So I was out flying (real life) yesterday...

[BeachAV8R]

..and pulled in behind this guy in Raleigh-Durham, NC - you could hear his engine even in our cockpit...(apologies - crappy zoomed iPhone pic)

 

 

And then pulling back into the ramp at Charlotte..this guy was parked on our ramp...

 

 

So I figured it must be a sign.

 

 

Many thanks to "joey45" over on the DCS forums for the really cool custom repaint. Thanks too for the awesome bomb nose art by our very own @komemiute - I'm hoping to nail down a Mudspike patch design soon with his awesome artistic talents.

 

I believe I'm ready to go learn the Harrier now.

 

[baltic_dragon]

LOL :) if this isn’t a sign, Chris, than I don’t know what is :)

[Britchot]

That’s awesome!

 

My flying, yesterday, involved two AH-1Zs passing by the glider port. Unfortunately, there isn’t a DCS solution to that sign.

[Zeagle]

I taxied out behind an AV-8 back in 1997 at an airshow in Charlotte County FL. We had an F-18, a biz jet, an AV-8 and us in the Cardinal. All on the same freq.

[Richard Dastardly]

Growing up in a low-fly training area not far from the main naval air station in this country I've had a fair experience of hovering Harriers... and even some distance away they are *loud*. "Is someone launching a rocket out there?" loud. Not surprised you could hear him in the cockpit!

[Britchot]

I taxied out behind an AV-8 back in 1997 at an airshow in Charlotte County FL. We had an F-18, a biz jet, an AV-8 and us in the Cardinal. All on the same freq.

 

I did my flight training in Tucson, where the ANG flies their F-16s. After I landed in my Piper Cherokee and exited, a little past mid-field. I was initially told to hold short for the flight of 4 Vipers, all of us taxiing back to parking. I guess the 4th was taking too long for the ground controller and I was told to proceed after #3. The radio call to #4 was priceless, “Be advised, a Cherokee will now be joining your flight as number four.” I taxied looking up into that giant engine nacelle, hoping he didn’t blip the throttle.

[Harlikwin]

I did my flight training in Tucson, where the ANG flies their F-16s. After I landed in my Piper Cherokee and exited, a little past mid-field. I was initially told to hold short for the flight of 4 Vipers, all of us taxiing back to parking. I guess the 4th was taking too long for the ground controller and I was told to proceed after #3. The radio call to #4 was priceless, “Be advised, a Cherokee will now be joining your flight as number four.” I taxied looking up into that giant engine nacelle, hoping he didn’t blip the throttle.

 

LOFL.... Thats priceless.

[MK-82_1_EACH]

I did my flight training in Tucson, where the ANG flies their F-16s. After I landed in my Piper Cherokee and exited, a little past mid-field. I was initially told to hold short for the flight of 4 Vipers, all of us taxiing back to parking. I guess the 4th was taking too long for the ground controller and I was told to proceed after #3. The radio call to #4 was priceless, “Be advised, a Cherokee will now be joining your flight as number four.” I taxied looking up into that giant engine nacelle, hoping he didn’t blip the throttle.

 

This sort of reminds me of when my unit was at 29 palms for a CAX. At that time the SATS field was configured with the parking ramp on the south side of the runway. The taxiway is on the north side. For dearm at the EOR we had to drive this access road and simply we would tuck in behind the A/C taxing back to the parking ramp which was quicker than the access road and get us across the runway (no radio). This time we recovered a single A/C. After completing dearm and somewhat tucking behind the wing (A-4M) for the taxi back, the pilot kept on looking back at us in the jeep. Then he he blipped the throttle a couple of times speeding up. Ok looks like he wants to drag race. I mashed the throttle on jeep a few times. To keep this short, we played this game all the way down the taxiway. Of course when we got back to the ramp our NCOIC said the tower called and we were banned from using taxiway to get back to the parking ramp and must use the access road.

[Britchot]

Haha, some people just don’t have a sense of humor.

 

Small world. My dad flew A-4Ms for VMA-211, back in the late 70s to early 80s. And I flew drones off that EAF at 29 Palms in ‘07.

[MK-82_1_EACH]

Haha, some people just don’t have a sense of humor.

 

Small world. My dad flew A-4Ms for VMA-211, back in the late 70s to early 80s. And I flew drones off that EAF at 29 Palms in ‘07.

 

Even smaller .. I was in VMA-311. 211 had a small accident where they tested Emergency Salvo handle on one of their A-4's. This was at El Toro and when this jet took off and the gear came up (weight on wheels) a napalm canister and drop tank dropped off of the aircraft dumping it on the runway. They did not stray volt check after testing and the switch remained closed, if I remember correctly. To make a long story short about 2 weeks later or something like that, my NCOIC told me I was going on a trip. I was like "What are you talking about". 211 was going for a 30 day CAX at the stumps and I was volunteered (not by choice) to go. Apparently the scuttlebutt was that were having some issues in the ordnance department which was obviously outlined by the incident noted above. I was a Ordnance CDI so I got to spend a wonderful 30 day vacation with 211 at the stumps. I think this was in 82 but I cannot remember exactly. :)

[BEHill75]

I used to work on the engines for the might Carolina Lawn Dart. I miss being around this amazing and unique aircraft.

[Victor3]

When I was working on my PPL one of our practice areas was just south of Luke AFB, so during my checkride I was headed out to the practice are with the FAA examiner when all of a sudden from behind an F-16 buzzed us so close it rocked the plane. Examiner laughed and called him an A-hole. Looking back it's pretty funny, but in the moment in a 152 not so much!