SIGforum
Alright pilots, who's in for a group buy to fly an F-104?
March 04, 2018, 10:26 AM
Otto PilotAlright pilots, who's in for a group buy to fly an F-104?
I mean they have to offer group rates right?
Starfighters offers flight training and backseat time in an F-104. Gotta' figure out how much blood I can part with. Maybe I have a friend or two I can sell to human traffickers...something.
I'm sure my wife would be fine with it. I have good life insurance.
quote:
F-104 FLIGHT TRAINING INSTRUCTION OVERVIEW
This limited-access flight training is designed to enhance confidence and flight safety through comprehensive ground training sessions and back-seat flight operations. This course provides a one-on-one overview of the aircraft’s key systems, pre-flight, in-flight and post-flight procedures, safety protocols, physiological and human factors, and the fundamentals of piloting the legendary F-104.
The time required to complete F-104 Flight Training varies, but in general, pilots should allow at least three days to complete the program.
Training Includes
Equipment fitting and operation, egress and ejection seat training, life raft and survival training, ground school, cockpit familiarization and pre-flight and post-flight briefings.
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Aeronautics confers beauty and grandeur, combining art and science for those who devote themselves to it. . . . The aeronaut, free in space, sailing in the infinite, loses himself in the immense undulations of nature. He climbs, he rises, he soars, he reigns, he hurtles the proud vault of the azure sky. — Georges Besançon
March 04, 2018, 10:38 AM
nhtagmemberthat would be a hoot
[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC
March 04, 2018, 10:45 AM
sigmonkeyYep. Hootin' and howlin' in a Zipper.
"the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב! March 04, 2018, 10:51 AM
newtoSig765Back-seat only? Better be giving a pretty good discount for that.

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Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
-- H L Mencken
I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is.
-- JALLEN 10/18/18
March 04, 2018, 10:53 AM
SIG4EVAI am down! I have a left testicle I can part with.
SIG556 Classic
P220 Carry SAS Gen 2 SAO
SP2022 9mm German Triple Serial
P938 SAS
P365 FDE
P322 FDE
Psalm 118:24 "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it"
March 04, 2018, 10:55 AM
Jimbo54Yep, riding a missile with tiny wings would be a rush. I couldn't afford the fuel for a 30 second flight let alone a longer one, so it'll never happen.

Jim
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"If you can't be a good example, then you'll have to be a horrible warning" -Catherine Aird
March 04, 2018, 11:04 AM
Pipe SmokerThose tiny wings had such a sharp leading edge that they were covered to protect ground crews from injuries.
Serious about crackers. March 04, 2018, 11:06 AM
Otto Pilotquote:
Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Yep, riding a missile with tiny wings would be a rush. I couldn't afford the fuel for a 30 second flight let alone a longer one, so it'll never happen.

Jim
Aw c'mon. don't give up. 30 seconds would only cost about 12 dollars or so...for the fuel that is. LOL. You got this.
______________________________________________
Aeronautics confers beauty and grandeur, combining art and science for those who devote themselves to it. . . . The aeronaut, free in space, sailing in the infinite, loses himself in the immense undulations of nature. He climbs, he rises, he soars, he reigns, he hurtles the proud vault of the azure sky. — Georges Besançon
March 04, 2018, 11:34 AM
FN in MTI have a friend who flew a lot of the old Century series fighters, with a lot of time in the F-102 and F-106's.
He told me when he did his transition into the F-104 he had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach the entire time. Did not like the aircraft at all.
March 04, 2018, 11:42 AM
furloughDammit, I did NOT need to see this! I've always loved the F-104.
This and no other is the root from which a tyrant springs; when he first appears above ground he is a protector.
Plato March 04, 2018, 11:42 AM
sigmonkeyquote:
Originally posted by Jimbo54:
Yep, riding a missile with tiny wings would be a rush. I couldn't afford the fuel for a 30 second flight let alone a longer one, so it'll never happen.

Jim
The F-104 flys like a wad of keys.
"the meaning of life, is to give life meaning" ✡ Ani Yehudi אני יהודי Le'olam lo shuv לעולם לא שוב! March 04, 2018, 11:42 AM
Sig2340I have good news and bad news.
The good news is that they will offer SIGForum members a special group rate if 15 members sign up.
The bad news is all 15 members have to fly in the back seat at the same time.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government."
Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
March 04, 2018, 11:51 AM
nhtagmemberI used to watch the F104's fly out of CFB Cold Lake all the time - what a rush watching them take off, as much fun watching them land...
spindly little gear
got a chance to see them up close and sat in the cockpit of a lot of them - all slightly different
the visibility with the canopy down was pretty spectacular - you were sitting right up front and on top - almost nothing to obstruct the view except directly over the nose
If I remember right, you wore a pair of spurs on your flight boots that were connected to the take up reels at the bottom of the ejection seat, if you had to leave the airplane while it was still in the air it yanked your feel to the seat so they wouldn't flail about
The don't say how much the sessions are on their website - I am guessing is a $20,000 experience
[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC
March 04, 2018, 12:21 PM
Vanwall24 October 1977 - F-104RB - Red Baron - Darryl Greenamyer - World absolute low altitude speed record of 988.26 mph (1.590.5kmh)
With his own build hybrid F-104 Starfighter powered by a former US NAVY Phantom J-79 engine, Darryl managed to reach an official world absolute low altitude speed record of 988.26 mph (1,606km/h) at Mud Lake near Tonopah, Nevada.
Link to F104 Records:
http://www.i-f-s.nl/f-104-records/Wiki link on F104 low altitude record
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N104RB_Red_BaronMarch 04, 2018, 12:26 PM
V-Tailquote:
Originally posted by nhtagmember:
The don't say how much the sessions are on their website - I am guessing is a $20,000 experience
Does that include the checkride for the type rating?
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים March 04, 2018, 12:27 PM
newtoSig765quote:
Originally posted by Pipe Smoker:
Those tiny wings had such a sharp leading edge that they were covered to protect ground crews from injuries.
I've been up close to a few of them, and those leading edges are just as sharp as advertised. The last one I saw had metal shields attached to the leading edges, but there was a slight gap that allowed us to rub our fingers on them. The people with me were amazed at how sharp they were.
Surprising to me was that the cockpit was actually quite roomy, especially compared to the F4-C Phantom II, which was cramped by comparison. I fit in the F-104, but not the F4-C.
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Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
-- H L Mencken
I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is.
-- JALLEN 10/18/18
March 04, 2018, 12:31 PM
YooperSigsDuring the time I was flash frozen at K.I. Sawyer, the Canucks would come down and visit us with the Starfighter. When they left they often did a high speed climb. I wanted to break out in song with O Canada!
End of Earth: 2 Miles
Upper Peninsula: 4 Miles
March 04, 2018, 12:41 PM
nhtagmemberI will have to read their website again - might be nice to get a type rating on a 104, but where can you actually use it?

getting seat qualified and going through the high altitude chamber isn't a huge deal...
[B] Against ALL enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC
March 04, 2018, 12:48 PM
V-Tailquote:
Originally posted by nhtagmember:
I will have to read their website again - might be nice to get a type rating on a 104, but where can you actually use it?
You can never tell when it might come in handy.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
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Every normal man must be tempted, at times, to spit on his hands, hoist the black flag, and begin slitting throats.
-- H L Mencken
I always prefer reality when I can figure out what it is.
-- JALLEN 10/18/18