RR
Metrologic HeNe 3.3mw Modulated laser, 2 Radio Shack motors, and a broken mirror.
1979.
Sweet.....
Aircraft do tend to stick around for awhile!
Keep in mind that a well-maintained "old" aircraft probably has very few parts that are very old at all.
Most aircraft - and especially helicopters - have a LOT of components that are replaced after a certain number of flight hours, even if the component shows no appreciable wear or damage.
Most of the OH-58D's I flew actually started out life as OH-58A/C, which are basically slightly-modified JetRangers (and had to go through a massive rebuild to become a 58D!)
The last AH-1 Cobra I flew in early 2001 was built in 1970!
It's now sitting outside a hangar in Ozark, Alabama, waiting to be donated or permanently parked in the Arizona desert, waiting to be turned into beer cans..
That's the same fate awaiting the retiring OH-58D fleet.
"My" first aircraft, summer 1988 (actually had my name on the side after I got my Pilot-in-Command orders; pretty cool! ) was an OH-58/C.
After digging into "my" bird's historical records, I was a bit surprised to find out that helicopter had actually been shot down during Vietnam...
Last edited by Stuka; 07-14-2015 at 05:32.
RR
Metrologic HeNe 3.3mw Modulated laser, 2 Radio Shack motors, and a broken mirror.
1979.
Sweet.....
Two years at the local airshow the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation had a Huey and a AH-1F Cobra there offering rides. I tried to go in the Cobra but it was booked for the rest of the day. Last year I got to the airshow early and went to the tent and signed up. I got to ride up front in one of 6 Cobras certified to fly passengers in the world. Four of the 6 are owned by the Army Aviation Heritage Foundation. The one I rode in was piloted by the same guy that flew the exact same Cobra in battle. When he was hired as a pilot he didn't know they had his old friend.
It wasn't the cheapest ride but I will never forget it.
Holey crap! What SN did you fly? I rode in 15826.
Full disclosure -
I didn't get the chance to fly that particular Cobra in it's current paint scheme; I flew it while it was still sporting tactical colors.
If I recall correctly, there was around a 3 or 4-year break between the time I flew that tail number as a tactical aircraft, and the time the fleet came back by our flight facility (and provided the photo op) sporting NASCAR paint jobs.
I'll have to reload my electronic logbook and look up some tail numbers ~
it's been a few years since I looked at any of that!!
RR
Metrologic HeNe 3.3mw Modulated laser, 2 Radio Shack motors, and a broken mirror.
1979.
Sweet.....