What have you actually flown in?

I'll definitely have to look that one up. Sounds interesting.

Hey DD, it was made by the Funk Aircraft Company. They were around in the 30's and early 40's I believe. Small, single-engine planes reminiscent of a Piper. It was a fantastic aircraft. I was around 14 I think when one of the seniors in my Civil Air Patrol unit was offering rides. I was the only one who took him up on the offer. He actually let me take the controls for a bit, and had me do a couple basic maneuvers. When he took the controls back, he asked me if I wanted to do a stall, I said "sure". That was one of the coolest things I've ever experienced

Gotta ask - what is a '40 Funk??

'40 Funk, Cessna 172, UH-1(?), UH-60, C-130, C-17, MD-80, DC-10, 727, 737, 757, 777, A300

4 years Coast Guard active duty = an H-3 and a C-130 ride.

3 years USAFRes = lots of dreams but no flying.

Devil Dawg

Aaron Skinner

GMorrison

So in other words you got PAID to do it!

Every job has its perks!

So, uhhh, any openings there at Kalmbach? I would love to have a job where I can get paid to fly!!

Not to brag or anything...but, I was getting paid while riding along on a B-17 AND B-25, while everybody else on board had a $400 seat!

Aaron Skinner

GMorrison

So in other words you got PAID to do it!

Every job has its perks!

So, uhhh, any openings there at Kalmbach? I would love to have a job where I can get paid to fly!!

Negative...that's a GOOD landing.

A GREAT landing is when the aircraft is still airworthy!

True dat!

Richard. Any landing where you can run away from the fire is a great landing!

UH-60 Blackhawk and the EH-60 QuickFix electronic warfare variant and while I have the utmost respect for my brethren with the silver wings upon their chests (especially the ones with a gold star on them), all the aircraft I've ridden in were on  the ground when I got on them...and on the ground when I got off them!  They may have been missing a wing and on fire; but still on the ground!  LOL!  jk

The E-3 had a jumpseat. It was called 'Seat 5'. I sat there on several occasions during my crew dog tenure. I would typically fly with the same handful of flight deck crewman most of the time. They liked me, I think, because I always had a stack of unmentionable magazines in my flight bag that I would share on long missions.

...But Anyway. I remember once in Seat 5, over the Caribbean during an AR. We used to do that in the low 20's. This time, it was at night and in the soup and choppy. They said "help us find the tanker  We take on XXXX pounds in the next 15 minutes or we abort and RTB. You'll see a white light. "That's the tail light, or was it from the boom? So, we all got the light about a mile away or less. The tanker loomed into sight much closer than than . The FO (a Captain) was doing the flying. It was quite harrowing. Bouncing all over the sky in a plane, while hand flying, is enough to wear you out. To match all that all up with a boom and KC-135 10 yards away was quite a show. Oh, but don't come on it too fast and smash the windshield, Up...careful...back! Ok..contact...drink...dang...out.. Fight it all over again. This went on for 45 minutes. We finally got what we needed and continued the mission. I remember the Captain was drenched in sweat when it was all over! .. I think I was too!

Yep, served 8 yrs USAF.  It was funny, the one where I sat in the jump seat, we were just coming off a TDY (that turned into a 4 day drinking binge, don't ask).  I heard the pilot say, Hey anyone wanna sit in the jump seat.  It was awesome because I got to hear them talking to all the control towers as we were taking off as well as when we were over the Atlantic. 

GMorrison

So in other words you got PAID to do it!

Every job has its perks!

So in other words you got PAID to do it!

Devil Dawg

Aaron, I just gotta ask - how did you manage to get rides in the Goodyear Blimp & The Golden Knights plane? That's pretty danged cool!!

Cool stuff, Peaches! Are you a veteran? Just wondering, as not many civilians get to fly in KC-135 jump seats.

C-130, KC-135 (I got to fly in the jump seat on one mission that I went on).

Aaron, I just gotta ask - how did you manage to get rides in the Goodyear Blimp & The Golden Knights plane? That's pretty danged cool!!

I once flew in a tiger moth biplane once, and I still remember it as though it were yesterday, I flew over the beautiful south Australia coast

Rides (airliners not included) — Cessna 150, Cessna 172, Beech 3NM (Canadian C-45). B-25, B-17, C-130, UH-1D, UH-60 Blackhawk, PT-19 Cornell, a biplane (New Standard?), Learjet 23, hot-air balloon, Golden Knight's FH-227 Friendship, and Goodyear Blimp.

fermis

MIflyer

fermis

MIflyer

Hope we run into each other again sometime!

