certainly if it sounds different I'm looking.
Originally Posted By: Lolvoguy
come on guys, it's a bus with wings.
get over it
Until your flight experiences an emergency and your life depends on the crew's training, decision making skills and experience, but I guess any idiot can be a pilot.
I guess the Space Shuttle and Apollo rockets were merely buses, too.
come on guys, it's a bus with wings.
get over it
Until your flight experiences an emergency and your life depends on the crew's training, decision making skills and experience, but I guess any idiot can be a pilot.
I guess the Space Shuttle and Apollo rockets were merely buses, too.
Last edited:
- Status