Comments on: Old School Flight Instruction Flat Hatting http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/ The unbearable lightness of Lex. Enjoy! Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:32:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: virgil xenophon http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-464110 virgil xenophon Sun, 29 Nov 2009 16:27:52 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-464110 DAVE/ God, what a sight that must have been! Sends chills up my spine even today at my advanced age just thinking about. (I've flown into the old Moffet NAS, btw, way back in 68 as a USAF guy, no less) DAVE/

God, what a sight that must have been! Sends chills up my spine even today at my advanced age just thinking about. (I’ve flown into the old Moffet NAS, btw, way back in 68 as a USAF guy, no less)

]]> By: DAve http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-464090 DAve Sun, 29 Nov 2009 10:07:05 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-464090 My dad flew inside the Canyon back when he was flying Naval Air Transport, probably in an R4D (C-54???). I imagine his passengers were very satisfied- He also told me that about dusk July 4th 1946 he flew out of Maryland to Moffett watching the fireworks displays going off all across the country the first July 4th after WWII ended. I'm trying to think of a comment that wouldn't be horribly anticlimactic after those two items. My dad flew inside the Canyon back when he was flying Naval Air Transport, probably in an R4D (C-54???). I imagine his passengers were very satisfied-
He also told me that about dusk July 4th 1946 he flew out of Maryland to Moffett watching the fireworks displays going off all across the country the first July 4th after WWII ended.
I’m trying to think of a comment that wouldn’t be horribly anticlimactic after those two items.

]]> By: MaxDamage http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-464055 MaxDamage Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:44:08 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-464055 Lovely video -- it's hard to get a sensation of speed when you're 15K feet from what you're passing, and clouds offer no sense of scale. I've done the ton in most every wheeled vehicle capable of doing it. The cars were a rush, the motorcycles a thrill, but on an FKE cart with my butt an inch off the ground and my knees in the slipstream was probably the most intense. This looks to be a lot more fun. Good thing those jets are expensive, else I'd have a new hobby. Serious question, though: The T-33 and F-80 had those wing-tip fuel tanks. Why? Wouldn't you want the tanks as close to the center of gravity as possible? I'd think the rounded tanks wouldn't help with wingtip vorticies, and all that extra weight out there would surely make rolls and turns more difficult to control. They should have built the tanks long and slim along the outside of the fuselage, right above and behind the engine air inlets. That way the fuel would be closer to the CG, the tanks would offer some small protection against small-arms and shrapnel fire, and it would lessen the chance of being out of flyable trim should one tank have a failure (something Lex surely knows more about). It's awfully easy to criticize after-the-fact, hindsight being 20/20 and all, but I'm not trying to do that here. This plane was designed by people who have forgotten more than I'll ever know about aerodynamics and physics and mechanical design. I'd sure like to know what they knew that I'm overlooking. - Max Lovely video — it’s hard to get a sensation of speed when you’re 15K feet from what you’re passing, and clouds offer no sense of scale. I’ve done the ton in most every wheeled vehicle capable of doing it. The cars were a rush, the motorcycles a thrill, but on an FKE cart with my butt an inch off the ground and my knees in the slipstream was probably the most intense.

This looks to be a lot more fun. Good thing those jets are expensive, else I’d have a new hobby.

Serious question, though: The T-33 and F-80 had those wing-tip fuel tanks. Why? Wouldn’t you want the tanks as close to the center of gravity as possible? I’d think the rounded tanks wouldn’t help with wingtip vorticies, and all that extra weight out there would surely make rolls and turns more difficult to control. They should have built the tanks long and slim along the outside of the fuselage, right above and behind the engine air inlets. That way the fuel would be closer to the CG, the tanks would offer some small protection against small-arms and shrapnel fire, and it would lessen the chance of being out of flyable trim should one tank have a failure (something Lex surely knows more about).

It’s awfully easy to criticize after-the-fact, hindsight being 20/20 and all, but I’m not trying to do that here. This plane was designed by people who have forgotten more than I’ll ever know about aerodynamics and physics and mechanical design. I’d sure like to know what they knew that I’m overlooking.

– Max

]]> By: Quartermaster http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-464008 Quartermaster Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:04:35 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-464008 Even if you already know it, it's still nice to have the confirmation from outside sources. Even if you already know it, it’s still nice to have the confirmation from outside sources.

]]> By: virgil xenophon http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-463956 virgil xenophon Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:27:42 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-463956 I just KNEW I was smarter than the average Bear, and now I have living proof! I just KNEW I was smarter than the average Bear, and now I have living proof!

]]> By: sobersubmrnr http://www.neptunuslex.com/2009/11/27/old-school-flight-instruction-flat-hatting/comment-page-1/#comment-463891 sobersubmrnr Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:57:22 +0000 http://www.neptunuslex.com/?p=12628#comment-463891 Boy, ain't that the truth. :D Boy, ain’t that the truth. :D

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