Airventure '08

[Mobius]

On to the Jets...

A T-33 (or CT-133 since it's from Canada)..


A nice Hawker Hunter...


A U-2 came in and did a few fly-bys, then landed.

[a1]

Great shots of the U-2.

[BigTruck]

Great shots!

I don't want to sound like a moron, and I do know quite a bit about aviation, but I guess I'm not too savvy when it comes to the U2, can you explain the mustang's role in driving next to it, I know you said it drops it outriggers but I'm not sure what that is...what exactly does the mustang do as it is driving next to the U2 on landing?

[Ivan]

Great shots!

I don't want to sound like a moron, and I do know quite a bit about aviation, but I guess I'm not too savvy when it comes to the U2, can you explain the mustang's role in driving next to it, I know you said it drops it outriggers but I'm not sure what that is...what exactly does the mustang do as it is driving next to the U2 on landing?

Signal the pilot that the outriggers are on the ground i think... doubt if the pilot can see them (being deployed and in contact with terra firma)

[Mobius]

I'm not 100% certain either.

[Hagar]

Nice photos Mobius.

I don't want to sound like a moron, and I do know quite a bit about aviation, but I guess I'm not too savvy when it comes to the U2, can you explain the mustang's role in driving next to it, I know you said it drops it outriggers but I'm not sure what that is...what exactly does the mustang do as it is driving next to the U2 on landing?

The outriggers (aka pogos) are dropped on take-off to reduce the weight & it lands without them like a big glider. I imagine the Mustang had the ground crew (& outriggers) aboard to reattach them so it can taxi. http://www.airforce-technology.com/projects/u2/

[DaveSims]

Actually I read about this is a magazine article many moons ago.

[Hagar]

To add to what Mobius & davysims said.

Culminating Event

After sitting almost motionless at the edge of the atmosphere for 9 hours, the real challenge begins.  Almost all of the drag devices of the aircraft are deployed at altitude (to include the gear) for the descent.  The U-2, with its long wings and inline bicycle type gear is extremely difficult to land.  It has very poor crosswind performance and must land from a full aerodynamic stall at approximately 2' in the air, with no drift and no crab (yaw).  The mobile waits near the end of the runway, listening for the first communications from the pilot.  After a radio check in, the two are mated, similar to a formation flight, but with one member in a car.  As the aircraft arrives on final and nears the runway, the mobile begins the high speed chase.  At 10' a countdown begins until landing.  In addition to altitude, the mobile may give corrections such as "left or right rudder" to correct crab.  A typical sequence would be "10..9..8..7..6..5..4..3..2..2..2..2...." ending with the landing.  The landing looks benign from the outside, but is actually very violent in the cockpit.  As the aircraft slows, the wings lose lift and eventually one wing falls to the runway on a titanium wingtip skid.  A "pogo crew" reinstalls the pogo wheels and the taxi begins to the ramp.  Due to the difficult taxi, the sortie truly doesn't end until the engine is shut down and the pilot has two feet firmly on the ground.

http://www.black-jets.com/about_the_u-2.htm

[Ravang]

I'm sooo going next year!

[BigTruck]

Thanks for the info/explanations, I learned something new today, did not realize it was so complex to land one of these.  Good stuff!

[gtirob01]

What a site to see that U2..... now that is something you dont see everyday. Unless you work with them that is!