The AH Coffee Shop and Reading Room 09

[MrPixel]

Heh. F-111. That takes me back. My time at NASA 50 years ago was with an F-111A ("Aardvark") research group.

I recall one test flight where they were trying out flat spin suppression, since they were known for stalling both engines in certain situations and augering in, unable to restart engines because the spin choked the intakes. The "suppression" consisted of a parachute on a boom off the tail. First test flight, the pilot was instructed to execute a mild spin, something he could get out of on throttle-up. He deployed the 'chute - which ripped the tail clean off the aircraft.

Oops.

He ejected and was fine, but I suspect one or more engineers were transferred to another section.

 

[Rustyoznail]

Oops indeed...

 

[NotWise]

Oops.

He ejected and was fine, but I suspect one or more engineers were transferred to another section.

"Test pilot" seems like a good job for AI.

 

[Duleigh]

Heh. F-111. That takes me back. My time at NASA 50 years ago was with an F-111A ("Aardvark") research group.

I recall one test flight where they were trying out flat spin suppression, since they were known for stalling both engines in certain situations and augering in, unable to restart engines because the spin choked the intakes. The "suppression" consisted of a parachute on a boom off the tail. First test flight, the pilot was instructed to execute a mild spin, something he could get out of on throttle-up. He deployed the 'chute - which ripped the tail clean off the aircraft.

Oops.

He ejected and was fine, but I suspect one or more engineers were transferred to another section.

I LOVED my Aardvark. I went to tech school to learn the complex bombing system. The only thing I didn't like was the pivot pylons, they were a pain to install. But that thing was a beast! It could carry 48 five hundred pound bombs on the wings and 2 two thousand pound bombs internal. That's more conventional bombs than a B-52 can carry (It can only carry 51). ALL of the bombing videos you see from Desert Storm are from F-111s, not stealth bombers. The stealth was good but it didn't have the video capability that the "Wonder Lemon" had. The Stealth could only carry 2 bombs.

When I finally got assigned to an f-111 unit, it was the EF-111, the SparkVark, it's weapons system was replaced by high power radio transmitters which jammed enemy SAM sites. It has two kills, one was an Iraqi MIG that followed it down when the EF-111 pilot dove from 20,000 feet to 20 feet (terrain following radar was awesome!) and the other was an American QF-4. The QF-4 was a target drone F-4E Phantom II that had an all digital control system and he got too close to my EF when the SparkVark hit the "Buzzer" The last thing heard by the QF-4 pilot when his flight controls disappeared on him was "Cease Buzzer! Cease Buzzer! Aw shit..." Luckily he was controlling the QF-4 from an air conditioned trailer hundreds of miles away.

Just before I retired I was going to ride an EF-111 on an "incentive ride" The day of the flight was foggy all over New Mexico so we rescheduled for the next day. I came in on the next day and there was an EF-111 ejection capsule sitting on the ground in front of our hangar. (When you eject from the F-111 the whole cockpit is ejected) The pilot that was to fly me was looking at the capsule in terror. I said "What's up?" He said "That's 339, it had an engine malfunction and flew apart. That could have been US!"

I said, "Cool!"

The pilot said, "You're not scared? Shocked? That could have been us yesterday!"

I said, "Yeah, but look - we know the ejection system works perfectly!"

When I did get the ride my pilot kept saying, "Keep your f---ing hands off that handle!"

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Doesn't the RAAF fly C-17s the size of a humpback whale between office buildings or perform the "Zippo" and light 1000 liters of jettisoned jet fuel with their F-111's anymore? That's the RAAF I remember.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...8F7CDA443A33428C67868F7CDA443A33&&FORM=VRDGAR

 

[Duleigh]

Yeah, that's the aussies

Hey, let's take a warehouse with wings and fly low level between sky scrapers and apartment buildings!

Roit mate! We'll be near a hospital if anything happens.

Skol!

I got in more trouble with the RAAF...

 

[Duleigh]

Give an Aussie the most advanced tactical bomber on earth and what does he do?

Hey Bruce, watch me!

Bloody hell Bruce! Do it again!

Strewth!

 

[MrPixel]

When I did get the ride my pilot kept saying, "Keep your f---ing hands off that handle!"