Planning to take a trip to Nationals this summer (June 20 somethinth I think???), if ya wanna tag along...will be good times for sure!

Otherwise...if ya get a free evening, give me a shout, I'll throw some backstraps on the grill!!! I'm right off M-36 (basically), about 20 mins. from Willow Run.

Sounds good!

I probably won't make the Nats this year, as close as it will be. I'm scheduled to fly that week and trying to trade time off during the summer is next to impossible. I am planning to be at Indy in March and the Region IV show in Dayton in April, though.

INdy in March eh?!!!

I got a buddy down that way, have gone the last two years. Stay the night at his place  Fri night...(do you like rum???!!!)...show on Sat and head back. Will likely do it again this year. You can come along if ya like.

I actually do the same thing - I have a buddy in Fort Wayne that I crash with. Thanks for the invite though - hope to see you there!

MIflyer

fermis

MIflyer

Hope we run into each other again sometime!

Planning to take a trip to Nationals this summer (June 20 somethinth I think???), if ya wanna tag along...will be good times for sure!

Otherwise...if ya get a free evening, give me a shout, I'll throw some backstraps on the grill!!! I'm right off M-36 (basically), about 20 mins. from Willow Run.

Sounds good!

I probably won't make the Nats this year, as close as it will be. I'm scheduled to fly that week and trying to trade time off during the summer is next to impossible. I am planning to be at Indy in March and the Region IV show in Dayton in April, though.

INdy in March eh?!!!

I got a buddy down that way, have gone the last two years. Stay the night at his place  Fri night...(do you like rum???!!!)...show on Sat and head back. Will likely do it again this year. You can come along if ya like.

Amen!!

When you get to the show in Indy, tell they guys running the contest that Gary Mason says "Hi!". I used to belong to the IPMS/Roscoe Turner Chapter for many, many years when I lived there.

fermis

MIflyer

Hope we run into each other again sometime!

Planning to take a trip to Nationals this summer (June 20 somethinth I think???), if ya wanna tag along...will be good times for sure!

Otherwise...if ya get a free evening, give me a shout, I'll throw some backstraps on the grill!!! I'm right off M-36 (basically), about 20 mins. from Willow Run.

Sounds good!

I probably won't make the Nats this year, as close as it will be. I'm scheduled to fly that week and trying to trade time off during the summer is next to impossible. I am planning to be at Indy in March and the Region IV show in Dayton in April, though.

It's funny, I've really never thought about heights when flying. It doesn't bother me in the least, but put me twenty feet up on a ladder and I'm definitely nervous!

Greg

This thread continues to amaze yet mostly humble me.

Greentracker, I logged a fair amount of hours for a non-professional pilot, and I have always been scared to death of heights.

MIflyer

Hope we run into each other again sometime!

Planning to take a trip to Nationals this summer (June 20 somethinth I think???), if ya wanna tag along...will be good times for sure!

Otherwise...if ya get a free evening, give me a shout, I'll throw some backstraps on the grill!!! I'm right off M-36 (basically), about 20 mins. from Willow Run.

fermis

Man, It's been a while!!!

(Yup, K-zoo contest!)

Figured you got a flying gig and got busy! No joy for me, haven't even flown in 5 years (life kicks yer nuts then ya die)

I did my instrument ticket at Eagle Flight there at YIP. I work winters at OZW (Howell)...part time/on call for graveyard shift, keeping runway and taxiway clear of snow for UofM/Survival Flight....and some random days when stuff breaks...or when we get deer inside the wire!

A few years back, I worked there more, and happened to be working when the "Yankees" came out....dumb luck..."Hey, we got an extra seat"!!!....Not anymore!!!

Glad to see you're still around and kickin'. For about four years I was flying 80-100 hours a month... twelve-plus hours a day, seven days a week. Wasn't on here much and did absolutely zero building. I'm just now getting back into the hobby now that I have a job with - *gasp* - scheduled days off.

Sucks that you haven't been in the air, but I know how it goes... when you work in aviation, you usually can't afford to do it for fun. I thought about hanging out a shingle for CFI work around the area when I moved to YIP, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I love flying, but these days, I honestly don't have much desire to go near a plane when I'm not working.

Hope we run into each other again sometime!