Wayne Mackey won the 2008 Short Takeoff and Landing competition in the experimental category at the “May Day” Fly-In & Air Show in Valdez, Alaska. His plane is a replica of the well known Piper J-3 Cub and he won the experimental category with an incredible takeoff distance of 49 feet, and an equally impressive landing distance of 71 feet. Check out some of his very impressive short takeoffs and landings out in the bush.
Old video presenting a test flight of the Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion, one of the biggest helicopters in the western world. Watch as this giant performs loops and rolls with relative ease, aerobatic maneuvers that very few helicopters in the world can perform.
These are probably some of the best low passes ever. And, if it is about low level action, then it’s the French flying their Mirage F1s as crazy as humanly possible over the sands of Chad. Enjoy!
The French Air Force keeps a number of units in Chad. Because of the nature of the missions, the old Aerospatiale SA 330 Puma and Dassault Mirage F1 are stationed there. Pilots often call these “leisure missions” because they pretty much get to do stuff they wouldn’t normally do… like flying extremely low and generally having lots of fun. Check out the videos of the “Crazy Boys” over Chad.
This is a compilation of some of the greatest low passes ever, soundtrack of the video is The Who – Baba O’Riley. Lots of action here, from low flying airliners to high speed jet fighters going down on the deck. Enjoy a great video!
Robert A. “Bob” Hoover (born 1922) is a former air show pilot and United States Air Force test pilot. His personal trademark is a wide-brimmed straw hat and wide smile.Bob Hoover is best known for his air show career, which started when he was hired to demonstrate the capabilities of Aero Commander’s Shrike Commander, a twin-engined piston business aircraft which had developed a rather staid reputation due to its bulky shape. Hoover showed the strength of the plane as he put the aircraft through rolls, loops, and other maneuvers which most people wouldn’t associate with executive aircraft. As a grand finale, he shut down both engines and executed a loop and an eight-point hesitation slow roll as he headed back to the runway. He touched down on one tire, then the other, before landing. After pulling off the runway, he would start engines to taxi back to the parking area. On airfields with large enough parking ramps (such as the Reno Stead Airport where the Reno Air Races take place), Hoover would sometimes land directly on the ramp and coast all the way back to his parking spot in front of the grandstand without re-starting the engines.
A few years after starting the show, he began carrying passengers during the show — after all, he reasoned, the Shrike Commander carries six passengers in comfort (though perhaps not as much comfort when upside down.) These passengers became known as “Hoover’s Heavers” due to the number who became airsick during the maneuvers.
With the advent of camcorders, Hoover added a flourish to the act by pouring a cup of tea from a Thermos, while performing a slow barrel roll (a 1G maneuver). Video of this has been widely distributed, to the pleasure of Aero Commander enthusiasts.
Taking a jet down on the deck guarantees an adrenalin rush like no other. The aircraft feels tight, close to the ground you realize just how fast you are going, your body fills with joy and the feeling becomes addictive. They say speed is life. To know what speed really is just push the throttle forward, go low and feel the rush. It is quite amazing!
The French really do know how to make good videos. I’ve said this for quite a long time now. Anyway, check out these cool pilots and their Pumas doing some really crazy stuff over the deserts of Chad. That low pass over those three soldiers is really scary. I bet if I were in their shoes, I’d shit myself in fear. Enjoy!
Another great video from the French. This time it’s the Gazelle helicopter in what appears to be a low altitude training exercise. These low level flights are quite intense… the helicopter feels very tight, very responsive and the rush of seeing the ground pass under you at high speed is quite spectacular.
Very relaxing video with great music too. Enjoy this fantastic helicopter ride in Hawaii!