Uh huh. Same admonition I received when installing test gear in a Lawn Dart. Problem with the F-16 cockpit is it was damn hard to not touch something you shouldn't. You didn't "get into the aircraft", you put it on.

 

[Duleigh]

Uh huh. Same admonition I received when installing test gear in a Lawn Dart. Problem with the F-16 cockpit is it was damn hard to not touch something you shouldn't. You didn't "get into the aircraft", you put it on.

Exactly!
I need to mention that little fact in Friend Zoned II

 

[MillieDynamite]

You should be an expert at one-bombing, then!

I LOVED my Aardvark. I went to tech school to learn the complex bombing system.

 

[Duleigh]

You should be an expert at one-bombing, then!

One bombing, dive toss, dive lay, roll toss, salvo and my favorite: Emergency Armed Release. It's like turning an airplane into a skyrocket by simply shedding 20 tons of weight in 1 second.
Pity the trolls looking up with nowhere to run as the rain of one-bombs whistle downwards.

Sudden thought - could we talk Laurel into a troll free event? No scoring, if you like the story you leave a comment, if you don't like the story you leave a comment, and if you're not a registered member of the site you can't leave a comment. Or, a members only event, if you're not a member you can't open the story to read it. Just trying to think of ways to squash trolls.

 

[NotWise]

One bombing, dive toss, dive lay, roll toss, salvo and my favorite: Emergency Armed Release. It's like turning an airplane into a skyrocket by simply shedding 20 tons of weight in 1 second.
Pity the trolls looking up with nowhere to run as the rain of one-bombs whistle downwards.

Sudden thought - could we talk Laurel into a troll free event? No scoring, if you like the story you leave a comment, if you don't like the story you leave a comment, and if you're not a registered member of the site you can't leave a comment. Or, a members only event, if you're not a member you can't open the story to read it. Just trying to think of ways to squash trolls.

The point being?

No voting would be easy enough to arrange. It's a setting that usually disqualifies an entry from a contest, but you could always have a no-voting author's event. I don't remember a setting for "registered member to comment." If it isn't already there, then it probably won't get added for a one-time event.

 

[Fatdog25]

The point being?

No voting would be easy enough to arrange. It's a setting that usually disqualifies an entry from a contest, but you could always have a no-voting author's event. I don't remember a setting for "registered member to comment." If it isn't already there, then it probably won't get added for a one-time event.

Under Option:My Options, there is an entry to turn off anonymous feedback and one for all feedback.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Sudden thought - could we talk Laurel into a troll free event? No scoring, if you like the story you leave a comment, if you don't like the story you leave a comment, and if you're not a registered member of the site you can't leave a comment. Or, a members only event, if you're not a member you can't open the story to read it. Just trying to think of ways to squash trolls.

Another option might be a ‘masked author’ event, with authors’ names withheld, at least initially. While it would of course mean followers would not get advised, it would also trip up targeting trolls, ones devoted to bombing particular writers. Oggbashan used to say he had those.

 

[NotWise]

Another option might be a ‘masked author’ event, with authors’ names withheld, at least initially. While it would of course mean followers would not get advised, it would also trip up targeting trolls, ones devoted to bombing particular writers. Oggbashan used to say he had those.

Something like that was done once in the first few months after I signed up here. It was a memorial for a man (slyck_willie, if I remember right) who hosted several of the "FAWC" events: Friendly, Anonymous Writers Contests. The stories were initially published in Chain Stories with Slyck's byline, and the stories all had to include a number (5?) words that slyck_willie assigned to each entrant.

I think the stories were re-published after the contest under the actual author's name and category of choice. Laurel did have to be involved, so I don't know if that could happen again.

[Edited to correct of the event]

 

[AloneTooLong]

Um, why?

It is a pain to get to Vancouver from Texas, or in Millie's case OK. My options were Air Canada (from Houston) to (I think) somewhere in Eastern Canada and thennnn all the way across Canada. The other option was somewhere on our West Coast (L.A. for example) and then Air Canada to Vancouver The trip left and returned to Vancouver, so, needless to say, it was 'repeat'. Being in the middle of the country can make for 'interesting' flight plans if you have an 'international' destination. Our trip was just after Canada re-opened the border to tourists, so we had to deal with that also.

