B-17 Crash / Hartford Ct (BDL closed)
- Thread starter melax
- Start date
NovemberEcho
Dergs favorite member
We get requests to come back to the field all the time for various non-emergencies. If you need to return to the field because of an emergency, declare an emergency.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
An interesting historical perspective, the great majority of WWII B-17 aircrews flew no more than 30 combat sorties and 200 total hours before going home.
gne in prog
Well-Known Member
Did you listen to the recording?
Cherokee_Cruiser
Bronteroc
Just the small clip released yesterday, where he asks for a return, ATC asks reason, and pilot responds engine #4 problem and to pop it in the ground.
A Life Aloft
Well-Known Member
From what I have read this afternoon, the pilot, (Ernest McCauley) had been flying this plane for 21 years and had logged 7,300 hours on her. Seems like plenty of experience to me.
This is just so damn sad. I feel so badly for those who perished, their loved ones, friends and co-workers, for the loss of this magnificent plane and for the Collings Foundation.
If there is any bright spot it's that there happened to be aboard, an Airman who is the current Command Chief for the 103rd Airlift Wing and a trained C-130 loadmaster. He brought his Military issued flame retardant flight gloves with him during the flight, and using these, was able to open the hatch on the aircraft allowing other passengers to egress the plane after the crash. He did this while suffering from a broken arm and a broken collarbone. Chief Master Sgt. James Traficante......He joined the Air Force in 1984 and his deployments included Desert Shield/Storm, Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Inherent Resolve. He came to the 103rd, based at Bradley International Airport, in 2014.
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gne in prog
Well-Known Member
Starts about 18:40. Listen to that and you won’t think the controller did a poor job.
A Life Aloft
Well-Known Member
I only posted what I could find thus far on the net, which often is not exactly accurate. It seems like he had more than enough experience and time on the B-17. From what I have read, everyone loved and respected him and he really enjoyed flying this plane and being a part of the team of Warbird pilots for Collings. I saw some photos of him working on one of the engines as well and some short interviews. I am so very sorry that you lost a friend and co-worker. Must be so painful for all of you at Collings.
NickH
Uber Driver
He was the pilot who flew with me a decade ago. 
Incredibly nice guy, and in the time I spent talking with him, it was obvious how much he loved the airplane and flying it.
But that said, I wouldn't fly with him today because of age. That's the elephant in the room, that no one wants to mention.
Incredibly nice guy, and in the time I spent talking with him, it was obvious how much he loved the airplane and flying it.
But that said, I wouldn't fly with him today because of age. That's the elephant in the room, that no one wants to mention.
Pilot Fighter
Well-Known Member
I wasn't sure if I was a better pilot than my father when he was 70. He's now 76 and I'm worried about his driving. The issue of age will always spark some spirited conversations.
D
Deleted member 27505
Guest
Probably in a somewhat similar way to which it worked in WWII when the Capt had ~50 hours, the Co had ~35 hours, and the FE was fresh off the farm with a few days of "gauges differences training" so he could differentiate the airplane dials from those of the tractor.
B-17s? Were two pilot in the firefighting days. Just like the Dougs, the and the PB4Ys. Some of the twin engine fire bombers were single pilot, like the Invader, the F7F and the current S-2s. At least the B-17s I saw sitting on alert and launching for fires out of PRC, MZJ and FFZ, always had a pilot and co-pilot onboard.
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NickH
Uber Driver
Isn’t there an FAA exemption allowing some of the warbirds that are certificated in the Experimental category, to carry passengers?
PFEs were professional FEs, those guys who were A&Ps and got their FE ticket and flew as such, never going to move up to the front seats. SOs, or Second Officers, were pilots with FE tickets who sat the FE position and were awaiting the move to FO at some point. Airlines used both. I think Doug even remembers some of the last PFEs at SJI.
Inverted
mmmmmm wine
He was the pilot who flew with me a decade ago.
Incredibly nice guy, and in the time I spent talking with him, it was obvious how much he loved the airplane and flying it.
But that said, I wouldn't fly with him today because of age. That's the elephant in the room, that no one wants to mention.
I flew with him in the 17 a couple months ago, and I would have again. I am super ageist too, but Mac was sharp. Not to say this won’t end up as pilot error, it most likely will be.
What are the training and checking standards, if any, for the operation? I don’t know the answer but am curious.
Agreed. Generally speaking, it seems so many pilots are hesitant to use the “E word”. Have heard ATC sometimes have to drag it out of them.
Not saujng related here, just a general observation of civil aviation.
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