Porn for Pilots

[TheMentat]

Putting aside the obvious safety concerns, if this video doesn't get your mojo going, there's something seriously wrong with you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ij1qWr99qLE

[masraum]

Great video.

[svandamme]

to bad the camera has a bit to much obstructions in view
to much cockpit , not enough outward view

not that the dude cared, he must have had a great time right there

[Dottore]

Sensational video.

Who's singing? I only know the Jimmy Buffet version of that tune?

[TheMentat]

Stephen Stills (of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young)

I agree that a better camera mount would have given a better view. But you have to admit, the music + the calmness of the pilot creates a pretty cool contrast to the flying in the video...

[304065]

No chute
Not enough altitude during the roll

If he wanted to kill himself a gun is better.

[M.D. Holloway]

It would be better if I dodn't have to look at the back of that bulldawgs neck, still it was cool.

[TheMentat]

Originally posted by john_cramer
No chute
Not enough altitude during the roll

If he wanted to kill himself a gun is better.

I knew it was only a matter of time before a response like that showed up

I beg to differ though... that would be WAY better than meeting your maker with a gun.

[Seahawk]

Nice but a little slow...brought back lots of memories.

As a CO of mine once said, when it comes to low level flight, you can only tie the record.

[greglepore]

What the hell is an L39? That was some cool stuff.

[rcecale]

Went for a similar ride in the backseat of a T-34 Mentor, while in the Marine Corps. Flying from El Toro to Vance AFB in Enid, Oklahoma, banking and cranking over the Colorado River.
Took three legs to get there in the Mentor and another three to get back, but it was a great trip all the way around!


Randy

[slakjaw]

nice vid

[VincentVega]

funny, I thought it would be so much better without the lame musak.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Very cool. I gotta' get me arse up there again and do some aerobatics. It's been too long.

[HardDrive]

Originally posted by Seahawk

As a CO of mine once said, when it comes to low level flight, you can only tie the record.

That is GOLD.

[slakjaw]

Why, what is the record?

[Vipergrün]

Originally posted by slakjaw
Why, what is the record?

Ground level.......

[slakjaw]

Ahh, I just *got it*

LOL

[Tim Hancock]

I have a river nearby and on occasion have done the same, however as I have aged, I do stuff like this less and less. While I feel SOMEWHAT comfortable with keeping the plane out of the trees, I typically get more worried wondering what happens if the engine quits. Altitude is your friend when flying single engine airplanes. If it quits and the river is surrounded by trees and rocky terrain, you have zero chance of finding a suitable emergency landing spot. You either land in the shallow and possibly rocky river, or you end up in the trees.

I did not listen to the sound, but I am guessing that is an experimental RV4 or RV8 aircraft. While I don't condone low level aerobatics, the roll he did was probably not as dangerous as the extended steep turn he executed right after it. Depending on his airspeed and whether he was paying some attention to it, he could have snapped over into a spin with insufficient altitude to correct.

But hey, this guy is enjoying life and we all needlessly expose ourselves to unnecessary risks on occasion so who are we to judge.

Someone mentioned a t-34 earlier. Here is a pic of one I am doing a top overhaul on now. They are solid fun planes to fly, but they feel quite a bit heavier than what that guy in the video appears to be flying.

[svandamme]

Tim , is that some kind of optical illusion or something?

the engine looks to be standing upright, yet attached to the plane ?
but that wouldn't make sense now would it

just looks plain weird