Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
So back to the OP... Are there any performers on here or Bumblebee are you gonna get your friend on here. Dougs buddy Jeff is probably to busy training to be on here
Airshow performers
- Thread starter Pilotforhire587
- Start date
ryan1234
Desensitized Member
There are a few guys flying Mustangs on the show circuit without type ratings (and with the FAA's blessing), from what they say, right now, the only 'type' you can get is the "Experimental Type Rating" (the old LOA), but since most Mustangs are not "Experimental"...then the type isn't really needed unless you're flying an experimental type (like a newish manufactured Yak3/9)
Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
Doug, do you thing Jeff would join the site if you asked nicely... Maybe I should send him a letter
WacoFan
Bigly
Why do you want to be an airshow pilot so bad? Is this an epiphany you had with the passing of Amanda Franklin - like it made you want to pursue something you always wanted to, or is this airshow pilot thing a new motivation?
In general, what about being an airshow pilot appeals to any of you? Just curious. I can see being very interested in aerobatic competition - because it is a competition and therefore "winnable" - same with air racing. Being an airshow pilot never personally appealed because you can't "win" at it, and you continually push the edge simply to entertain mouthbreathers that came simply to see you crash - but that's just my view. Patty Wagstaff, Jurgis Kairys, Svetlana Kapinina, Kirby Chambliss, et al - their competition wins are much more impressive to me than their airshow exploits.
In general, what about being an airshow pilot appeals to any of you? Just curious. I can see being very interested in aerobatic competition - because it is a competition and therefore "winnable" - same with air racing. Being an airshow pilot never personally appealed because you can't "win" at it, and you continually push the edge simply to entertain mouthbreathers that came simply to see you crash - but that's just my view. Patty Wagstaff, Jurgis Kairys, Svetlana Kapinina, Kirby Chambliss, et al - their competition wins are much more impressive to me than their airshow exploits.
///AMG
Well-Known Member
Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
I have always wanted to get into fly aerobatics, even if it was just on my own out over fields near my home to have fun. I think I picked up that addiction doing spins for my CFI and then it grew stronger doing unusual attitudes and spins with other students. In the last year, I have not had time to flight instruct at all and most of my time has been spent flying around the north east and midwest in a Dash 8 full of people and you can't do much with an airliner but go from point a to b. I have really started to get a craving experience more, to push the limits of flying and to learn more. Don't get me wrong, I love flying the airliners too but I want more. As I am getting with in 5 numbers of upgrading to Captain the possibility of starting to save up for a Super D or other Aerobatic plane is close to becoming a reality. To me I would like to do both, competition and airshows but to me airshows would be a lot more fun. You get to show off what you can do in an airplane to thousands of people at a time and have fun doing it. Not that flying in competition isn't fun but in competition you are under a lot more stress to perform perfectly. Thats just me though. At airshows too, maybe its because I am a pilot I don't look on hoping to see a crash, I am not morbid and would not wish that on friends or fo, I just love going out and hearing the noise, seeing the smoke, and seeing folks do things in airplanes that, to the untrained eye, they shouldn't be able to do. I also just love to fly and I feel like I can share the fun of flying with people during airshows more than in competition.
Why the sudden judgement Waco?
WacoFan
Bigly
Not a sudden judgement - I was just always curious about why people would gravitate to airshows over other things - like competition or racing. They are all interesting, and I get racing or competition, but have never understood the motivation to be an airshow pilot because I never had it - so I wanted to ask. For me, I'd rather compete and be judged by my peers, but am ambivalent about whether anyone that doesn't know what they are looking at (airshow type fans) can see. Others are drawn to the "show business" aspects. Just trying to see the motivation.
As for me - simple. I hate unlimited racing and how they cut up old warbirds. I want it to be like the 20's and 30's when people would design and build the fastest airplanes and then race them. So - my "win the lottery" type of dream goal is similar to Bob Pond's - a clean sheet of paper unlimited to kick all the ex-military birds ass - just like in the 30's.
Okie_Pilot
Pitts Builder
So hot chicks will want to take pictures with me and have me autograph their....
T-shirts and hats.
T-shirts and hats.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
Actually, air racing has SAVED more airframes than it has destroyed. This is a claim that is often made, and when you look at the number of airframes physically "cut up" since they have become valuable pieces of history (post 1970 or so) vs how many wrecks have been rebuilt just for racing (and subsequently returned to stock later on in life), the claim doesn't actually hold water. So far as current racers go, Strega, Dago Red, and Rare Bear were all wrecks or derelicts that wouldn't have survived to the current day if they hadn't been rebuilt as racers.
It has destroyed countless engine parts, though.
Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
Tram
Well-Known Member
You know you can get all sorts of training from Koontz in the Decathlon right? He's in Birmingham.. I had no idea you were in the Boro.. I should come grab you in the RV sometime...
WacoFan
Bigly
It really isn't about even cutting up the old warbirds so much as to me air racing should be like the old Thompson Trophy and Bendix races when Travel Air, Wedell-Williams, Howard, Laird and Gee Bee would all scratch design planes and build them - then go out and smoke the military machines of the day. I just think that is cool. It would be awesome to design and scratch build a plane that would waste the warbirds.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
RICHARD5
Well-Known Member
Yet context is everything. I think both of you have a valid point. I respect both of you so it is with some reservation I say stop with the picking fly poop out of pepper.
RICHARD5
Well-Known Member
Pine away brother. Pine for them long lost golden days.
BTW: in sailing there have been one class racing throughout the history of racing. There has been a resurgence of that school of thought. The diff is it's easier to create a class boat than a 'warbird' class* in aviation.
*A class equal to that of the airframes of pursuit aircraft of that time period.
WacoFan
Bigly
No way man...it's on between Hackker and me...fight to the death stuff!
Hacker - It is like on my continuam of of "stuff" - the hacking up of old warbirds isn't the driver of my "hate" (the modification, etc). It is the complete reliance on the old warbirds rather than clean-sheet designs (like the Mystery Ship, Wedell-Williams, etc) that I "hate". You make a valid point that air racing has saved airframes and I'll agree with you - and seeing Strega or Dreadnaught or Rare Bear is "neat" - but I "hate" it in that piston driven racers the reliance is on modifying 50 year old airplanes rather than some yokels (like Benny Howard, Matty Laird or the Granville's) drawing a plane on a napkin and then building it and kicking ass. I should have explained that more clearly.
Hacker15e
Who am I? Where are my pants?
Yep, I see where you're going...I get that. That would be nice to go back to those days, but unfortunately we're dealing with speeds and performance that aren't attainable by designs that come from the desk and garage of 'everyman'.
And yet, we're seeing almost exactly that in the Sport Class, with speeds that are all ready faster than the Bronze Unlimited class. My prediction is that within 15 years, we'll see the Sport Class eclipse the Unlimiteds as the main attraction (in both speed and following) as the warbirds simply become too expensive to own/maintain/insure.
WacoFan
Bigly
My hope is that the sport class happens like you say - but with more taildraggers and V-12's. Also - I'm not against using existing motors - that's fair game - so a clean sheet of paper design around a 2800 or a 3350 would be acceptable to me.
Pilotforhire587
Lycra Man
I would love to hang man! I have a pretty busy month with training events and trips until the end of the month. That being said I will buy you lunch if it gets me a flight in the RV... That will be a first for me. I know there is a school in Moontown with a Super D but that is the closest one. When I get some cash free I will have to head to BHM for a few days and go fly with him
Tram
Well-Known Member
Yeh, last I heard they were just putting the wings back on the Decathlon.. Should be good to go now.. I haven't flown much lately, I've got a broken arm..