Our flight was late leaving Houston, thus we missed our connection in Los Angeles, and that was the last flight of the day to Vancouver, then up at the crack of dawn to get back to the airport (and try to find our luggage), and on to Vancouver for a noonish boarding.

We did Holland America (and they were wonderful--too bad they don't have a ship in Galveston). If I were to do it again, I would depart Seattle or Anchorage (yes, I know Anchorage is not a port--ya need to travel an hour or so to get to 'their' port).

 

[Duleigh]

Another option might be a ‘masked author’ event, with authors’ names withheld, at least initially. While it would of course mean followers would not get advised, it would also trip up targeting trolls, ones devoted to bombing particular writers. Oggbashan used to say he had those.

That's how we do contests at WRIST.pub. All entries are sent to the contest manager who posts them with the name of the event as the author's name. Readers vote for 3 stories in no order. Top story gets the most votes. Only after voting are then author's names revealed. Campus77 was a bit too good and picking my stories out, but it's a great way to have a cashless contest - troll free and no pressure.

 

[_Lynn_]

Something like that was done once in the first few months after I signed up here. It was a memorial for a man (slyck_willie, if I remember right) who hosted several of the "FAWC" events: Friendly, Anonymous Writers Contests. The stories were initially published in Chain Stories with Slyck's byline, and the stories all had to include a number (5?) words that slyck_willie assigned to each entrant.

I think the stories were re-published after the contest under the actual author's name and category of choice. Laurel did have to be involved, so I don't know if that could happen again.

[Edited to correct of the event]

I hosted a FAWC after Slyc passed away.

 

[Candy_Kane54]

Sitting on my patio watching the sun come up wondering when we'll get some rain. Everything is brown except for my potted herbs. I'll be in after awhile to warm up the pot for some tea.

 

[NotWise]

I hosted a FAWC after Slyc passed away.

Your event was the one I remember. The others were all before my time here.

 

[MillieDynamite]

I tried to do a double love liking on your comment, and of course, since I wanted to do that, it wouldn't let me.

One bombing, dive toss, dive lay, roll toss, salvo and my favorite: Emergency Armed Release. It's like turning an airplane into a skyrocket by simply shedding 20 tons of weight in 1 second.
Pity the trolls looking up with nowhere to run as the rain of one-bombs whistle downwards.

Sudden thought - could we talk Laurel into a troll free event? No scoring, if you like the story you leave a comment, if you don't like the story you leave a comment, and if you're not a registered member of the site you can't leave a comment. Or, a members only event, if you're not a member you can't open the story to read it. Just trying to think of ways to squash trolls.

 

[TarnishedPenny]

Was there a bit of a sweep just now?

 

[Rustyoznail]

Was there a bit of a sweep just now?

People with stories in the summer comp saw some changes. I lost one vote, and the score went down by 0.01. Must have lost a dodgy 5.

 

[Rustyoznail]

I've just had an epiphany!

I'd been sitting on a privateer story for years, and have never had the time to research the history properly. The story is fine - a women's husband is the captain, and she's on board to keep him under control. She manages the books...

That works well until he takes a cannon ball to the face, and she's afraid their employer will dismiss her and the crew. She puts up a proposal to him that she sails out with a mostly female crew, with those whose husband's were killed and have no other prospects.

Now the change - why set it in the 1700's? If I set it on Leinyere, then I can have Anacots scampering up the masts and history be damned!

Hmmm...

 

[Duleigh]

I've just had an epiphany!

I'd been sitting on a privateer story for years, and have never had the time to research the history properly. The story is fine - a women's husband is the captain, and she's on board to keep him under control. She manages the books...

That works well until he takes a cannon ball to the face, and she's afraid their employer will dismiss her and the crew. She puts up a proposal to him that she sails out with a mostly female crew, with those whose husband's were killed and have no other prospects.

Now the change - why set it in the 1700's? If I set it on Leinyere, then I can have Anacots scampering up the masts and history be damned!

Hmmm...

Or... if you set it now, with all those pirate costumes you have a Halloween story... just sayin.