Videos that you think are cool 2
#1121
I think that this VIDEO of a U-2 Spy Plane flying at FL 70 thousand is pretty cool. I had no idea that they had both inside and out side rear view mirrors and surprisingly a "tell tail" (as in sailing) on the nose. I guess that must be a low pressure point to keep it getting ripped off at speed?
Note how deep blue the sky is when he is at altitude as well as the curvature of the earth of course. It must be quite an experience to fly that high? The highest that I have ever been is FL 43 thousand in a Gulfstream 4. With a tail wind that gave us a ground speed of 761 MPH.
P.S. I suggest watching this video in full screen mode at HD resolution.
Note how deep blue the sky is when he is at altitude as well as the curvature of the earth of course. It must be quite an experience to fly that high? The highest that I have ever been is FL 43 thousand in a Gulfstream 4. With a tail wind that gave us a ground speed of 761 MPH.
P.S. I suggest watching this video in full screen mode at HD resolution.
Also interesting was the chase car at the end. A comment from a U-2 pilot on that page said that the U-2 should be stalled at about a foot above the runway, and the chase car is used to guide the pilot who presumably has limited visibility. In sailplanes, you fly the plane all the way onto the runway - when your wheel(s) touch, you're generally well over stall speed. You then immediately apply air brakes to keep you glued to the runway, then apply full wheel brakes. Though the U-2 has much in common with sailplanes, that's obviously one big difference.
#1122
I think that this VIDEO is pretty cool.
The link was sent to me by a long time friend who stated: How people would not get on a commercial airliner without pilots. I responded that he is probably correct although the technology for pilotless planes has been around for years. Airline pilots do little to fly the plane in the cockpit these days except dial in coordinates to VOR's,etc. They are largely there to be there if something goes wrong. I.E. The "Miracle on the Hudson" scenario.
The link was sent to me by a long time friend who stated: How people would not get on a commercial airliner without pilots. I responded that he is probably correct although the technology for pilotless planes has been around for years. Airline pilots do little to fly the plane in the cockpit these days except dial in coordinates to VOR's,etc. They are largely there to be there if something goes wrong. I.E. The "Miracle on the Hudson" scenario.
#1123
I don't know how common a "tell tail" is on a power plane, but it's always there on a sailplane, which the U-2 pretty much is - note the very large wings in proportion to the fuselage. They're needed to maintain lift at the very low atmospheric pressure at those altitudes.
Also interesting was the chase car at the end. A comment from a U-2 pilot on that page said that the U-2 should be stalled at about a foot above the runway, and the chase car is used to guide the pilot who presumably has limited visibility. In sailplanes, you fly the plane all the way onto the runway - when your wheel(s) touch, you're generally well over stall speed. You then immediately apply air brakes to keep you glued to the runway, then apply full wheel brakes. Though the U-2 has much in common with sailplanes, that's obviously one big difference.
Also interesting was the chase car at the end. A comment from a U-2 pilot on that page said that the U-2 should be stalled at about a foot above the runway, and the chase car is used to guide the pilot who presumably has limited visibility. In sailplanes, you fly the plane all the way onto the runway - when your wheel(s) touch, you're generally well over stall speed. You then immediately apply air brakes to keep you glued to the runway, then apply full wheel brakes. Though the U-2 has much in common with sailplanes, that's obviously one big difference.
I did not know that you were into sail planes? The first time that I flew in one I was surprised by how steep the approach was. Watching the "air brakes" come up on a Grob S-2 was a new experience for me the first time. I have two thrills in sail planes over the years flying out of Dillingham Field on the NW corner of Oahu. The first was getting to fly for about twenty minutes along the bluff as we could not re-gain enough altitude to do more aerobatics. The Second "experience" was inverted flight after an outside loop and the pilot pointed out a whale swimming along the coast off of Dillingham Field. It does not get much better than looking up at a whale while flying inverted on the north shore of Oahu.
#1125
Registered User
Aside from politics and current events, I enjoy watching this YouTube video of Paul McCartney’s “Hey Jude” performed in Moscow’s Red Square. Vladimir Putin was in attendance and clapping along. Paul is an amazing international good will ambassador. I’ve never seen him in concert…I hope to before he’s unable to perform.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-TnBx-Kng
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD-TnBx-Kng
#1129
That was originally reported on the local Fox TV station sometime ago. It gave me goose bumps then and it still does now.
#1130
Wow, that's some story.