Except that's an F-18

quote:

Originally posted by sigmonkey:
Except that's an F-18

Very cool!

If I were a billionaire, I know what I would want to buy and spend my time doing. I wonder what trim levels it comes in

How many hours of flight training does it take before you can fly like that? I can't imagine how boring it is to be stuck driving in traffic after doing that.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:
Very cool!

If I were a billionaire, I know what I would want to buy and spend my time doing. I wonder what trim levels it comes in

How many hours of flight training does it take before you can fly like that? I can't imagine how boring it is to be stuck driving in traffic after doing that.

Short answer: a shit ton.

Longer answer: Air Force UPT takes about one year and roughly 250 flight hours (actual flight time, not including simulator time or ground training). That gets you your basic pilot wings. Then it is on to IFF, Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals, followed by aircraft specific training. At that point you are just about smart enough to walk and chew gum at the same time. It looks like the pilot in the op's video is practicing for an airshow so he is probably at least an Instructor Pilot and has been flying the F-16 for at least 5-6 years? So, maybe 1000 hours in the F-16?

Since I was a 130 driver my numbers might be off by a large margin. Any pointy nose guys feel free to correct me.

I can’t speak to USAF flight training/UPT as I was a Naval Aviator. I can tell you that when I went through flight school in the 80s it was about 1 1/2 years and 300 hours to get your wings (primary, intermediate strike, and advanced strike). From there it was on to the RAG (replacement air group) to learn how to fly your “fleet” jet. Then on to a fleet squadron to begin the real training of fighting a tactical jet.

The F16 is a phenomenal aircraft, one of the best made for its mission. Having fought them in DACM (dissimilar air combat maneuvering), they are tough to kill. Yes it appears this is either an air show itself or a practice for one. However, the maneuvers are fairly routine and nothing very difficult in themselves.

Although I wore “wings of gold” and not lead (a dig at my USAF brethren), I can readily identify with the F16 drivers. Single engine, single seat tactical air ain’t for everyone.

quote:

Originally posted by Herkdriver: It looks like the pilot in the op's video is practicing for an airshow so he is probably at least an Instructor Pilot and has been flying the F-16 for at least 5-6 years? So, maybe 1000 hours in the F-16?

I'm just a retired Classic Hornet guy, but this is what I see in the video: At 00:25 you can see his low-viz Major oak leaves. You can also see he's wearing the USAF Demo Pilot patch. To be on this team you have to have a ton of experience in the make/model of what you're demonstrating. He probably got his wings, graduated from IFF and went directly to the Viper as an First LT. He may have over 2000 hours of flight time just in the F-16. Overall I thought he gave a very impressive performance that demonstrated the best of what the Viper can do.

Over my career I snagged two backseat rides in a slick F-16 and was very impressed with a few things about it. Roll rate and acceleration is phenomenal, as is the visibility from the cockpit. And of course, who can't resist killing your back by pulling 9 G's just to say you did? I thought the radar display size and performance sucked, but that was a long time ago and technology has gotten better. High alpha limit was only 25 degrees (Classic Hornet was 30+) which I thought was a big limitation if your initial 9-G pull didn't put you in a very offensive position for a quick kill. On the administrative side, I've heard that flying in the weather with so much visibility around you can be disconcerting. And having had a few engine-related emergencies in my career, I've often wondered what it was like to be over bad-guy country at night and hearing your one & only motor begin to make strange noises. (Mojojo, here's your que to tell us some stories!)

The Viper was always a tough fight regardless of who or where we fought them, and we tangled with the Fresno Air Guard guys on a semi-regular basis. As with the Hornet, the outcome of the fight all depended on aircraft configuration (assuming equal pilot skills). If at the merge I saw two fuel tanks poking out the front of a Viper's wings, I knew it was going to be a good day. If I didn't, then I knew I was going to have to work reeeally hard and not make a mistake to get some gun footage.

I have a healthy respect for the F-16 and how it's successfully been turned into a multi-role platform. From doing the SEAD/DEAD mission to hauling a load of precision guided munitions, it's become a versatile machine far beyond it's original intent. And they're still building them after 40-plus years.

All that said, I didn't walk away from either of my two rides wishing I could trade airplanes.

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All that said, I didn't walk away from either of my two rides wishing I could trade airplanes.

Shit, who would? When I started UPT I thought I wanted to fly Strike Eagles. Now, no way in hell I would trade my time in the 130 for a fighter. YMMV.

Edit to add: I did T-44's at NAS Corpus Christi so my silver wings have a touch of gold.

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Originally posted by Tailhook 84:
[(Mojojo, here's your que to tell us some stories!)

Thankfully all my single engine issues happened stateside! (but the engine fire at night was interesting)

Herkdriver - Had friends from Primary who went C130s for the Corps. They brought a T-44 through Meridian on a student cross country. I thought it was a nice plane. Yeah, your "Navy" time earns you some gold accents on your wings.