First few flights in a transport category aircraft

[Hacker15e]

Look at that wrinkled skin.

The B models are the most abused of all the T-38 airframes. Due to the nature of the course they were used to teach (Lead In Fighter Training, later renamed Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals), they were exposed to a lot more G and abrupt maneuvering than their A model counterparts. The LIFT and IFF courses are a USAF pilot's first real exposure to aggressive maneuvering, sustained high-G maneuvering, and very abrupt flight control inputs (for example, abrupt, rapid full deflection of the stick all the way aft to the seat-pan at 330 knots!). A lot of ham-fisted student fighter pilots have over-G'd the crap out of those jets many times.

That being said, the wrinkles in the boat-tail (that area right above the horizontal stab and back to the burner cans) are pretty standard T-38 fare. The horizontal attaches to the boat-tail, which also holds the "ejector nozzles". That area is a main structural piece, and gets a TON of stress.

Here you can see where the boat-tail removes from the rest of the airframe for access to the engines.

This is looking straight up into the boat-tail, and you can see that there is a lot of stress on there with the horizontal stab (although they call it the "slab" because it is a "flying tail" with both sides moving together) being mounted to this piece.

 

[Alchemy]

I know, it's going to be a pain to have to think that slow if I get a crack at the 121 world!

Haha, I said to myself that you'd probably post this exact response. I know you're sort of kidding, but do you guys really cruise around supersonic a lot in day-to-day operations?

 

[Hacker15e]

Haha, I said to myself that you'd probably post this exact response. I know you're sort of kidding, but do you guys really cruise around supersonic a lot in day-to-day operations?

Not at all -- I was definitely joking. Speeds in normal non-tactical operations aren't a whole lot faster than other civilian jet traffic.

We live in a world of 350-450 knots cruise, 300 knots in the pattern (yep, with an FAA/DoD LOA waiver), and over-the-fence at 170+ knots.

But, I just wanted to provide a little comic relief since I wasn't the indented target of your comment!

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I started in a CRJ with less than 250 hrs total. I didn't find the transition that bad from a light twin to the jet, probably mostly due to the RJ bridge program I did. True, things happen faster, but as long as you're sharp and can think ahead, it won't be hard. The first few flights, as with any transition, are different and you'll feel behind. It gets better though!