Tornado & Tucano near miss

Post by **campbeme** » 16 Feb 2009, 18:58

This is just too close.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaLjPjLTyDA

Mark

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 16 Feb 2009, 21:48

So is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HEnu3esqlE

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 16 Feb 2009, 21:53

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLVtstYAZLY

aerogator · Post by **aerogator** » 17 Feb 2009, 13:16

That T-38 near-miss reminds me of an incident in Ernest Gann's book Fate is the Hunter. Its in the chapter "Tip of the Spear" I believe. This is a must read for anyone interested in aviation. (Not to be confused with the movie by the same name

which was pretty bad). Its out of print but can still be found.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 17 Feb 2009, 14:24

Yup, read it last year, great read. Jake are you talking about the opening chapter where he sees the nav lights go whizzing by while flying through the clouds in the dark? That sure got my attention when I read it.

aerogator · Post by **aerogator** » 17 Feb 2009, 15:34

are you talking about the opening chapter where he sees the nav lights go whizzing by while flying through the clouds in the dark?

Yep, that's the one. My other two favorite parts are the thunderstorm and the Taj Mahal. Although the matches under his nose is pretty good too.

He has a way with narrative, humor and understatement that makes the early days of airline flying and MATS come to life. I think I have read it four or five times over the last 45 years. It just gets better and better.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 17 Feb 2009, 16:32

What was funny for me was that his first route was EWR-SYR-ROC-CLE (I think). Flights that I've done many times in my own career.

aerogator · Post by **aerogator** » 17 Feb 2009, 18:36

That sounds right. I think it was called AM-41 back then. That's neat. I guess the difference is pretty startling now with jets and turbo-props.

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 17 Feb 2009, 19:08

Yea it was interesting reading his recounting of how they would find those airports in bad weather by dropping down low and looking for landmarks. C R A Z Y stuff I tell ya. What was the number out of his original flight class that eventually were killed in accidents, something like all but 3 of them?? It's a miracle anyone survived those times.

aerogator · Post by **aerogator** » 17 Feb 2009, 19:40

You're not kidding. Somewhere in the book, I think in the back, he lists all of the Captains and First Officers that were killed, I guess up until the time the book was written, and the list is long...

BTW, was he with United or American before he was "kidnapped" by the Army?

MIKE JG · Post by **MIKE JG** » 17 Feb 2009, 21:21

Oh man........I think it was the early version of American Airlines, not sure though.