Complete – Page 5

Northrop T-38 Talon

January 23, 2025 by Bob Stoney Leave a Comment

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Northrop. Model: T-38. Nickname: Talon
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Tactical Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Multi-engine Land
> Engine Description: Twin jet

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 10/30/2024
> Number of Hours Flown: 600
> Number of Times Flown: 491
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: F-5

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 20
> Date First Flown: 2/24/1986
> Location First Flown: NAS Patuxent River, MD (KNHK)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: US Naval Test Pilot School, Ken Carlton

Recollections: The T-38 Talon. WHAT AN AIRPLANE! Fuel flow while taxiing almost same as going Mach 0.9 at altitude (what?!). Doesn’t carry much fuel, though (the first time I took it on a cross country, when I got to cruise altitude and noticed I had used over a quarter of my fuel, I considered declaring min fuel…until I did the math and realized that the airplane’s cruise fuel flow was ridiculously low for how fast it was going). This airplane is my favorite jet. 12,500 lb, supersonic, the designers were geniuses. I credit this airplane with teaching me efficiency in flight test…you had to be prepared, think through your test points, combining fuel efficiency (using “energy paper, a pre-set piece of paper which combines potential and kinectic energy into one plot, to help you transition from one point to the next in the most efficient manner) with safety. After detailed planning, I “chair flew” every flight in the airplane, so I wouldn’t waste a second…you just didn’t have fuel to waste. I flew it every chance I got (53 times alone during my 11 month course as a TPS student) and then flew it another 400+ times as an instructor. The airplane was perfect for TPS and is one of the reasons it’s been there for 50+ years. Why is it perfect? Well, the efficiency thing, for one. But is also has–at least for Navy pilots–very different flying qualities than a Navy jet. It’s a “front side” airplane, meaning you’re on the front side of the drag polar (most of the time) and this requires different pilot technique.

T-38 “Teakettle 15” at USNTPS
U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Daniel J. McLain (RELEASED)

It’s also an airplane that brought tragedy to USNTPS when, in July of 2000, we lost Gareth Rietz and Ray O’Hare. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t think about these two and those they left behind.

Morane-Saulnier MS.760 Parisjet

January 23, 2025 by Bob Stoney Leave a Comment

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Moran-Saulnier. Model: MS.760. Nickname: Paris or Parisjet
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Business Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Multi-engine Land
> Engine Description: twin jet

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 9/2/2021
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: n/a

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 120
> Date First Flown: 4/3/2002
> Location First Flown: Mojave Airport, CA (KMHV)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: National Test Pilot School (NTPS), Greg Lewis

Recollections: The original “VLJ”, this unusual French airplane was designed in the 1950’s. I came to fly it during the syllabus for “Flight Test initial training” upon beginning my job with the FAA flight test group. The National Test Pilot School (NTPS) used the airplane for several exercises, noting that it was FAA certified. With a gross weight of 7650 lb, it was ahead of its time….decades before the “Very Light Jet” craze produced the Cessna 510 Mustang, the Eclipse 500, or the Cirrus Vision SF50.

My logbook says the exercise I conducted at NTPS (flying with the always-awesome Greg Lewis) was a “FAR Part 25 flight”. My memory is that the airplane was somehow certified under Part 25, even with its diminutive weight, probably to account for things like transport category single engine performance.

MS.760 Paris (Stock Photo)
(c) www.machdiamonds.com

McDonnell Douglas MD-11

January 23, 2025 by Bob Stoney Leave a Comment

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: McDonnell Douglas Model: MD-11 Nickname: Trijet?
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Large Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane Multi-engine Land
> Engine Description: tri jet

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 9/2/2021
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: NASA PCA (Propulsion Controlled Aircraft), MD-12, DC-10

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 83
> Date First Flown: 11/29/1995
> Location First Flown: Edwards AFB, CA (KEDW)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: NASA, Gordon Fullerton

Recollections: My flight in the MD-11 (the only McDonnell Douglas product I think I’ve ever flown) was unique for two major reasons:

(1) the airplane I flew was a research airplane configured to fly using “propulsion control” only. This “Propulsion Controlled Aircraft” (PCA) utilized asymmetric thrust between the two wing-mounted engines to yaw (and therefore roll) the airplane and differential thrust between those engines and the tail-mounted engines to pitch the airplane. All were controlled thru the autopilot controller, using a NASA-designed algorithm. I think this concept was envisioned as a result of the 1989 United Airlines DC-10 Flight 232 accident in Sioux City and the hope that an emergency backup system could be developed to prevent accidents like that one from reoccurring. For more details on this interesting project, go to this link.

(2) The NASA pilot for my flight was Gordon Fullerton. Gordon was one of the most famous test pilots and it was a joy to fly with someone so competent, so humble. A true “Gentleman Test Pilot”.

NASA MD-11 Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA)
(c) nasa.gov

The PCA was conducting trials with a number of pilots, to evaluate the concept. I’m not sure how I heard about it but I ended up getting the opportunity to go to Edwards for a flight. The maneuvers consisted of simple maneuvering in the air (altitude changes/captures/maintenance, roll tasks, etc) and finished with an approach and landing. All utilizing the Mode Control Panel (MCP) to control the PCA’s flight path using the autopilot’s links to the thrust. The landing on Edwards runway as probably smoother than I could’ve done hand-flying. In the end this remained only a concept, probably owing to the fact that it would only work on a tri-jet like the MD-11, DC-10 (needed that high, tail-mounted engine for pitch control).

Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker

January 23, 2025 by Bob Stoney Leave a Comment

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Boeing. Model: KC-135. Nickname: Stratotanker
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Large Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane multi-engine land
> Engine Description: Quad jet

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 9/2/2021
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: n/a

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 98
> Date First Flown: 7/29/1998
> Location First Flown: NAS Patuxent River, MD (KNHK)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: USAF Flight Test (on a USAFTPS field trip)

Recollections: My brother flew these airplanes for many years in the USAF and when one came to NAS Patuxent River (serving as transportation for a USAFTPS class on their field trip), I had the opportunity to finally fly this venerable airplane.

My time in the seat was relatively short but–since we were flying with a USAF test pilot–we were able to do stalls and patterns. My second landing pattern was conducted with the stability augmentation system off and it was then I got to see the famous “dutch roll” characteristics of this machine (and why that SAS was so critical). I was doing ok until I got in close to the runway, when the magnitude of the roll (the dutch roll on the KC-135 has a very high roll-to-yaw ratio) excursions increased enough that I decided it was time to go around. Great flight!

Lockheed C-141 Starlifter

January 23, 2025 by Bob Stoney Leave a Comment

Aircraft Information
> Aircraft Make: Lockheed. Model: C-141. Nickname: Starlifter
> Aircraft Mil Civ Description: Large Jet
> FAA Category and Class: Airplane multi-engine land
> Engine Description: Quad jet

Aircraft Experience
> As of: 9/2/2021
> Number of Hours Flown: 1
> Number of Times Flown: 1
> Other Aircraft Models Associated: n/a

First Flown Information
> Sequence First Flown: 53
> Date First Flown: 2/6/1989
> Location First Flown: Edwards AFB, CA (KEDW)
> Who and/or What Organization First Flown With: USAF Flight Test Center, Halsey

Recollections:
I got to fly the “Starlifter” on a qualitative evaluation during a field trip to Edwards. I remember next to nothing about the flight, which probably means I’d had too much fun the night before, or the airplane was “as expected”. Should’ve kept better notes! I’ll bet the student flying with me had to write up a full “Daily report”…another benefit of being an IP. 🙂